West Indies batsmen Dwayne Bravo (left) and Ramnaresh Sarwan chat while returning to the pavilion at close of the fourth day of the first cricket Test match against Sri Lanka at the Guyana National Stadium, in Providence yesterday. The West Indies closed their second innings on 96 for one, needing to bat through today's final day to secure a draw or reach an improbable victory target of 437. - AP
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP)
Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan scored an unbeaten 74 together as West Indies made an encouraging start in their quest to avoid defeat against Sri Lanka in the opening cricket Test.
West Indies closed yesterday on 96 for one, needing to bat through today's final day to secure a draw or reach an improbable victory target of 437 at Providence Stadium.
Earlier, West Indies had resumed on 269 for nine and avoided the follow-on but conceded a huge first-innings lead of 196.
The tourists consolidated that advantage by cruising to 240 for seven before declaring 40 minutes after tea.
Bravo, promoted to open the batting for the first time in his career, struck six fours and a six in a fluent undefeated 46 off 70 balls.
Sarwan followed his first-innings topscore of 80 with another confident knock of 34 not out. The Guyanese right-hander hit three fours off 55 deliveries.
In the morning, Thilan Thushara, the 27-year-old in just his second Test, claimed the final West Indies wicket when Daren Powell (12) edged low to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.
Career-best
Jerome Taylor hit a career-best unbeaten 27 that included two fours and one six.
Thushara, who went wicketless in his only previous Test - in Jamaica in 2003 - ended with three for 59.
Chaminda Vaas took three for 59 and Muttiah Muralitharan claimed three for 112.
In Sri Lanka's second turn at bat, opener Malinda Warnapura continued his prolific form on tour with a topscore of 62. The left-hander hit five fours off 91 balls.
Thilan Samaraweera made up for a first-innings duck by compiling an unbeaten 56 off 89 balls with five boundaries.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took three for 59, including skipper Jayawardene as his maiden Test wicket.
Sri Lanka's second innings breezed along at more than four runs an over as they built on their formidable lead.
Warnapura, who hit a maiden century in the first innings, added 43 with Michael Vandort to set the tone and the visitors lunched comfortably at 83-1.
The second session produced 103 runs even though West Indies hit back with four wickets.
Kumar Sangakkara (21), Jaya-wardene (33) and Samaraweera all took advantage of good batting conditions and defensive West Indian tactics to stretch their team's advantage.
Benn's first Test wicket came when Jayawardene miscued a pull and was caught at midwicket by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Huge target for Windies
West Indies batsmen Dwayne Bravo (left) and Ramnaresh Sarwan chat while returning to the pavilion at close of the fourth day of the first cricket Test match against Sri Lanka at the Guyana National Stadium, in Providence yesterday. The West Indies closed their second innings on 96 for one, needing to bat through today's final day to secure a draw or reach an improbable victory target of 437. - AP
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP)
Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan scored an unbeaten 74 together as West Indies made an encouraging start in their quest to avoid defeat against Sri Lanka in the opening cricket Test.
West Indies closed yesterday on 96 for one, needing to bat through today's final day to secure a draw or reach an improbable victory target of 437 at Providence Stadium.
Earlier, West Indies had resumed on 269 for nine and avoided the follow-on but conceded a huge first-innings lead of 196.
The tourists consolidated that advantage by cruising to 240 for seven before declaring 40 minutes after tea.
Bravo, promoted to open the batting for the first time in his career, struck six fours and a six in a fluent undefeated 46 off 70 balls.
Sarwan followed his first-innings topscore of 80 with another confident knock of 34 not out. The Guyanese right-hander hit three fours off 55 deliveries.
In the morning, Thilan Thushara, the 27-year-old in just his second Test, claimed the final West Indies wicket when Daren Powell (12) edged low to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.
Jerome Taylor hit a career-best unbeaten 27 that included two fours and one six.
Thushara, who went wicketless in his only previous Test - in Jamaica in 2003 - ended with three for 59.
Chaminda Vaas took three for 59 and Muttiah Muralitharan claimed three for 112.
In Sri Lanka's second turn at bat, opener Malinda Warnapura continued his prolific form on tour with a topscore of 62. The left-hander hit five fours off 91 balls.
Thilan Samaraweera made up for a first-innings duck by compiling an unbeaten 56 off 89 balls with five boundaries.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took three for 59, including skipper Jayawardene as his maiden Test wicket.
Sri Lanka's second innings breezed along at more than four runs an over as they built on their formidable lead.
Warnapura, who hit a maiden century in the first innings, added 43 with Michael Vandort to set the tone and the visitors lunched comfortably at 83-1.
The second session produced 103 runs even though West Indies hit back with four wickets.
Kumar Sangakkara (21), Jaya-wardene (33) and Samaraweera all took advantage of good batting conditions and defensive West Indian tactics to stretch their team's advantage.
Benn's first Test wicket came when Jayawardene miscued a pull and was caught at midwicket by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.