Shillingford gives West Indies sniff of victory

(GETTY IMAGES)

Sri Lanka were 89 without loss when rain ended play early on the fourth day of the first Test in Galle yesterday after being made to bat again by West Indies, having fallen three runs short of the follow-on total of 381. Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan were both on 44 as Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for a first-innings total of 378, still trailed a young West Indies side, who are searching for a rare away win, by 113 runs.

Off-spinner Shane Shillingford, playing in his fourth Test, returned career-best figures of 4 for 123 and proved to be the main stumbling block for the hosts. He picked up the wicket of Dammika Prasad (47), who added 72 runs with Prasanna Jayawardene for the eighth first-innings wicket. It was the only time West Indies felt they were challenged, and once the stand was broken the last two wickets fell in no time. Jayawardene came close to saving the follow-on but top-edged a sweep off Shillingford and was last man out for 58. Captain Kumar Sangakkara top-scored for Sri Lanka with 73, one of four batsmen to score half-centuries. Kemar Roach, the 22-year-old seamer and another Test novice, was the next best bowler for the tourists, returning 3 for 75.