Associated Press

Kandy, July 23:

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene shared an 89-run, third-wicket stand as Sri Lanka took a 148-run lead in the second Test against West Indies. Sri Lanka was 146/2 in second innings when heavy rain caused play to be abandoned 26 minutes after tea interval on a day which had already lost 42 minutes to bad weather. Sangakkara was unbeaten on 46 with seven fours and Jayawardene on 38 at stumps. A dominating bowling spell from Chaminda Vaas saw Sri Lanka take a two-run first innings lead. Vaas (6-22) recorded his 11th five-wicket haul in his 86th Tests and led a Sri Lankan fightback after the home team was dismissed for 150. Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu gave Sri Lanka a confident start to its second innings, combining for 55 runs. But paceman Darren Powell, who posted his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings, provided the breakthrough for the West Indies again when he had Atapattu caught by Omari Banks at cover point for 19 runs.

With the total at 57, Jayasuriya edged Jermaine Lawson to Runako Morton at the second slip for 36 runs. He hit seven boundaries in his 43-ball innings. Sangakkara and Jayawardene prevented further loss until tea sharing 65 runs for the third wicket. The second day began with the West Indies trailing Sri Lanka by 58 runs with five first innings wickets in hand. But it soon slumped 101/8. Jayasuriya struck a crucial blow with the fifth ball of the day when he had in-form overnight batsman Narsingh Deonarine caught and bowled for 40 off 94 balls.

His partner Denesh Ramdin departed soon after, trapped lbw by Vaas for 13 runs. Powell was bowled by Vaas off the edge without any addition to the total. The last pair of Tino Best and Lawson resisted the Sri Lankan bowling briefly to add 26 runs before Lawson was bowled by offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Best was 26 not out, hitting five boundaries.