Jerome Taylor celebrating the capture of opener Michael Vandort's wicket. The Jamaican pacer was the Windies' best bowler yesterday.

by HAYDN GILL in Guyana

A CRICKET match can so often change in the twinkling of an eye and the opening Digicel Test here yesterday provided the latest instance, leading to a semblance of a fightback by West Indies.

Over the first five hours it was a tough grind for the hosts as Sri Lanka were seemingly marching towards an impregnable total.

A double-strike by fast bowler Jerome Taylor late in the evening went a long way in restoring the contest to an even affair on the first day of Test cricket at the Guyana National Stadium.

Subjected to field first at the start of the day, West Indies would not have complained that Sri Lanka closed out proceedings at 269 for four.

First match

A new ground it was, but it was like more of the old for most of the day.

The stadium at Providence was hosting its first Test match and the pitch that was presented was something similar to what we were accustomed to at Bourda.

Sri Lanka duly took advantage and enjoyed the comfort of a surface that was more than ideal for batting and when they reached 243 for two half-hour before the close, it was a position of immense comfort for the visitors and one of potential worry for West Indies.

Taylor lifted the spirits of hometown supporters by despatching the world's No. 1 ranked batsman Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera in the space of three balls to ensure that West Indies wouldn't end the day with potential nightmares.

Edged drive

Sangakkara had just completed a half-century when he edged a drive to slip, and Samaraweera, his replacement, turned his second ball low to short mid-wicket where substitute Travis Dowlin held a neat catch.

Dowlin had just come onto the field to field for Ramnaresh Sarwan, whose return to international cricket after a series of injury woes, nearly threw up another scare.

Outside of the first hour, there was nothing in the track for the bowlers and with Sri Lanka having the luck of the toss, West Indies were forced to toil on a hot, sunny Saturday before a ground that was about half-filled of its 13 000 capacity.

The Providence pitch offered nothing to the bowlers and Taylor put things in perspective at the end of the day.

"It is far worse than we expected," he said.

"We all know that this is Guyana. We weren't looking for a flyer, but at least the team was looking for something that would assist the fast bowlers more."

For the first half of the day, West Indies hardly looked likely to take a wicket when openers Malinda Warnapura and Michael Vandort engaged in a record partnership that set Sri Lanka on the way for an imposing total.

The attractive Warnapura, appearing in only his third Test match, fashioned a quality maiden Test century and after he and fellow left-hander Vandort provided the adequate platform with a stand of 130, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were in partnership for an hour and seemingly piling on agony for West Indies.

During that time, there was high concern for all West Indians when the returning Sarwan appeared to continue his injury jinx.

Sarwan, who has been confirmed as West Indies vice-captain for the series, was attempting to take a diving catch at short mid-off that was offered by Sangakkara when he was on 44.

On falling, it was immediately noticeable that he had done some damage to himself. As he walked off the field, there was a suggestion that his little left finger might have been dislocated, but the news was not as bad as feared.

He was treated by the physio at the ground before heading off for an x-ray last night. Once there is confirmation that there is no major damage, he is expected to be out in the field today.

Second chance

It was the second chance West Indies had put down on the day. The first, too, was not entirely straightforward. It was a miss by Dwayne Bravo at slip from Chris Gayle's off-spin when Warnapura was five shy of his maiden Test ton in his third appearance at this level.

After the two Sri Lanka openers put on their century stand, Taylor provided West Indies with the first wicket of the day when he produced a full length ball that claimed Vandort lbw for 52 half-way into the post-lunch period.

Warnapura, a nephew of Sri Lanka's first Test captain, fell to a catch by the keeper that came from the glove after four- -and-a-half hours batting from which he faced 266 balls and counted 14 fours.

West Indies provided tall left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn with a debut Test cap, but he was wickletless if steady in 18 overs that cost him 46.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka, 1st Innings

Michael Vandort lbw b Taylor 52

Malinda Warnapura c Ramdin b Bravo 120

Kumar Sangakkara c Smith b Taylor 50

Mahela Jayawardene not out 25

Thilan Samaraweera c sub (Dowlin) b Taylor 0

Tillekeratne Dilshan not out 15

Extras: (4lb, 2nb, 1w) 7

Total: (for four wickets) 269

Overs: 90.

Fall of wickets: 1-130, 2-205, 3-243, 4-243.

To bat: Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Thilan Thushara, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Bowling: Daren Powell 16-1-64-0, Jerome Taylor 18-4-59-3, Chris Gayle 16-2-38-0, Dwayne Bravo 19-1-48-1 (2nb, 1w), Sulieman Benn 18-5-46-0, Ryan Hinds 3-0-10-0.

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Ryan Hinds, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Daren Powell.

Toss: Sri Lanka.

Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Billy Bowden (New Zealand). TV umpire: Clyde Duncan (Guyana).

Match Referee: Chris Broad (England).