Chaminda Vaas top-scored with 49 and grabbed two quick wickets to lead Sri Lanka's fightback in the first cricket Test against the under-strength West Indies yesterday.
The West Indies, bowled out for 285 in their first innings, hit back to dismiss Sri Lanka for 227 on a dramatic second day that saw 17 wickets fall at the Sinhalese sports club.
The West Indian joy at gaining an unexpected 58-run lead was short-lived as Vaas took two wickets in three balls to leave the tourists tottering at 17-3 in their second knock.
The left-arm seamer trapped debutants Xavier Marshall and Runako Morton leg-before, while Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed Sylvester Joseph to restrict the West Indies' overall lead to 75 with seven wickets in hand.
At stumps, captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on zero and Narsingh Deonarine was on five.
The Sri Lankan batting came unstuck against Jermaine Lawson, a 23-year-old tearaway from Jamaica, who claimed 4-59 in overcast conditions.
The Sri Lankans were 149-8 at one stage before tailenders Vaas and Muralitharan gave the top order a batting lesson by smashing 66 for the ninth wicket.
Muralitharan was the second highest scorer behind Vaas with 36 before being last man out, yorked by Lawson.
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