The first Test of the three-match Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka bowls off at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair at 10 am today.
In recent years, Windies have been making poor starts in series and gradually improving as the series goes along, sometimes winning the final match after already losing the series.
Follow our live blog for updates from the Test Series as our Sports reporters Stephon Nicholas and Jelani Beckles and photographer Azlan Mohammed produce live updates from the field.
Shane Dowrich is in ultra defensive mode. He's scored just 3 off 33 balls. West Indies go to tea on 153/5 after 50 overs. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
West Indies need a captain's knock now from Jason Holder with five wickets down for 147. It's turning out to be another good session for Sri Lanka who are a wicket away from getting into the tailenders. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Rangana Herath strikes!! A quicker ball catches the edge of Chase's bat as he tries to force a shot square of the wicket and is caught at first slip. West Indies lose half their wickets with the score on 147. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Sacred Hearts girls primary school Port of Spain enjoying the fist day test match WI vs Sri Lanka @ rhe Queens park oval Port of Spain.
— Azlan Mohammed (@mohammed_azlan) June 6, 2018
After lunch WI 133 for 3. pic.twitter.com/sPU9Tg3RCe
Spin from both ends. Dilruwan Perera with his off-spin from the media end and Rangana Herath's left-arm orthodox from the Lara Pavilion. Chase and Dowrich look comfortable so far. West Indies 146/4. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Kumara is working up some pace, bowling between 85-90MPH. He stings the hand of Roston Chase with a fierce bouncer. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Hope's luck has run out. He gloves fast bowler Kumara down the leg-side to the wicketkeeper for 44. West Indies slip to 134/4 in the 39th over. Shane Dowrich joins Roston Chase at the crease. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Solid innings so far for Roston Chase. He's guided Lahiru Kumara to the third man boundary for 4 to move to 23 off 44 deliveries. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Shai Hope may have eaten lucky charms for lunch. He's been caught behind off a no ball and had an LBW decision reversed upon video review off the 1st and 3rd over after the break. Will he capitalise and get a big one? #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Hope remains for West Indies. He's given out LBW off Gamage again for 33. But DRS replay showed there was an inside edge. Shai Hope remains not out! #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Lucky, lucky. Replays show Hope was dismissed off a no ball from pacer Gamage. He is called back by the umpires. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
DISASTER after lunch. Shai Hope is caught behind off the fourth ball of the very first over!!
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
We're back for the second session. Sri Lanka will be looking to continue making inroads into the West Indies batting lineup after taking three wickets in the morning session.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
A small group of fans staged a silent protest this morning ahead of the 1st Test vs Sri Lanka. The group called for a boycott of the match to highlight what they feel is an unfair selection policy. pic.twitter.com/WZpAiTCPFr
— Azlan Mohammed (@mohammed_azlan) June 6, 2018
It's lunch time. Despite losing three wickets, West Indies are scoring at a good rate. Shai Hope (29) and Roston Chase (11) are the crease with the score 99/3 after 25 overs. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Shai Hope is changing the gears for the West Indies with boundaries off pacer Lahiru kamara and spinner Rangana Herath in consecutive overs. He's on 24 off 32 balls with five fours.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Just as West Indies were consolidating and pushing on, they lose another wicket. Kieran Powell is out bowled off pacer Lahiru Kamara. Powell is gone for 38 off 68 balls, playing to the leg-side and missing a full delivery. West Indies 80/3.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Shai Hope is changing the gears for the West Indies with boundaries off pacer Lahiru kamara and spinner Rangana Herath in consecutive overs. He's on 24 off 32 balls with five fours.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Sri Lankan legend Rangana Herath has the ball in his hands but Powell isn't scared. Herath has 415 wickets but Powell shows little respect, cutting him off the back foot for 4. Herath bounces back with a brilliant delivery that just beat the outside edge. Good battle here.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
WOW!! Shai Hope gets off the mark with a vicious pull shot for four. The Wisden Cricketer of the Year nominee announces his arrival at the crease in style.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
West Indies have GIVEN Sri lanka another wicket. Devon Smith is run out for seven off 21 balls after he was called for a non-existent single by Kieran Powell. West Indies are 40/2 in the 12th over.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Kieran Powell isn't messing around. He's taking advantage of any loose deliveries. He's on 17 with his third boundary so far. West Indies 33/1.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
Spectators in the Carib Beer Stand at the Oval for day one of the 1st Test. A typical weekday Test match crowd despite calls of a boycott. pic.twitter.com/GcRA8iVmiO
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
The Sri Lankan quicks have been on top of things so far. West Indies are 24/1 after 7 overs. Left-handers Kieran Powell (12) and Devon Smith (7) are at the crease.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
There's a sprinkling of fans at the Oval so far for the first session of the Test match. Boycott? Looks like a normal weekday Test match crowd to me. #WIvSL
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
West Indies have lost their first wicket!! Kraigg Brathwaite edges pacer Suranga Lakmal to the wicketkeeper who takes a diving catch in front 1st slip. West Indies are 4/1 in the 3rd over.
— stephon Nicholas (@snicholasTT) June 6, 2018
The WI opening batsmen are Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith, 36, who is playing his first match for the regional side in 3 years.
— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) June 6, 2018
West Indies Squad
Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jamar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith
Sri Lanka Squad
Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Mahela Udawatte, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Roshen Silva, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Gamage, Kasun Rajitha, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva.