Hosts Sri Lanka left the under-strength West Indians gasping for survival in the first cricket Test even as bad weather ruined the third day's play here on Friday. Heavy overnight rain and dark skies wiped out the morning and evening sessions, allowing just 25.3 overs to be bowled in a brief post-lunch session at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
The short duration of play, however, proved disastrous for the West Indies, badly hit by the withdrawal of 10 top players, including the world's leading batsman Brian Lara, due to a sponsorship dispute with their cricket board.
The tourists lost three quick wickets as they took their second innings score from overnight's 17 for three to 59 for six, an overall lead of 117 runs with only four wickets in hand.
Captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the only seasoned player in the touring squad, remained his team's last hope with an unbeaten 29 after 112 minutes at the crease.
His lone aggressive stroke was a six over long-on off left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya, who was pressed into service because fading light prevented the fast bowlers from operating.
Sri Lanka's left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas trapped both Narsingh Deonarine and Dwayne Smith leg-before to return with figures of four for12 from 12 overs.
Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed teenager Denesh Ramdin, who made 56 in the first innings, by having him leg-before for 11.
Omari Banks, the other batsman at the crease, had yet to score.
If the weather improves - more rain is forecast over the next two days - Sri Lanka will be looking to wrap up the West Indian innings quickly and press for victory in their 150th Test match. Sri Lanka have won seven of their last eight Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
The second and final Test will be played in the hill resort of Kandy from July 22.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES (1st innings): 285 (S. Chanderpaul 69, D. Ramdin 56, L. Malinga 4-71, C. Vaas 3-35):
SRI LANKA (1st innings): 227 (C. Vaas 49, M. Muralitharan 36, J. Lawson 4-59):
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WEST INDIES (2nd innings - overnight 17-3):
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S. Joseph c Jayawardena
b Muralitharan 2
X. Marshall lbw b Vaas 2
R. Morton lbw b Vaas 0
N. Deonarine lbw b Vaas 7
S. Chanderpaul not out 29
D. Smith lbw b Vaas 0
D. Ramdin lbw b Muralitharan 11
O. Banks not out 0
EXTRAS: (B-8) 8
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TOTAL: (for six wickets) 59
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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3, 2-3, 3-15, 4-21, 5-21, 6-48
BOWLING: Vaas 12-4-12-4, Malinga 6-4-2-0, Muralitharan 11.3-6-17-2, Jayasuriya 6-1-20-0
OVERS: 35.3
UMPIRES: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Nadeem Ghauri (PAK)
TV UMPIRES: Peter Manuel (SRI)
MATCH REFEREE: Mike Procter (RSA).
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