JOIN USThe tourists lost Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 54 and Dwayne Bravo without scoring to reach 244 for five before play was halted prior to the scheduled tea interval with Brendan Nash unbeaten on 62 and Carlton Baugh on nought.
Sri Lanka made a vital breakthrough soon after lunch by ending a 99-run fourth-wicket stand between Chanderpaul and Nash.
Ajantha Mendis removed the defiant Chanderpaul when Mahela Jayawardene pulled off a brilliant diving catch at slip, inches off the ground.
Seven balls later, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who was brought into the attack rather late in the innings, made up for lost time by taking the wicket of Dwayne Bravo.
Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene brought off a smart stumping when Bravo charged forward but missed the sharply turning ball.
The wicket of Darren Bravo was all Lanka had to show for their morning's work as West Indies reached 229 for three at lunch. Resuming on 134 for two, the West Indies went into lunch with Chanderpaul and Nash putting together an unbroken stand of 87 off 173 balls.
Nash reached his half-century before the break off 74 balls, with five fours.
SCORE BOARD
WEST INDIES (I Innings, O/n: 134/2):
Gayle lbw Lakmal 0
Smith lbw Mendis 55
Darren Bravo lbw Fernando 68
Chanderpaul c M J’dene b Mendis 54
Nash (batting) 62
DJ Bravo st P J’dene b Herath 0
Baugh (batting) 0
Extras (LB-2, W-1, NB-2) 5
Total (for 5 wkts, 81 overs) 244
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-115, 3-142, 4-241, 5-242.
Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 16-5-35-1, Angelo Mathews 10-4-34-0, Tillakaratne Dilshan 10-1-20-0, Dilhara Fernando 15-2-72-1, Ajantha Mendis 18-3-51-2, Rangana Herath 12-2-30-1.