Sanath Jayasuriya’s side played with uncharacteristic caution after winning the toss and batting first - an approach that suggested sagging confidence after their shock defeat by Kenya.

Jayasuriya top scored with a subdued 66 from 99 balls that included just four boundaries, adding 85 with Hashan Tillakaratne who crawled to 36 from 68 balls.

After a mid-innings flutter, Russel Arnold then squeezed valuable runs out of tail with a workmanlike 34 from 44 balls, adding a precious 50 runs from 42 balls with Chaminda Vaas for the seventh wicket.

However, although they may have had aspirations of a larger total before, they may feel satisfied with the final target after such a nervous start.

Certainly, their fast bowlers looking forward to the opportunity of bowling under lights and the spinners, especially Muttiah Muralitharan, will also be looking forward to bowling on a two-paced pitch.

West Indies, though, will be delighted with a disciplined bowling performance, especially by pacemen Mervyn Dillon and Vasper Drakes, who both bowled economical spells, but also with their part-time spinners.

Aravinda de Silva (13) had started sublimely, clearly intent to inject some urgency into a meandering innings, with a cover drive to bring up the hundred and then a dreamy on drive off Wavell Hinds.

However, his innings was cut short by the second run out of the innings. Turning for the third after a cover drive he was left stranded at Jayasuriya’s end after his skipper turned his back and settled for two.

Jayasuriya’s resistance would have been ended during an excellent second spell from Mervyn Dillon had umpire David Orchard seen a short ball brush the glove of the Sri Lanka skipper as he essayed a pull.

Mahela Jayawardene’s (9) disappointing World Cup continued. The talented 25-year-old clipped one neat four straight down the ground but otherwise looked out of sorts, eventually being pouched at mid-wicket after completely mistiming a leg-side nurdle.

Sri Lanka then slipped to 139 for five as Jayasuriya top edged an attempted slog-sweep off Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, handicapped by a strong sun, held on to a good catch running in from the mid-wicket.

Kumar Sangakkara (24) and Arnold then consolidated with a useful 39 run partnership in 7.5 overs before Sangakara was caught in the deep.

Vaas swung productively in the final overs, hitting three boundaries in his 28 and helping Arnold scramble vital runs, including 15 off the last over bowled by Pedro Collins.

Jayasuriya has not hidden his concern over the form of his middle order in the lead-up to the game and his uncharacteristically cautious batting betrayed his desire to keep wickets in hand.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka were well-placed midway through the innings having scored 103 runs from 25 overs for loss of two wickets.

Jayasuriya, the lynchpin of the Sri Lankan batting in recent months, faced 71 deliveries and hit just four boundaries before reaching fifty for the third time in the tournament. He was 52 not out from 73 balls.

He has just been joined by Aravinda de Silva who signaled some form by bringing up the hundred with a princely cover drive for four.

Jayasuriya had one moment of good fortune, on 22, when he bisected the wicket-keeper and first slip with a thin edge off the bowling of Vasper Drakes, who had cracked him on the glove the ball before.

The skipper added 85 runs in 20.5 overs for the second wicket with Hashan Tillakaratne, Sri Lanka’s attritional number three, who grafted hard for his runs,

The veteran left-hander faced 68 balls for his 36 runs before being bowled as he tried to whip part-time medium pacer Wavell Hinds to leg.

Marvan Atapattu (3) was run out in the fourth over after a poor call for a quick single and a sharp piece of fielding by Pedro Collins, the bowler, who swooped on Jayasuriya’s defensive nudge and flicked the ball onto the stumps with Atapattu comfortably short.

Both Mervyn Dillon and Drakes bowled mean early spells but West Indies will now have to rely heavily on the performance of their part-time bowlers having gone into the match with just three frontline bowlers.

Sri Lanka made one change to the side that slumped to a shock 53 run defeat against Kenya earlier in the week, recalling opening fast bowler Pulasthi Gunaratne, who has recovered from a fractured right index finger, in place of Prabath Nissanka.

Having lost to Kenya after three easy wins, Sri Lanka face a trickier path to the Super Sixes than had been anticipated after their early form. A win is not essential as long as they triumph against South Africa on Monday but would obviously prefer to bank four points and boost their net run rate if they can.

A win is essential, however, for the West Indies, who are currently languishing in fifth position with 10 points after defeats by New Zealand and a rain affected encounter against Bangladesh.

The West Indies named an unchanged side, sticking with the eleven that completed a comfortable seven wicket win against Canada.

Sri Lankan Team

ST Jayasuriya (Capt), MS Atapattu, HP Tillakaratne, PA de Silva, DPMD Jayawardene, RP Arnold, +KC Sangakkara, WPUJC Vaas, M Muralitharan, CRD Fernando, PW Gunaratne

West Indies Team:

WW Hinds, CH Gayle, BC Lara, RR Sarwan, *CL Hooper, S Chanderpaul, RL Powell, +RD Jacobs, VC Drakes, M Dillon, PT Collins