WI struggle at 66 for 2

The West Indies are in deep trouble after failing to avoid the follow-on and then being reduced to 2-67 at stumps on day three of the first test against Sri Lanka on Friday.

Things got worse for Holder’s side in their second dig when Shai Hope became Milinda Siriwardana’s first Test wicket and Brathwaite, on 34, departed to Herath.

But following Taylor’s dismissal to Kaushal Silva for 31, Herath wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Roach, for 22, and Shannon Gabriel in successive balls. He added 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Kemar Roach. Herath bowled unchanged in the first hour of the morning from the City End.

“I hope to take more wickets… in this series to reach closer to the 300 wickets mark”, he added.

Earlier, with the slow pitch offering little assistance for the bowlers, left-hander Karunaratne, unbeaten on 135 overnight, and Chandimal continued to plunder runs for the hosts who won the toss and chose to bat.

None of the West Indies players looked comfortable against Herath throughout the day.

Having already taken two wickets to leave West Indies 66-2 at the close of play on Thursday, left-armer Herath (6-68) produced a dazzling display of spin bowling to snare four more as the tourists were all out for 251 in reply to 484. Siriwardene after bowling four overs without much success for ten runs was replaced by Herath once again and Herath obliged his skipper in the second ball just ten minutes before lunch, Darren Bravo going for a big drive on the off ended up with a thick inside edge and Dinesh Chandimal took a spectacular catch at mid-wicket.

West Indies openers, with a mammoth task on their hands, began cautiously playing each ball on its merit. With the likes of Chris Gayle absent, West Indies were relying on Marlon Samuels to provide a few steel, but he was bowled by Herath for just 11 in the first innings.

The West Indies have never won a test in Sri Lanka.

The cornerstones of Sri Lanka’s innings were centuries by Dimuth Karunaratne who made 186 and Dinesh Chandimal who scored 151.