COLOMBO, July 15: Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas took four wickets for 12 runs to leave West Indies reeling on 59 for six at the close of a rain-affected third day of the first Test on Friday.

West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 29 with Omari Banks yet to score.

The under-strength tourists, who are missing 10 of their leading players due to a contract dispute, extended their slim second innings lead to 117 during the 106 minutes of play possible at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

“We now have a good chance if we can get rid of Shivnarine Chanderpaul early tomorrow and then bat positively,” Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya told reporters after the close.

“Chaminda Vaas is bowling well and Murali (Muralitharan) is finding his rhythm so we are all positive and are planning to come back in the morning and bowl in the right areas,” he added.

Vaas, 31, followed up a fine all round performance on the second day with the wickets of Narsingh Deonarine (seven) and Dwayne Smith for no score.

Deonarine was trapped lbw while padding away a delivery that held its line sufficiently to hit off stump and Smith, who recorded a pair, was trapped lbw by an in-dipper that swung back extravagantly.

Chanderpaul and 19-year-old wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin (11) survived a searching session before bad light forced the players off.

After the resumption the sixth-wicket pair extended their partnership to 27 before Muralitharan pinned Ramdin lbw on the back foot with a sharp-spinning off break.

Sri Lanka’s wicket-keeper and number three batsman Kumar Sangakkara suffered a badly bruised wrist after being hit by a short delivery from Jermaine Lawson on day two but he is expected to bat again.

“Kumar is receiving treatment from the physio CJ Clarke and is getting better so he should be fine to bat in the second innings,” Jayasuriya told reporters.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st innings 285) (S. Chanderpaul 69, D. Ramdin 56, L. Malinga 4-71, C. Vaas 3-35):

SRI LANKA (1st innings) 227 (C. Vaas 49, M. Muralitharan 36, J. Lawson 4-59):

WEST INDIES (2nd ,innings overnight 17-3):

S. Joseph c Jayawardena b Muralitharan 2

X. Marshall lbw b Vaas 2

R. Morton lbw b Vaas 0

N. Deonarine lbw b Vaas 7

S. Chanderpaul not out 29

D. Smith lbw b Vaas 0

D. Ramdin lbw b Muralitharan 11

O. Banks not out 0

EXTRAS: (b8) 8

TOTAL (for six wkts, 35.3 overs): 59

FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-3, 3-15, 4-21, 5-21,

6-48

BOWLING: Vaas 12-4-12-4, Malinga 6-4-2-0, Muralitharan 11.3-6-17-2, Jayasuriya 6-1-20-0.

West Indies lead by 117 runs with four wickets in hand.

UMPIRES: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan)

TV UMPIRE: Peter Manuel (SRI)

MATCH REFEREE: Mike Procter (RSA).—Agencies