We need to bowl Sri Lanka out quickly - Roach

While paying tribute to Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara for his excellent century, West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach said they were looking to bowl the home team out for just over 300 runs when play resumes on the third day of the second Test at the R Premadasa stadium.

"Sangakkara batted pretty well on a very difficult wicket, kudos to him," Roach said at the end of another rain-hit day. "The batters and bowlers stuck to their plans, but today was a day for them [Sri Lanka]. It [the pitch] has more bounce that we had at Galle. The extra bounce is good for fast bowlers like myself. The pitch here was slow on the first day, and a bit slow today as well, but it was good to get some bounce and carry.

"I would say the game is evenly poised at the moment. We would like to dismiss them as soon as we can and not let them get too many over the 300-mark, so we know we have work to do when play resumes."

Roach said he was pleased with this personal effort as bowling on Sri Lankan pitches is not easy. He has taken 3 for 66 so far in the game, dismissing both openers on the first day and getting Angelo Mathews to nick one to the keeper today. "The pitches are good for batting and I still have some work to do on my lines and lengths," Roach said. "I have been working closely with the coach and the captain and they have been giving me good advice."

Sangakkara and Mathews were both dropped off the luckless Dwayne Bravo - Sangakkara on 118 and Mathews on 12 - and Roach rued those missed opportunities. "Obviously we would have loved to have taken the chances and have them six or seven down," he said. "But we are not down-spirited. These things happen in the game of cricket and we are looking to move forward and get the next five wickets and take it from there."