West Indies pacemen Kemar Roach and Dwayne Bravo took a wicket each to put Sri Lanka under pressure in the opening Test on Wednesday.
West Indies pacemen Kemar Roach and Dwayne Bravo took a wicket each to put Sri Lanka under pressure in the opening Test on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Roach dismissed Tharanga Paranavitana (10) and Bravo bowled skipper Kumar Sangakkara, who was well set on 73, before Sri Lanka reached 148-3 in their first innings at lunch on the third day in reply to the West Indies' 580-9 declared.
Former captain Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 35 and Thilan Samaraweera was on 10 not out at the interval at the Galle International Stadium.
Sangakkara batted confidently during his 102-ball knock before being yorked by Bravo, hitting 11 fours in his 34th Test half-century.
The hosts added 94 to their overnight total of 54-1 for the loss of two wickets in the two-hour morning session.
The West Indies tasted success in the day's third over when Roach bowled opener Paranavitana with a delivery that cut in sharply to surprise the batsman.
Paranavitana fell at his overnight score of 10, but Sangakkara continued to defy the West Indies attack as he drove debutant paceman Andre Russell through the covers and then edged past slips for two fours in an over.
The Sri Lankan captain, 33 overnight, completed his half-century when he turned Roach to square-leg for three runs. His fifty came off just 45 balls with the help of nine boundaries.
Jayawardene looked solid during his 70-ball knock, having so far hit four boundaries. He put on 71 with his captain for the third wicket stand.
The West Indies owed their big total to left-handed opener Chris Gayle who smashed a career-best 333 on Tuesday for his second triple-century in Tests. He became the first West Indies batsman to hit a triple-century in an away Test.
Gayle is only the fourth batsman to score two triple-centuries in Tests after Australian Don Bradman, India's Virender Sehwag and West Indies' Brian Lara.
u00a0