/world sport
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Sri Lanka maintained their stranglehold on the opening Test against the West Indies in Guyana with the home side struggling to avoid the follow-on at the close of the third day,
West Indies batting hero Ramnaresh Sarwan plays an attacking shot during his innings of 80.
Replying to Sri Lanka's imposing 478 for eight declared, the West Indies were hanging on at 269 for nine, eight runs short of the follow-on mark with Jerome Taylor on 22 not out and Daren Powell six not out.
Resuming 29 for one wicket overnight, Thilan Thushara struck twice in the first hour to remove Devon Smith and Marlon Samuels.
Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul steadied the ship, but Mutiah Muralitharan had the latter caught for 23 before lunch to leave West Indies in the mire.
Dwayne Bravo then fell leg before wicket to the spin legend just after interval and it was left to Ryan Hinds and Sarwan to restore some order with a partnership of 53.
Sarwan was eyeing his first Test century on home Guyanan soil but flashed airily at a ball from Vaas to be undone for 80.
It was a fine return in his first Test for 10 months after a series of injuries.
West Indies went into tea at 186 for six wickets and were facing an uphill battle to avoid the follow-on.
Hinds, who was struggling with a hamstring injury, fell to Murali for 38 but Denesh Ramdin with 38 and Sulieman Benn (28) staged a rally.
Ramdin became Vaas' third victim and Benn was run out, leaving Taylor and Powell to add 17 for the last wicket before the close. E-mail to a friend 
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