Gros Islet (St Lucia), June 22: The West Indies kept spin magician Muttiah Muralitharan at bay to reach 161-2 in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka's 354 on the second day of the opening test here. Off-spinner Muralitharan removed Chris Gayle for 27 runs in his second over to reduce the West Indies to 66-2, but Wavell Hinds and skipper Brian Lara denied Sri Lanka further success with their bold and exciting stroke-play. Hinds was batting on 74 and Lara on 36 at stumps yesterday as Muralitharan conceded 39 in his opening six overs before being removed from the attack.
The left-handed pair put on 95 for the unfinished third wicket off just 17.1 overs after the West Indies had nearly squandered the advantage given by fast bowler Corey Collymore, who finished with 5-66 in only his second test. Collymore had enhanced the hosts' chances of restricting Sri Lanka to below 300-mark, only to see his team-mates struggle to polish off the tail.

Sri Lanka were tottering at 288-8 after resuming at a healthy 250-4, but tail-ender Chaminda Vaas (38) helped his team add 66 for the last two wickets with Muralitharan and Prabhath Nissanka.

Lara and Hinds, however, ensured that Collymore's excellent effort did not go to waste as they steadied the innings after the dismissals of Gayle and opener Daren Ganga (12).

Both the batsmen severely punished Muralitharan as Hinds swung the spinner for two of his four sixes, while Lara flicked and swept for two boundaries early in his innings.

Bureau Report