To enforce follow-on or bat? Skipper Mahela's dilemma

Elmo Rodrigopulle from the West Indies

To enforce the follow on or bat a second time and make the Windies chase for victory or sink? That is the question that would have given Sri Lanka skipper a sleepless night when play ended on the third day of the Digicel Test here today.

When play ended the West Indies were 269 for 9, still requiring 8 runs to avoid the ignominy of being asked to follow on. The Sri Lankans made 476 for 9 declared in their first knock.

If the Sri Lankans can dismiss the Windies below the follow on mark and with only two days remaining and with the bowlers fresh after a good night's sleep, it would be good to ask the Windies in again.

To be asked to follow on and in their own backyard and before their home supporters could be humilation and could tell on their confidence and another collapse could follow. The first three days of play has been dominated by the Lankans. They have batted better, bowled better and also fielded better.

On a wicket that is flat and with indications that it would get flatter, the batsmen would not be able to play strokes and with Chaminda Vass, Thilina Thusara and Muttiah Muralitheran baffling the Windies batsmen, the home team will certainly struggle to save this First Test.

If the Lankans continue to play the way they did on the first three days, there is no reason why they should not pocket their First Test win on Caribbean soil. The Windies who lost their skipper for a duck with the score on 4 on the second day, were made to grind all day as the Lankan bowlers had them in all sorts of trouble.

Thusara who has made his way back into the team struck first when he had left hander Devon Smith and Marlon Samuels caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardena for 14 and 3. Smith went as 46 and Samuels at 58.

Ronnie Sarwan the deposed Windies skipper was showing good form and playing the bowling confidently. He was joined by the other home town hero Shiv Chanderpaul and together they took the score to 99 when Muralitheran lured Chanderpaul into pushing a catch to mid on Warnapura. 10 runs later Dwaynne Bravo went for leg before to Muralitheran.

Sarwan who seemed to be the only batsman to play the pace and spin with confidence was untroubled as he placed his strokes well to obtain his runs and show the other batsmen how.

With Ryan Hinds, Sarwan put on the best partnership of the innings with 53 for the sixth wicket.

When Vaas had Sarwan caught behind by Jayawardena standing up, for 80 with 6 fours, the Windies continued to lose wickets. Ramdin went for 38, Hinds for 37 and then Suleiman Benn for 28 and the Windies were 252 for 9 still requiring 25 runs to make Sri Lanka bat again.

Jerome Taylor 22 and Darren Powell 6 took the score to 269 still needing 8 runs to avoid the follow on. Vaas 3 wickets, Thusara 2 and Muralitheran 3 bowled their hearts out to put the Lankans on top.

Although going wicketless left arm spinner Rangana Herath too bowled splendidly and that he did not get a wicket was just one of those things.

An interesting fourth day's play where no quarter will be asked or given is on the cards. As it stands and if the bowlers oblige, then the Lankans could be the victors.

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS 476/8 dec.
(M. Jayawardene 136, M. Warnapura 120)
WEST INDIES - 1ST INNINGS
(overnight 29 for one)
C. Gayle lbw b Vaas				 0
D. Smith c P. Jayawardene b Thushara		14
R. Sarwan c wkpr P. Jayawardene b Vaas		80
M. Samuels c wkpr P. Jayawardene b Thushara	 5
S. Chanderpaul c Warnapura b Muralitharan	23
D. Bravo lbw b Muralitharan			 8
R. Hinds c wkpr P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan	37
D. Ramdin c Sangakkara b Vaas			38
S. Benn run out (Dilshan)			28
J. Taylor not out				22
D. Powell not out				 6
Extras (lb4, nb4)				 8
TOTAL (9 wkts)					269
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Gayle), 2-46 (Smith), 3-58 (Samuels), 
4-99 (Chanderpaul), 5-109 (Bravo), 6-162 (Sarwan), 7-193 (Hinds), 8-236 (Ramdin), 
9-252 (Benn). 
BOWLING: Vaas 22-7-45-3; Thushara 20-3-59-2; Dilshan 1-0-2-0; 
Muralitharan 38-6-104-3 (nb2); Herath 24-6-54-0 (nb2).