The pair took their third-wicket partnership to 238 as Sri Lanka made 484 on the second day.
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After taking 6 for 68 in West Indies’ first innings, Herath then claimed the wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite, who fell for 34 as play drew to a close, for the second time in the match.
But Herath swept up the tail shortly after tea, and West Indies’ openers fared little better after being put back into bat as Hope became Siriwardana’s first Test victim in the 10th over. The West Indies still need 166 runs to escape from an innings defeat. The first spill didn’t cost them – Lahiru Thirimanne, the reprieved batsman, was disimissed soon after – but the other – a backtracking Jerome Taylor failing to grasp Dinesh Chandimal at mid-on when he miscued an attempted pull off Devendra Bishoo – certainly did.
In the first delivery of his second over in the morning, Sri Lanka unsuccessfully reviewed a leg before wicket appeal against Marlon Samuels.
Darren Bravo stressed on the importance of staying positive after his side was asked to follow on by Sri Lanka on the third day of the first Test match in Galle.
Chandimal, who was dropped on 11, survived another chance on 82 when Jermaine Blackwood allowed the ball to burst through his fingers at point off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel. With Herath looking like the only genuine threat among the Sri Lankan bowlers on this pitch, this was a poor piece of judgment from Blackwood against what was certainly a good ball, laden with extra bounce, but one that could have been easily left alone.
Karunaratne’s 186 came off 354 balls, with 16 fours and one six. He added 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Kemar Roach.
Jason Holder no rabbit with the bat with a Test hundred and a couple of fifties the skipper and his former captain Ramdin had to perform something extra ordinary to restore the innings.
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Bravo looked the most comfortable among the West Indies batsmen, but he fell to a stunning catch by Dinesh Chandimal off Herath.
