West Indies struggle to avoid innings defeat

• Herath finishes with 6 for 68 off 33 overs – his23rd five-wicket haul in Tests

Sri Lankan cricketer Rangan Herath with the  teammates celebrate after the dismissal of West Indies cricketer Darren Bravo during the third day of their opening Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on October 16, 2015.

West Indies Cricketer Shai Hope (center) is dismissed by Sri Lankan cricketer Milinda Siriwardana (unseen) as wicketkeeper Kusal Janith Perera  (left) looks on during the third day of their opening Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle 

West Indies Cricketer Darren Bravo plays a shot during the third day of their opening Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle

AFP: West Indies were struggling to avoid an innings defeat Friday as they ended day three of the first Test against Sri Lanka on 67-2 in their second innings, still needing another 166 to force their hosts to bat again.

Forced to follow on after making 251 the first time round, West Indies face a mammoth task to save the match at the Galle International Stadium with two days still left to play.

After taking six for 68 in the West Indies’ first innings, veteran spinner Rangana Herath then claimed the wicket of opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who fell for 34 as play drew to a close, for the second time in the match.

Braithwaite’s was the second wicket to fall in the tourists’ second innings, following the dismissal of Shai Hope.

The 21-year-old Hope made only six before he became the debutant Milinda Siriwardana’s first victim in Test cricket, dragging the ball onto his stumps as he tried a back-foot pull.

Darren Bravo was unbeaten on 20 at stumps, batting alongside the nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo who has made six.

Sri Lanka earlier compiled a formidable first innings total of 484, thanks mainly to big centuries from Dinesh Chandimal (151) and Dimuth Karunaratne (186). Bravo and Jerome Taylor were the only batsman to offer significant resistance in the West Indies’ first innings.

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

Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 484 was thanks mainly to big centuries from Dinesh Chandimal (151) and Dimuth Karunaratne (186).

Pix by Shantha Rathnayake