Tea West Indies 224 for 9 (Mayers 45, Brathwaite 41, Cornwall 39, Da Silva 11*, Jayawickrama 3-38, Mendis 3-75) trail Sri Lanka 386 by 162 runs
Tea was taken early on the third day in Galle after rain washed out much of the post-lunch session in the first Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies. Only four overs were completed after lunch before the groundstaff was called into action, but there was still enough time for Sri Lanka to grab the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall, off the final ball possible in the session.
Cornwall, who had been the aggressor in a 49-run ninth-wicket stand with Joshua Da Silva, will undoubtedly be disappointed, as he top-edged a pull off a Suranga Lakmal delivery that crept up on him sooner than anticipated. His 39 came off 58 deliveries, and included five fours and a six - a disdainful hoick over deep midwicket off a Ramesh Mendis long hop.
That left West Indies still 162 runs behind Sri Lanka's first-innings total, with just one wicket in hand, and Sri Lanka eligible to pick up the second new ball whenever play starts.
Mendis, along with Praveen Jayawickrama, have been Sri Lanka's most effective bowlers in the innings with the pair accounting for three wickets apiece, though Mendis struggled with his control for most of the day.
As things stand, Sri Lanka would be much the happier of the two sides, even though the day had started with some stiff resistance from Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder. They had taken their seventh-wicket stand up to 63 in the first hour, but two outstanding catches - first by Dimuth Karunaratne and then by Dushmantha Chameera - removed the two in quick succession.
But save for the two dismissals, West Indies had scarcely played a false shot all morning.
Holder was responsible for the two best shots of the session, a pair of sumptuous drives through the covers, while Mayers was quick to pounce on anything short, frequently cutting past point.
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