Michael Vandort and Chaminda Vaas celebrate a wicket

Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas took three wickets each as Sri Lanka restricted West Indies to 269-9 on the third day of the first Test in Guyana.

West Indies were still 207 runs in arrears at the close, needing seven runs to avert the follow-on, after Sri Lanka had compiled 476-8 declared.

Ramnaresh Sarwan marked his return to international cricket after a six-month injury absence with a fine knock of 80.

He hit five boundaries in a 199-ball marathon of an innings in Georgetown.

Sarwan was the only top order batsmen to spend a long time at the crease, although Ryan Hinds (37) and Denesh Ramdin (38) produced gritty innings during the final session.

Sri Lanka's bowlers displayed great accuracy and discipline on the slow-paced pitch and gradually chipped away at the West Indies' batsmen.

Pace bowler Thilan Thushara, playing his second Test, had both Devon Smith (14) and Marlon Samuels (five) caught behind early in the day to put the hosts under pressure.

Muralitharan also picked up an important wicket minutes before lunch when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was caught at short cover off a leading edge for 23.

Straight after lunch Muralitharan deceived Dwayne Bravo (8) with a quicker delivery and won an lbw decision.

Sarwan and Hinds added 53 for the sixth wicket, but Vaas, who discovered some reverse swing, found Sarwan's edge and Prasanna Jayawardene held on to a good catch at the second attempt.

The Sri Lankans were then frustrated by a stubborn 44-run eighth wicket stand between Ramdin and debutant Sulieman Benn (28).