The Sri Lankans were dismissed for 299 in the final over of an extended day’s play, which unlike Saturday’s opening day when rain allowed just 18 overs, did not have one single interruption, but Taylor was the talk of Kingstown.

The slimly built 18-year-old Taylor set tongues wagging during an eye-catching five-over morning spell in which he sent down four maidens and conceded seven runs while dismissing two batsmen with 16 Test centuries between them.

He yorked experienced opener Marvan Atapattu for a solid 59 and trapped the highly-touted Mahela Jayawardene leg-before-wicket for 11 in his 5-4-7-2 morning effort before he was deliberately hidden from the Sri Lankans for the rest of the day.

Overall Taylor, a protégé of former West Indies fast-bowling great, Courtney Walsh took two for 22 in 10 overs of sustained pace with his probing off-stump line and fullish length, making him difficult to score against.

After making an encouraging One-Day International debut here on Wednesday, it is crystal clear that President’s XI’s captain Daren Ganga, probably on instructions from chairman of the West Indies selectors, Sir Vivian Richards, opted to keep Taylor in cotton wool.

It was a long day for the West Indian bowlers against Sri Lankan batsmen, intent of getting batting practice, but they stuck to their task manfully with left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds delivering 25 tight overs for 30 runs and claiming the wicket of No.3 batsman Kumar Sangakkara for 41.

Sangakkara had resumed with Atapattu from an overnight 46 for one and the pair extended their second-wicket partnership to 91 runs when Hinds, one of nine bowlers used by Ganga, including himself, had Sangakkara caught by Dave Mohammed inside the midwicket boundary.

Taylor then made his presence felt in his very first over from the Bequai End after Atapattu had greeted him with a savage square cut for four.

His next delivery was a perfect yorker, which completely deceived Atapattu, a player with five Test double centuries, and crashed into his off-stump.

Five runs later, Jayawardene, coming inside his wicket to play through the leg-side, was beaten for pace by an inswinging delivery and Vincentian umpire Gary White ruled him leg-before-wicket.

Sri Lanka went to lunch on 131 for four and crawled to 185 for five at tea before the West Indian reserves, with the aid of the second new ball with Tino Best bowling a hostile spell and having Sri Lanka's Test captain Hishan Tillekeratne caught at second slip, wrapped up the innings.

Tillekeratne (40), Tillekeratne Dilshan (20), Thilan Samaraweera (25) and left-hander Tilan Thushara, who hit three fours and two sixes in a breezy unbeaten 34 off 37 balls, all made useful contributions with the last five wickets combining for 140 runs after the Sri Lankans had slipped to 159 for five.

SRI LANKA first innings

M.Atapattu b Taylor 59

S.Jayasuriya run-out 4

K.Sangakkara c Mohammed b Hinds 41

M.Jayawardene lbw b Taylor 11

+T.Dilshan c wkp. Baugh b Powell 20

T.Samaraweera c Ganga b Mohammed 25

*H.Tillekeratne c Bravo b Best 40

K.Lokuarachchi run-out 21

T.Thushara not out 34

D.Fernando c Smith b Mohamed 7

D.Gamage stp. Baugh b Ganga 9

Extras: (b-11, lb-4, w-3, nb-10) 28

Total: (all out, 104.3 overs) 299

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-98, 3-123, 4-128, 5-159, 6-195, 7-247, 8-248, 9-279.