West Indies stumbled and stuttered their way through the opening session of the historic day-night third Test against Sri Lanka got the better of the exchanges that left the home team wobbling on 46 for four at the supper break on the opening day of play at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
At the break, wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich unbeaten on 13 and Shai Hope on 11.
Speedster Suranga Lakmal, leading the side in the absence of the suspended Dinesh Chandimal, claimed two for 20.
The Windies did not put up a good showing and displayed a steady stream of batsmen to and from the Sir Garfield Sobers pavilion.
With Sri Lanka down 0-1 in the series and also without their captain Chandimal out through suspension and top spinner Rangana Herath out through injury, the players came out hard against the host.
Stand-in skipper Lakmal swinging the ball prodigiously in the fierce Bridgetown wind was able to convince Windies skipper Jason Holder that he made the wrong call by batting first.
He grabbed two wickets for four runs to make an excellent start as skipper. He sent back Devon Smith for two and Kraigg Brathwaite for a similar score. The speedy Lahiru Kumara dismissed Keiran Powell by angling one across him for four and the Windies fans who numbered around 2,000 grew very quiet.
Windies got a respite with the score on 12 for three as the rain came down to keep the players off for half an hour.
When they returned, Christchurch player Roston Chase lost his middle stump to Kasun Rajitha.
The tall right-hander had ploughed his way to 14 when he played across the line see his timbers on the ground.
The stylish Shai Hope and the plucky wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich buckled down well and with some thick edges against the swinging ball, was able to carry the score to 46 for four at the break.
SCOREBOARD
Windies vs Sri Lanka
Windies innings
K Brathwaite c Gunakitila b Lakmal 2
D Smith c de Silva b Lakmal 2
K Powell c Mendis b Lakmal 4
S Hope not out 11
R Chase b Rajitha 14
S Dowrich not out 13
Extras 0
Total for 4 wkts 46
Fall of wkts: 3, 8, 8, 24.
Bowling: S Lakmal 8-3-20-2, L Kumara 8-4-11-1, K Rajitha 4-1-15-1, M Perera 1-1-0-0.
