Herath’s twin strikes peg back Windies in Galle

West Indies were facing an uphill task in saving the opening Test against Sri Lanka after being forced to follow on and then losing both openers in their second innings on the third day here Friday.

Herath (2-14) got his team back on track, dismissing openers Kraigg Brathwaite (19) and Shai Hope (23) as West Indies reached 66-2 in reply. Bravo was the top scorer for his side with 50.

Sixteen years ago on Tuesday marked an historic day in West Indies limited-over cricket history when the now legendary Sir Curtly Ambrose sent down the second most economical spell on the format’s history.

Rangana Herath continued to spin a web around the West Indies batsmen as Sri Lanka reduced the tourists to 134 for five wickets in their first innings. Believing rightly that the ball had made contact with pad before bat, Sri Lanka reviewed umpire Richard Illingworth’s not-out decision, but ball-tracking saved Samuels, suggesting that the impact was only marginally in line with off stump.

West Indies restricted the Sri Lankans to 178 off 49.3 overs with two wickets going to fast bowler Nixon Mclean and the occasional medium pace of Sherwin Campbell.

Bravo batted confidently to make the highest score of 50 and was dismissed to a sharp catch by Chandimal off Herath just before lunch.

In the first delivery of his second over in the morning, Sri Lanka unsuccessfully reviewed a leg before wicket appeal against Marlon Samuels.

The score could have been even more dismal if it had not been for a late flourish from the lower order. He was caught by Dinesh Chandimal. who was not behind the stumps in this match.

Jerome Taylor carved four fours and a six in his lively 31 before feeding Tharindu Kaushal to slip, leaving Herath to knock off Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel for a 23rd career five-for.

Earlier, big centuries from Karunaratne (181) and Chandimal (151) laid the foundation for Sri Lanka’s dominance after the hosts resumed the day on 250 for two.