Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas took three wickets each as Sri Lanka restricted West Indies to 269 for nine on the third day of the first Test in Georgetown, Guyana, on Monday. West Indies was still 207 runs in arrears at the close, needing seven runs to avert the follow-on, after Sri Lanka had compiled 476 for eight declared on the first two days. Tail-ender Jerome Taylor was unbeaten on 22 at the end of the day with Darren Powell on six. Muralitharan, the world's highest wicket-taker, finished with three for 104 from 38 overs while Vaas ended with three for 45 from 22 overs. The experienced pair got great support from Thilan Thushara, who began the slide in the morning session and ended with two for 59. Ramnaresh Sarwan celebrated his return to international cricket after a six-month injury absence with a fine hard-working 80 from 199 deliveries, an innings that included five boundaries. Sarwan was the only top order batsmen to spend a long time at the crease, although Ryan Hinds (37) and Denesh Ramdin (38) produced gritty innings during the final session. Sri Lanka's bowlers displayed great accuracy and discipline on the slow-paced pitch and gradually chipped away at the West Indies' batsmen. Pace bowler Thilan Thushara, playing his second Test, had both Devon Smith (14) and Marlon Samuels (five) caught behind early on the third morning to put the hosts under pressure. Sarwan and fellow Guyanese Shivnarine Chanderpaul steadied the innings in an assured partnership of 41. But Muralitharan picked up an important wicket minutes before lunch when Chanderpaul was caught at short cover off a leading edge for 23. Straight after lunch Muralitharan deceived Dwayne Bravo (8), who had been dropped before the break on one at slip off Muralitharan, with a quicker delivery and won an lbw decision. Sarwan and Hinds then battled hard for over an hour, adding 53 runs for the sixth wicket. But Chaminda Vaas, who discovered some reverse swing, found Sarwan's edge and Prasanna Jayawardene held on to a good catch at the second attempt. Muralitharan ended a 31-run stand just after tea when he had Hinds caught behind. The Sri Lankans were then frustrated by a stubborn 44-run eighth wicket stand between Ramdin and debutant Sulieman Benn (28).ScoreboardSri Lanka (1st innings) 476-8 declared. West Indies (1st innings) Gayle lbw b Vaas 00 Smith c P. J'wardene b Thushara 14 Sarwan c P. J'wardene b Vaas 80 Samuels c P. J'wardene b Thushara 05 Chanderpaul c Warnapura b Murali 23 Bravo lbw b Murali 08 Hinds c P. J'wardene b Murali 37 Ramdin c Sangakkara b Vaas 38 Benn run out (Dilshan) 28 Taylor not out 22 Powell not out 06 Extras (lb4, nb4) 08 Total (9 wkts) 269 Falls: 1-4 (Gayle), 2-46 (Smith), 3-58 (Samuels), 4-99 (Chanderpaul), 5-109 (Bravo), 6-162 (Sarwan), 7-193 (Hinds), 8-236 (Ramdin), 9-252 (Benn). Bowling: Vaas 22-7-45-3, Thushara 20-3-59-2, Dilshan 1-0-2-0, Muralitharan 38-6-104-3 (nb2), Herath 24-6-54
