Sri Lanka make slow progress on restricted day

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka, batting first on a new pitch, struggled for runs on a restricted opening day of the second test against West Indies to crawl to 84-3 at the close on Tuesday.

Bad light and rain curtailed play after only eight balls in the final session. Just 37.2 overs were possible in the day.

The West Indies fast bowlers made full use of the pitch and conditions to capture three cheap wickets for 34 runs before skipper Kumar Sangakkara (25) and Thilan Samaraweera (26) put a stop to the rot with an unbroken partnership of 50 for the fourth wicket.

Kemar Roach struck the first blow for West Indies when he got rid of the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for four by piercing his defence.

Roach also captured the wicket of the other opener Tharanga Paranavitana for 16 when he tempted him to edge a catch to second slip.

Skipper Darren Sammy, who bowled a marathon 17 over spell, was rewarded with his first wicket of the series when he bowled Mahela Jayawardene between bat and pad for two.

Sangakkara and Samaraweera negotiated the next hour or so to deprive the West Indies bowlers from gaining the ascendancy.

The first test ended in a draw at Galle.