But West Indies' pace quartet then made deep inroads into Sri Lanka's top order to leave the match on a knife-edge at the close as fifteen wickets fell on day two.

West Indies held a clear upper hand on the first evening after dismissing Sri Lanka for a paltry 208, but Nissanka - playing in only his fourth Test - clawed the visitors back into the game with his 5 for 64. Muttiah Muralitharan chipped in with the prized scalp of Brian Lara - his 50th wicket against West Indies in his seventh Test.

The bowler's dominance continued though the final session. Corey Collymore livened up the Kingston crowd with the wickets of Sanath Jayasuriya (13), who was trapped lbw, and Kumar Sangakkara (12), the first innings top scorer, who edged behind (43 for 2). When Marvan Atapattu (28), Sri Lanka's sheet anchor, flirted at a good-length delivery to give Jerome Taylor his first Test wicket, the Sri Lankans were back in trouble (80 for 3).

Mahela Jayawardene (32) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (23) shepherded Sri Lanka back into a more comfortable position during a 38-run stand for the fourth wicket. But two wickets in three balls just before the close meant it was West Indies who finished with their nose ahead. Jayawardene nicked a Fidel Edwards outswinger and Taylor flattened Kaluwitharana's stumps. Sri Lanka closed on 129 for 5 with a slender 146 lead.

Earlier, West Indies had been given a good start by Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds. Gayle smacked 14 off Thilan Thushara's third over, and then Hinds smashed successive fours off Chaminda Vaas. It has all the hallmarks of being a bad day when Muralitharan dropped a skyer from Gayle at mid-on. But then Nissanka weighed in. Gayle tried to leave a ball but gloved it to Sangakkara at gully for 31 (54 for 1) and then Hinds' flashing drive edged to the wicketkeeper Kaluwitharana for 19 (59 for 2).

Lara arrived to a hero's welcome after his double-hundred in St Lucia, but this time Muralitharan won their personal tussle, trapping the flummoxed Lara leg-before with his arm ball.

Muralitharan's delight and the crowd's stunned silence told just how important the wicket was. Lara had made 10 and West Indies decision to play the extra bowlers meant their tail was almost exposed to the eager Muralitharan.

Much depended on Ramnaresh Sarwan, but he was bowled behind his legs by Vaas as he shuffled across his stumps for 31 (107 for 4) and thereafter wickets tumbled. Nissanka removed Omari Banks and Marlon Samuels, both caught low at first slip by Hashan Tillekeratne, and Muralitharan bamboozled his way through the tail.

Collymore and Edwards added an idiosyncratic 16 runs for the last wicket as Tillekeratne mystifyingly left Nissanka kicking his heels at long leg.

When Nissanka was eventually summoned it took him four balls to end the resistance. In a low-scoring match, the runs eked out by the West Indies tail could be decisive. (Wisden CricInfo Ltd)

SRI LANKA first innings 208 (K.Sangakkara 75; F.Edwards 5-36)
WEST INDIES first innings (o/n 4-0)

C.Gayle c Sangakkara b Nissanka 31

W.Hinds c Kaluwitharana b Nissanka 19

R.Sarwan b Vaas 31

B.Lara lbw Muralitharan 10

M.Samuels c Tillekeratne b Nissanka 14

O.Banks c Tillekeratne b Nissanka 2

R.Jacobs lbw Muralitharan 16

V.Drakes b Muralitharan 30

J.Taylor c Muralitharan b Dharmasena 1

C.Collymore c Sangakkara b Nissanka 13

F.Edwards not out 5

Extras: (nb-5, w-6, lb-3, b-5) 19

Total: (all out, 53.3 overs) 191

Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-59, 3-85, 4-107, 5-110, 6-123, 7-162, 8-163, 9-175.

Bowling: Vaas 15-4-33-1, (nb-1, w-1) Thusara 10-1-36-0 (nb-3, w-2), Nissanka 12.3-0-64-5 (nb-1, w-2), Muralitharan 11-3-23-3 Dharmasena 5-0-27-1

SRI LANKA second innings
M.Atapattu c Jacobs b Taylor 28

S.Jayasuriya lbw Collymore 13

K.Sangakkara c Jacobs b Collymore 12

M.Jayawardene c Jacobs b Edwards 32

R.Kaluwitharana b Taylor 23

H.Tillekeratne not out 2

K.Dharmasenan not out 9

Extras: (nb-4, w-1, lb-5) 10

Total: (for five wickets, off 38 overs) 129

Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-43, 3-80, 4-118, 5-118.

Bowling: Edwards 10-2-38-1, Collymore 8-0-26-2, Drakes 8-3-16-0, Taylor 10-1-38-2, Banks 2-0-6-0.