Close West Indies 316 for 3 (Lara 117*, Sarwan 88) v Sri Lanka
Scorecard

West Indies ended the first day at Galle in a commanding position thanks to a belligerent century from Brian Lara and a watchful 88 from Ramnaresh Sarwan. If the pitch deteriorates to the extent predicted in recent days, then the Sri Lankans will have to bat well to avoid chasing a large target on a crumbling surface in the fourth innings.

Carl Hooper won the first battle of the day by calling correctly, and his decision to bat was one of the easier ones he has faced during his time in charge. Batting first in part negated the three-prong spin attack picked by the Sri Lankans - and a benign pitch and some sloppy fielding further watered down their potency.

The West Indians came into the game with precious little match practice, and they started cautiously, prepared to take time and play themselves into form. Chaminda Vaas, who posed problems throughout the day, made an early breakthrough when Chris Gayle edged to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara (15 for 1). But Sarwan and Daren Ganga saw off Vaas and were untroubled by the spinners - even Muttiah Muralitharan hardly threatened. By lunch Sanath Jayasuriya had used five bowlers; by tea he had tried seven.

Vaas made another breakthrough shortly after lunch. Ganga's over-eagerness to reach his second Test half-century with a boundary proved his undoing, and he was well caught at backward point by Mahela Jayawardene (95 for 2).

The arrival of Brian Lara at the crease might not arouse the same fear in opponents as it once did, but he remains a dangerous player. He proceeded to set about the Sri Lankan bowling from the off, cutting and driving the spinners with power and confidence. He gave one half-chance, off Muralitharan - who was alone in troubling him - but Sangakkara spilt it.

Sarwan proved the perfect foil to Lara's aggression, and seemed set for a maiden Test century when he tried to cut Muralitharan and chopped the ball into his stumps. He had made 88, the fourth time he had passed 80 in Tests without reaching 100, and had put on 145 for the third wicket with Lara (240 for 3).

Hooper immediately looked to attack the tiring bowlers, and with Lara well set the runs came quickly in the final hour. Lara's century - his 16th, and first for 11 months – was brought up with an elegant straight drive back past Murali. It had taken him just 150 balls, and was the perfect riposte to comments in the morning's press back in the Caribbean that he was finished.

The Sri Lankans were probably more worried that he had only just started.

Sri Lanka 1 Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), 2 Marvan Atapattu, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Russel Arnold, 6 Hashan Tillekaratne, 7 Thilan Samaraweera, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Charitha Buddika, 10 Niroshan Bandaratilleke, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

West Indies 1 Daren Ganga, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Marlon Samuels, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Neil McGarrell, 9 Merv Dillon, 10 Colin Stuart, 11 Dinanath Ramnarine.

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