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It was another day of Windies domination on Friday (June , engineered by the pacers and complemented by a fine half-century from Kieran Powell which put the hosts firmly in control of the first Test in Port of Spain. The Windies pace attack combined to skittle out Sri Lanka for 185, before Powell hit an unbeaten 64 to help the home team end Day 3 at 131 for 4, leading by 360 runs.

 A 78-run stand between Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella gave Sri Lanka hope, one that was washed away on either side of the lunch break as Sri Lanka's innings crumbled within 56 overs. The wicket of Chandimal, who threw all his hard work away by going for an ill-advised cut off Shannon Gabriel, was the beginning of a collapse as Sri Lanka handed the hosts a 229-run lead.

 Having decided against enforcing the follow-on, Windies set about building on the lead as the openers put on a steady stand. However, the partnership didn't last beyond the 11th over as Devon Smith, having earned a reprieve when he was bowled off a no-ball by Suranga Lakmal, chopped one on soon after. With the Sri Lankan bowlers not posing too many problems, Kraigg Brathwaite looked to be settling in for the long haul until an attempt to drive a Lahiru Kumara delivery away from the body led to his dismissal.

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