Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan came up with half-centuries as the West Indies were 229 for the loss of six wickets at tea on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Georgetown on Wednesday.
West Indies had closed the fourth day on 96 for one having been set a target of 437 for a win by the Lankans.
For Sri Lanka, the pick of the bowlers was Chaminda Vaas, who bagged three wickets for 42 runs. Ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan scalped two for 73.
Earlier, West Indies were 170 for two at lunch after some fine batting by Bravo and Sarwan.
Sarwan continued his form from the first innings, during which he top-scored with 80, by adding an unbeaten 51 from 138 balls in Georgetown, Guyana on Wednesday.
Marlon Samuels reached the break on nine after joining Sarwan to try to to keep West Indies' hopes alive.
The only casualty of the first session was Dwayne Bravo, West Indies' stand-in opener for out-of-form Chris Gayle, who was caught and bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan.
Bravo scored 83 from 169 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and a six, after resuming on 46 not out at the start of play.
The second wicket pair defied Sri Lanka's spinners on the slow-paced pitch as they added 134 runs.
The first Test will be followed by a final game in Trinidad starting on April 3.

SCORE BOARD

SRI LANKA (I Innings) 476/8 dec
WEST INDIES (I Innings) 280
SRI LANKA (II Innings)
Vandort c Ramdin b Gayle 24
Warnapura c  Ramdin b Bravo 62
S’kara c (sub) Edwards b Bravo 21
M J’dene c C’paul b Benn 33
Samaraweera (not out) 56
Dilshan lbw Taylor 4
Vaas c Ramdin b Benn 13
Mirando c Taylor b Benn 14
P Jayawardene (not out) 5
Extras (B-2, LB-1, NB-5) 8
Total (7 wkts decl, 57 overs) 240
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-94, 3-133, 4-159, 5-171, 6-192,
Bowling: Powell 9-0-33-0, Taylor 8-0-37-1, Bravo 14-0-54-2, Benn 13-0-59-3, Gayle 13-1-54-1
WEST INDIES (O/n: 96/1)
Smith c Thushara b Vaas 10
Bravo c&b Muralitharan 83
Sarwan lbw Thushara 72
Samuels c Sangakkara b Vaas 10
Chanderpaul b Vaas 3
Gayle (not out) 14
Hinds c S’kara b M’tharan 10
Extras (B-15, LB-2, NB-10) 27
Total (six wickets, 82.4 overs) 229
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-156, 3-171, 4-178, 5-212, 6-229.
Bowling: Vaas 16-5-42-3, Thushara 11-1-53-1, Herath 21-6-44-0, Muralitharan 34.4-4-73-2.