Mahela Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas put Sri Lanka in control of 1st test

Jayawardene hit 136 as Sri Lanka, overnight 269 for four, declared at 476 for eight an hour before the close. Vaas contributed an unbeaten 54.

West Indies stuttered to 29 for one after Vaas removed captain Chris Gayle for a duck at Providence Stadium.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (21 not out) and Devon Smith (eight not out) limited the damage with an unbroken partnership of 25.

Jayawardene, who resumed the innings on 25, dominated the day in notching his third century in successive innings following scores of 195 and 213 not out against England in Colombo and Galle last December.

It was the 30-year-old's first century against West Indies and was spiced with 13 boundaries off 234 balls.

"I think we're in a good position to win this test," Jayawardene said. "But there's still a lot of hard work, especially for the bowlers.

"They have to be very patient on this wicket. The fielders have to concentrate, you know, grab those half chances that come their way and put pressure on the West Indies. The fourth and fifth day it will be very tough to bat the spinners on this."

Jayawardene said he was aware of the responsibility he had in pushing his team to a big total.

"Even yesterday when Kumar (Sangakkara) and Thilan (Samaraweera) got out quickly, I knew I had to stay around for a while and make sure I steadied the ship," he said.

"When (Tillakaratne) Dilshan got out this morning, I knew my task was not finished. I made up my mind not to take too many risks and just make sure that we got over the 400 hurdle which was most important for us in the first innings."

The home team had an encouraging start when fast bowler Jerome Taylor removed Dilshan for 20 in the day's fifth over. Dilshan was ruled leg before by umpire Simon Taufel at 277-5.

Jayawardene and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene ensured the first session belonged to the visitors in a stand of 54 which took Sri Lanka to lunch on 330-5.

West Indies took the second new ball immediately after the interval and was rewarded when Daren Powell uprooted Prasanna Jayawardene's off stump. The plucky gloveman hit two fours in 21 off 83 balls.

But the Sri Lanka captain and veteran Vaas forged a magnificent seventh-wicket partnership of 126 that dulled the West Indian edge.

Vaas should have been dismissed when just four but Devon Smith floored a low catch at third slip off Taylor.

Jayawardene was chanceless and stroked the ball beautifully off the front foot, especially through the legside and straight down the ground.

He brought up his century, off 190 deliveries and in five hours, 45 minutes before tea, which his team took at 418-6.

The Sri Lankans upped the tempo after the interval and Jayawardene was dropped on 126 by Dwayne Bravo off Gayle's offspin. He eventually fell to Gayle at 457-7, the victim of an unfortunate decision from umpire Billy Bowden.

The silky right-hander missed a reverse sweep and was adjudged leg before although the ball cannoned into the glove.

Gayle also picked up Thilan Thushara for a duck before the declaration came.

Taylor took four for 110 while Gayle earned two for 66.

Gayle was not as successful with the bat as Vaas dismissed him for the seventh time in six tests, the fifth time without scoring.

Gayle was plumb lbw as he played a tentative defensive stroke.

Vaas almost removed Smith shortly afterward but a fended stroke fell just short of third slip.

But the left-hander and vice captain Sarwan grew in confidence as they survived to the close.