Windies Chasing 253 For Triumph
Samaraweera - cracked 125.
Thilan Samaraweera struck a magnificent century to single-handedly keep Sri Lanka's hopes of victory alive on day three of the second Test in Port of Spain.
Samaraweera came to the tourists' rescue with a knock of 125 after they had looked like being steamrolled by the West Indies pace attack.
The number five helped his team recover from 78 for five at lunch to reach 268 all out by close of play.
Samaraweera cracked 18 fours to record his 16th Test century after the Windies had ripped through the Sri Lankan top order.
He was eventually run out attempting a second run and Muttiah Muralitharan followed, caught at fine leg by Daren Powell off the bowling of Jerome Taylor, for four the next over to leave the hosts to chase 253 for a victory which would level the series.
That was one of four wickets for Taylor, who also did for Malinda Warnapura, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva earlier in the day.
Sri Lanka had been reeling on 99 for six when Silva was caught at gully by Marlon Samuels off the bowling of Taylor for 13.
They had earlier lost both openers within the first two overs, Warnapura (0) caught by Sewnarine Chattergoon at third slip off Taylor, who then ran out Michael Vandort (1) with a superb direct hit from silly mid-off.
Mahela Jayawardene (12) looked to inject some spark into the Sri Lanka innings by hitting three quick boundaries, but he played on to the stumps attempting a square drive off a wide Fidel Edwards delivery.
Kumar Sangakkara added 14 before he guided an attempted cut off Powell straight to Samuels at gully.
Dilshan (25) had signalled his intent by smashing Powell for two fours and a six in his first over but he was next to fall when Taylor uprooted his off stump shortly before the interval.
Dilshan appeared in fine touch and had pulled Taylor for four the previous delivery but the concentration lapses which plagued his team-mates higher up the order struck again.
Chaminda Vaas was the only one to provide support for Samaraveera, scoring 45 in a 138-run partnership with the centurion before he edged a Chris Gayle delivery behind to Denesh Ramdin to leave his side on 237 for seven.
Thilan Mirando then made 10 before he was caught behind by Ramdin off Dwayne Bravo, while Ishara Amerasinghe was unbeaten at the end on nought.
West Indies had added 26 runs to their overnight total before being bowled out for 294.
Muralitharan was the Sri Lankans' wrecking ball, finishing with figures of five for 79 - his 63rd five-wicket Test haul.
Starting the day on 268 for seven, Taylor (13) was trapped lbw by Vaas before Ramdin (13) was caught at slip by Jayawardene off Muralitharan in the next over.
Powell offered little resistance and offered just three runs before Muralitharan dismissed him lbw.