Rain dampens West Indies victory hopes

Sri Lanka will start the fourth day of the first Test in Galle trailing West Indies by 415 runs after rain brought a premature halt to proceedings yesterday.

Just 25 deliveries were possible after lunch before bad light stopped play with heavy rain forcing the day to be abandoned with the hosts on 165 for three.

Mahela Jayawardene had reached his half-century before the players went off and will start tomorrow on 51 with Thilan Samaraweera 11 not out as the hosts respond to West Indies' declaration of 580 for 9.

Sri Lanka had resumed after lunch on 148 for 3 with Jayawardene on 35 and he scored five runs off Shane Shillingford in the first over. Jayawardene then brought up his half century when he flicked Kemar Roach through midwicket for his 37th Test fifty – but the weather intervened soon after.

Sri Lanka lost the wicket of Tharanga Paranavitana for 10 in only the second full over of the morning to Roach, the ball going between bat and pad to uproot the off stump.

Kumar Sangakkara added 40 to his overnight score of 33 before falling to Dwayne Bravo.