Mike Andree reporting from Galle
The West Indies had reached 85 runs for the loss of one wicket, at lunch, on the opening day of the first cricket test, against Sri Lanka, at the Galle Interrnational Stadium, yesterday.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, the tourists lost left handed opener Chris Gayle for nine with the score at 15 in the seventh over. He held a dead bat to a ball moving away from the off stump and got an edge for wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara to snap it up. Chaminda Vaas was the bowler.

Darren Gaanga and number three, Ramnaresh Sarwan kept their concentration, to add 70 runs for the second wicket without being separated at lunch. Ganga was on 46 and Sarwan on 25.

Right arm pacie Charitha Buddhika Fernando won his first test cap and opened the bowling with Chaminda Vaas.

Spinner Niroshan Bandaratilleke returned to the side after a long wait, to play a supporting role to Muralitharan and Tilan Samaraweera.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Tilan Samaraweera, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Niroshan Bandaratillake, Charitha Buddhika.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Darren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Dinanath Ramnaraine, Mervyn Dillon, Neil McGarrell,Colin Stuart.

Umpires: John Hampshire (England), Peter Manuel (Sri Lanka).

SCOREBOARD

West Indies first innings

D. Ganga not out 46

C. Gayle c Sangakkara b Vaas 9

R. Sarwan not out 25

Extras (b-2, nb-3) 5

Total (one wkt at lunch, 33 overs) 85

Fall of wicket: 1-15.

To bat: B. Lara, C. Hooper, M. Samuels, R. Jacobs, N. McGarrell, D. Ramnaraine, M. Dillon, C. Stuart.

Bowling: Vaas 8-0-23-1 (2nb), Buddhika 7-2-18-0 (1nb), Muralitharan 12-3-25-0, Bandaratillake 5-1-16-0, Jayasuriya 1-0-1-0.