Powell and Best send Sri Lanka tumbling

Tea West Indies 12 for 2 (Chanderpaul 2*, Morton 1*) trail Sri Lanka 150 (Powell 5-25) by 138 runs
How they were out

Daren Powell successfully grabbed the bowling spotlight from his troubled new-ball colleague Jermaine Lawson with a career-best performance that left Sri Lanka red-faced and under pressure after their third unconvincing batting performance against a side missing 10 leading players. Local hopes that Sri Lanka would wrap up the series 2-0 without great fuss were extinguished after they were bowled out for a pathetic 150 in 46.1 overs.

The hosts lost their way in the first hour after being out into a bat, a surprise decision at the time due to the brown, grassless pitch that offered the prospect of extravagant turn later in the game. But the pitch turned out to be so dry that it was puffing up from the start and wickets tumbled throughout the day, Sri Lanka losing five before lunch and five more in the afternoon.

The only resistance came from Tillakaratne Dilshan with a sparky and stylish 36, an innings that included six boundaries, and a more restrained 37 from Thilan Samaraweera. The fifth-wicket pair added 56 and breathed life into Sri Lanka's freefalling innings before a daft run out on the stroke of lunch opened the door for West Indies.

But Sri Lanka did strike back before the tea interval in a short 22-minute session of play. Ryan Ramdass, making his debut, was brainlessly run out coming back for a second run with Xavier Marshall firmly planted in his crease. Next ball, Marshall drove even more amateurishly straight to Marvan Atapattu at mid off to leave West Indies reeling on 12 for 2.

Earlier, Sanath Jayasuriya, one of five players who have been struggling with a flu virus in the lead-up to the game, started the slide, albeit blamelessly so because he was unfortunate to be given out caught behind by Simon Taufel. There was a noise as the ball zipped past a defensive bat, but television replays suggested this was from his bat hitting pad, not ball hitting bat (3 for 1).

Sangakkara, though, had no-one to blame but himself for a wild, reckless slash outside his off-stump to a wide but good-length ball from Powell. The ball whistled into the slips where Runako Morton, moving fast and high to his right, guzzled a sharp catch. West Indies, for the third time in the series, were celebrating with a mixture of elation and surprise as Sri Lanka's top order wobbled.

Powell came agonisingly close to a third wicket, but Narsingh Deonarine could not hold onto a relatively straightforward chance at short leg as Atapattu fended off a brutish delivery. But Atapattu (17) did not last much longer before Best, the great showman of the side, bowled him with an inswinger first up, a ball that zipped back through the gate and knocked back his off-stump (35 for 3).

It got worse before it got better for Sri Lanka. Jayawardene, a batting hero in the second innings of the first Test, creamed one boundary but then edged to slip, a dismissal that prompted some excited gesticulations from a delighted and pumped-up Best. Sri Lanka were left wobbling on 42 for 4, once again embarrassed by experienced opponents.

Fortunately for the hosts, Tillakaratne Dilshan was in fine form and determined to play positively. He unleashed a series of stylish strokes, taking 15 from one over by Best, to claw Sri Lanka back into a game that was already hinting at an early finish. Dilshan sped to 36 from 48 balls and was supported well by Thilan Samaraweera who dropped anchor.

But just when they looked to have won the second hour of the game, Chanderpaul turned back to Best. His first ball was carved over slip for four but his second was worked into the leg-side. Samaraweera set-off, hesitated, and then sent Dilshan back. Best sprinted to the ball and threw down the stumps on the turn to leave Dilshan millimetres short of his ground.

Dilshan's dismissal was crucial, opening up the tail. Chaminda Vaas, the new No 7, miscued a pull stroke and then Samaraweera and Gayan Wikekoon tried to eke their side out of the hole. But the afternoon drinks break and the return of the lively Powell hurried the innings to a close.

Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya c Ramdin b Powell 2 (3 for 1)
Dubiously adjudged to have nicked delivery after a defensive push

Kumar Sangakkara c Morton b Powell 6 (17 for 2)
Wild slash to second slip

Marvan Atapattu b Best 17 (35 for 3)
Wide-of-the-crease inswinger through the gate, hit off stump

Mahela Jayawardene c Morton b Best (42 for 4)
Edged a cover-drive to slip

Tillakaratne Dilshan run out (Best) 36 (98 for 5)
Sent back too late by Samarweera

Chaminda Vaas c Ramdass b Best 6 (107 for 6)
Miscued pull and a dolly catch to mid-on

Thilan Samaraweera c Deonarine b Banks 37 (127 for 7)
Caught off the face of the bat at short leg

Rangana Herath c Ramdin b Powell 1 (130 for 8)
Pushed tentatively at off-stump delivery

Gayan Wijekoon c Ramdass b Powell 14 (143 for 9)
Miscued ambitious pull stroke

Lasith Malinga c Ramdin b Powell 0 (150 for 10)
Edged behind

West Indies

Ryan Ramdass run out (Lasith Malinga) 3 (9 for 1)
Run out after horrible mix-up left both batsmen at same end

Xavier Marshall c Atapattu b Vaas 4 (9 for 2)
Mistimed driver straight to mid off