West Indies hit back after folding for 285

Lunch Sri Lanka 70 for 4 (Samaraweera 4*, Dilshan 17*) trail West Indies 285 (Chanderpaul 69, Ramdin 56, Malinga 4-71) by 215 runs

Ball held sway over bat throughout an extended morning session on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. After only six wickets had fallen on the first day, eight went down in the opening session of the second: West Indies added just 14 to their overnight total of 271 for 6, but then hit back with an outstanding display from their fast bowlers as Sri Lanka went into lunch struggling at 70 for 4.

If the second new ball did the job for the Sri Lankans, then their batsmen were in for a torrid time against Jermaine Lawson and Daren Powell. Both got appreciable lift and movement, hit the bat hard, and were soon rewarded for their efforts when Marvan Atapattu jammed at a well-directed yorker from Powell, but only managed to inside-edge the ball onto leg stump.

At the other end, Lawson worked up terrific pace, often clocking around 148 kmph. Sanath Jayasuriya fell in Lawson's second over, popping a catch off bat and pad to short leg for 3 (7 for 2). Mahela Jayawardene struggled through 23 deliveries, unsure against the pace of Lawson and Powell and often caught on the crease while playing defensively. He was struck flush on the helmet off Tino Best, and was then finally put out of his misery when Powell induced a drive off a full delivery. The feet, as usual, were immobile, and Runako Morton completed a smart catch at second slip (32 for 3).

Kumar Sangakkara was the only batsman who attempted a counterattack. He wasn't always in control - the short stuff often had him miscuing pull shots, with one streaking past leg stump for four - but at least he ensured the runs didn't completely dry up. And when Omari Banks was introduced into the attack, as early as the 14th over, Sangakkara attempted to cash in, spanking three fours off his first seven balls. Banks was all over the place, bowling short, wide, and full, but then, completely against the run of play, he pitched on target, and Sangakkara got a feather on an attempted drive (47 for 4). Sri Lanka were tottering, though Tillaratne Dilshan brightened their spirits somewhat with a couple of spanking cover-drives off Best from the last two balls before lunch.

Earlier, the second new ball broke the West Indian batting resistance, as they were bundled out for 285. The slide started in the third over of the day, when Chaminda Vaas deceived Shivnarine Chanderpaul with a superb piece of bowling. He continually swung it away from the left-hander, then nipped it back a shade. Chanderpaul played for the swing, missed the ball by a long way, and was trapped plumb in front. Chanderpaul didn't add to his overnight 69 (273 for 7).

Lasith Malinga got appreciable outswing and soon joined in the fun, having Powell poke one to third slip, and then getting through Banks's defences with one that swung late and uprooted off stump. Best blasted one off-drive off Vaas for four, but then had no answer to a perfect swinging yorker which took leg stump. Malinga finished with 4 for 71, Vaas had three wickets, and Sri Lanka's morning had gone absolutely according to plan. Till West Indies decided to strike back.

West Indies
Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw b Vaas 69 (273 for 7)
Deceived by one which nipped back a shade and hit his back pad

Daren Powell c Jayawardene b Malinga 3 (276 for 8)
Edged an outswinger to third slip

Omari Banks b Malinga 32 (281 for 9)
Defeated by a full delivery which swung late and took off stump

Tino Best b Vaas 4 (285 all out)
Beaten comprehensively by an inswinging yorker

Sri Lanka
Marvan Atapattu b Powell 1 (4 for 1)
Jammed down on a yorker, but got an inside edge on to leg bail

Sanath Jayasuriya c Smith b Lawson 3 (7 for 2)
Got an inside edge onto pad, and the ball looped to short leg

Mahela Jayawardene c Morton b Powell 3 (32 for 3)
Drove at a full delivery outside off and edged to second slip

Kumar Sangakkara c Ramdin b Banks 34 (47 for 4)
Got a thin edge while attempting a drive, giving Ramdin his first Test victim