Greaves was the last man dismissed as West Indies posted 499 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 549 for nine declared, reducing the deficit to just 50 runs.
Sri Lanka then lost first-innings centurion Lahiru Udara for a four-ball duck and Nishan Fernando for 20 before reaching 92 for two at stumps, an overall lead of 142 heading into the final day.
Dinesh Chandimal was unbeaten on 40 and Kamindu Mendis on 30, with the pair adding an unbroken 60 runs for the third wicket.
Sri Lanka scored at more than four runs an over during the final 22 overs of the day and will need to maintain that tempo on Tuesday if it is to force a result. The visitor’s only realistic route to victory is to build a defendable total quickly before attempting to bowl West Indies out on a surface that could deteriorate late on the final day.
West Indies won the opening match of the two-Test series by an innings and 217 runs and needs only a draw to secure its first World Test Championship series victory since beating Bangladesh in the Caribbean in 2022.
With only 21 wickets falling and 1,140 runs scored across the first four days, the odds remain firmly in West Indies’ favour.
Greaves brought up his third Test century and went on to record his second-highest score in the format. His innings formed the backbone of a 242-run fifth-wicket partnership with Shai Hope, who made 112.
The stand revived memories of the pair’s 196-run partnership against New Zealand in December, when Hope scored 140 and Greaves an unbeaten 202 to help West Indies salvage a draw.
This time, Greaves and Hope carried West Indies from a precarious 144 for four to 386 for five, transforming the complexion of the match and putting the host in a position from which it could protect its series lead.
After Hope’s dismissal, Greaves expertly shepherded the lower order as West Indies added another 113 runs for its final five wickets.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the day, using short-pitched bowling effectively to restrict the scoring rate. Asitha Fernando claimed five for 130 from 40 overs, his third five-wicket haul in Tests, while Prabath Jayasuriya finished with three for 131.
Hope’s dismissal, shortly before lunch, came in unusual fashion. Attempting to pad away a length delivery from left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha down the leg side, Hope missed and wandered out of his crease. Wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis failed to collect the ball cleanly, but it ricocheted off his gloves and onto the stumps.
Hope struck 10 boundaries during his innings and was particularly assured against the spinners, repeatedly using his feet to disrupt Jayasuriya’s rhythm.
West Indies had resumed the day on 318 for four, with Hope on 86 and Greaves on 85. Hope should have been dismissed without adding to his overnight score when he edged Milan Rathnayake’s second delivery of the morning down the leg side, but Sri Lanka chose not to review the umpire’s not-out decision.
Having missed the first Test with a shoulder injury sustained in training, Hope marked his return with his third century in five Tests, reaching the landmark from 199 balls.
Greaves, meanwhile, completed his second Test century in Antigua from 201 deliveries with a quick single before batting deep into the day to leave West Indies within touching distance of a long-awaited series triumph.
Published on Jul 07, 2026
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