Windies in grind as rain hits Test start

The West Indies have recovered from 5-53 to go to stumps at 5-132 on a rain-shortened opening day of the third Test against Sri Lanka in Barbados.

Shane Dowrich's unbeaten half-century rescued the West Indies on a rain-shortened opening day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Barbados.

Intermittent rain meant only 46.3 overs were bowled on day one of the day-night Test at Bridgetown on Saturday, with the home side recovering to 5-132 at stumps.

After Windies captain Jason Holder won the toss and elected to bat, Sri Lanka gained the upper hand when they had the home side in serious strife at 5-53.

Suranga Lakmal, standing in as Sri Lanka captain for the suspended Dinesh Chandimal - who was banned for ball-tampering during the second Test - dismissed both opening batsmen to boast figures of 2-42 while fellow seamer Kasun Rajitha (2-36) also chipped in with a couple of wickets.

But the Windies, who hold a 1-0 lead in the series, rallied courtesy of an unbroken 79-run sixth-wicket partnership between the in-form Dowrich and Holder (33 not out).

Dowrich struck an unbeaten century in the series opener and continued to be a thorn in Sri Lanka's side in Barbados, where he was on 60 not out when the heavens opened once more to end a truncated day.