Herath wreaks havoc as Windies follow-on

The West Indies are in deep trouble after failing to avoid the follow-on and then being reduced to 2-67 at stumps on day three of the first test against Sri Lanka on Friday.

The Windies are still 166 runs behind Sri Lanka, whose fielders backed up their bowlers as they dismissed the tourists for 251 runs to take a lead of 233 runs.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed six wickets for 68 runs in the first innings. It was his 23rd five-wicket haul in tests.

During the West Indies' second innings, after just one over by fast bowler Dhammika Prasad, skipper Angelo Mathews introduced spin and Herath began to trouble the tourists immediately.

Shai Hope attempted to pull a wide Milinda Siriwardana delivery, but ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps to give the debutant his maiden test wicket.

A 42-run stand between Brathwaite and Darren Bravo steadied the West Indian second innings before Herath dismissed Brathwaite, ruled out leg before wicket for 34. The batsman unsuccessfully challenged the decision.

At stumps Bravo was unbeaten on 20 with night watchman Devendra Bishoo on six.

Earlier, resuming from the overnight score of 2-66, the West Indies were never comfortable against the spin of Herath. Herath bowled unchanged in the first hour of the morning from the City End. Marlon Samuels was dismissed in Herath's second over of the morning when he was bowled for 11.

Prasad accounted for Jermaine Blackwood for 11 when the batsman was caught behind.

Bravo looked solid and brought up the West Indies' 100 with a pulled six off Tharindu Kaushal.

But soon after completing his half-century, Bravo was dismissed seven minutes to go for lunch when Dinesh Chandimal held onto a spectacular catch.

Sri Lanka kept picking up wickets after lunch, but there was some resistance from the West Indies tail-enders.

Jerome Taylor smashed a run-a-ball 31 with the help of four fours and a six. He added 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Kemar Roach. That was the highest partnership of the West Indies innings.

Roach then added 34 runs for the ninth wicket with Bishoo before being smartly stumped by Kusal Perera to give Herath his eighth five-wicket haul in Galle. Roach occupied the crease for 108 minutes for his stubborn 22.