Windies chasing 253 to square series

(CNN) -- The West Indies are in pole position to level the series against Sri Lanka, needing 253 runs to win the second and final Test in Trinidad with two days still to play.

Sri Lanka won in the Caribbean for the first time in the opening Test, triumphing by 121 runs in Guyana, but could have already lost this match if it were not for a superb 125 by Thilan Samaraweera on day three.

The tourists had slumped to 99-6 in their second innings after dismissing the West Indies for 294 in the day's opening session -- which gave the hosts a lead of 16 runs.

Samaraweera compiled his sixth Test century as he put on 138 with all-rounder Chaminda Vaas, who made a dogged 45.

The 31-year-old Samaraweera arrived at the crease with his side already deep in trouble at 32-3 after Malinda Warnapura was caught at third slip for a duck off Jerome Taylor -- who then ran out Michael Vandort for one.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene and his deputy Kumar Sangakkara were both dismissed in the space of seven balls.

Jayawardene dragged a delivery from Fidel Edwards onto his stumps to be out for 12, while Sangakkara fended a rising ball from Daren Powell to Marlon Samuels at gully for 14.

Tillakeratne Dilshan made a lusty 25 off 19 balls before being bowled by Taylor before lunch, and Chamara Silva fellow to the same fast bowler after the interval when he was caught at gully by Samuels for a dogged 13.

Samaraweera, who was lucky to be given not out when Dwayne Bravo seemed to have trapped him leg before wicket soon after passing 50, took Sri Lanka to 151-6 at tea as he and Vaas dug in.

He passed three figures when he sliced Edwards to the third man boundary for the 15th of his 18 boundaries in an innings that lasted almost five hours, facing 199 balls.

Left-hander Vaas departed for 45 off 114 deliveries when tried to drive a full-length delivery from captain Chris Gayle and was caught behind.

The seventh-wicket pair had defied the West Indies for 41.3 overs, taking the score to 237-7 for a lead of 221 runs.

Bravo had Thilan Thushara caught behind for 10 with an extra 15 runs added to the total, then Samaraweera was ninth man out on 268 when third man Samuels claimed his second run-out of the innings as the batsman came back for a second.

Taylor wrapped up the innings with the first ball of the next over, having Muttiah Muralitharan caught at long leg by Powell to finish with figures of 4-52 from 15.1 overs.

Off-spinner Muralitharan had earlier completed his 63rd five-wicket haul in Tests as the West Indies added only 26 more runs to their 268-7.

Muralitharan 5-79 and veteran seamer Vaas grabbed 2-76 as the Windies lasted just 50 minutes into the opening session.

Meanwhile, India's selectors have recalled pace bowler Munaf Patel for the third Test against South Africa.

Patel replaces Rudra Pratap Singh, who failed to make an impression in the opening two Tests.

India must win the final match in Kanpur, which starts on Friday, to square the series after being trounced by an innings and 90 runs in the second Test. E-mail to a friend

All About West Indies Cricket Board • Sri Lanka • Thilan Samaraweera • Cricket