West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan drives on his way to scoring 80 runs, while Sri Lanka's close-in fielders react during action on the third day's play of the first Digicel Test at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence yesterday. - Dellmar photo courtesy of Scotiabank

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Ramnaresh Sarwan missed out on a century as West Indies were left battling to save the follow-on at the close on the third day of the first Digicel Test against Sri Lanka at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.

Sarwan, playing in his first Test since last May, batted responsibly for 80 but the most of his fellow batsmen disappointed and West Indies ended the day on 269 for nine in response to Sri Lanka's 476 for eight declared.

The hosts, who had to thank their lower order for engineering a recovery, still need another eight runs to make Sri Lanka bat again with the last wicket pair of Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell at the crease.

Sarwan propped up a brittle West Indies top and middle order with a measured innings that lasted 262 minutes in which time he faced 199 balls and struck five fours.

Left-arm fast bowler Chaminda Vass and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan each took three wickets, but Sri Lanka's progress was held up by the West Indies lower half that included contributions of 37 from the injured Ryan Hinds, 38 by Denesh Ramdin, 28 by debutant Sulieman Benn and an unbeaten 22 by Jerome Taylor.

Suited to the visitors

Sarwan believes the conditions are more suited to the visitors.

"What we've got to understand clearly is that the surface here we are playing on is very similar to ones that they play on in Sri Lanka," Sarwan told reporters. "When I toured Sri Lanka a few years ago, it was the same sort of surface. Mahela (Jayawardene) seems to know the conditions pretty well with the sort of field placements he is putting forward."

He added: "I don't want to lament too much on whether it is a problem, but the sort of surface we are playing on here in Guyana ... we know Guyana is traditionally flat and slow, but you have to take into consideration the opposition you are playing against - whether you want a wicket that is faster and bouncier. Probably, we should have had the opportunity to play on something that had some more pace and bounce."

West Indies, resuming on 29 for one, had a disappointing first session in which they lost three wickets in adding 78.

Opener Devon Smith (14) and Marlon Samuels (5) fell to loose strokes that were edged to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene off left-arm fast bowler Thilan Thushara who was playing his first Test since 2003.

The experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul also fell to a disappointing stroke for 23, giving a catch to short mid-off against Muralitharan.

Dwayne Bravo survived a chance just before lunch when Mahela Jayawardene, at slip, gave him a let-off from the bowling of Muralitharan, but the same bowler removed him lbw soon after the break to leave West Indies in big trouble at 109 for five.

Hinds, batting with a runner because of a right hamstring strain he sustained on the first day, helped Sarwan add 53 for the sixth wicket and played without much bother to occupy the crease for 97 minutes, facing 104 balls and striking five fours.

Sarwan, who was 57 at lunch, continued to bat soundly but slowed in the half-hour period leading up to his dismissal.

Attempting to drive left-arm fast bowler Chamida Vaas, Sarwan edged into the gloves of wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene who took the catch on the second attempt while standing up to the bowler.

West Indies went to tea at 186 for six, but things looked bleak soon after the interval when Hinds edged a catch to the keeper off Muralitharan.

Required treatment

All the while, Ramdin was affected by back pain that required treatment on the field from physiotherapist C.J. Clark, but he continued to hang in before edging a drive off Vaas to first slip in the first over of a new spell from the bowler.

Ramdin's 38 off 74 balls occupied 97 minutes and he put on 43 with Benn, whose 28 off 52 balls included the first six of the match which was hoisted over long-on off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

When Benn was run out with a direct throw from Tillakeratne Dilshan at cover to the bowler's end, West Indies were still 25 away from avoiding the follow-on but Taylor and Powell survived the final half-hour to offer the home team a chance of making Sri Lanka bat again.

Taylor will resume the fourth day on 22 in the company of Powell who is on six.

Muralitharan, who had a long spell from the Media Centre end, took three for 104 from 38 overs, while Vaas picked up three for 45 in 22 overs.