West Indies bowler Jerome Taylor (left) celebrates with wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin after bowling Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardene, for 26 runs on the first day of the second Test at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain yesterday. - AP

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP):

TILLEKERATNE DILSHAN hit an unbeaten 58 yesterday and Sri Lanka rebounded from a mid-innings collapse to reach 217 for five at close of a rain-shortened opening day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval.

The 31-year-old Dilshan hit seven fours off 57 balls, sharing an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 100 off 101 balls - at a rate of better than a run-a-minute - with fellow right-hander Chamara Silva.

The 28-year-old Silva, recalled to the team, struck six fours in an undefeated 37 off 48 deliveries.

Fidel Edwards (3-50) and Jerome Taylor (2-63) earlier had given the West Indies the advantage, ignoring two rain interruptions as Sri Lanka slipped to 117 for five.

Sri Lanka, 1-0 up in the two-match rubber and seeking a first series win in the Caribbean, started quickly-led by left-handed openers Michael Vandort and Malinda Warnapura.

They capitalised on some sloppy West Indies fielding and added 62 with a flurry of boundaries at a run-a-minute before Edwards stalled their progress in the second hour.

Warnapura, who hit 120 and 62 in the first Test victory, reeled off eight boundaries in 35 before edging Edwards to third slip. Opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon, earning his first Test cap on his 27th birthday, pouched a good low catch.

Catches

Warnapura should have been dismissed at 12 but Dwayne Bravo floored one of three catches the home team let slip on the day.

Vandort, too, benefitted when Daren Powell failed to grasp a difficult, one-handed grab low to his right as the batsman miscued a full toss while on 10.

The West Indies still went into lunch with the momentum at 89 for two as Edwards claimed the prize wicket of Kumar Sangakkara, the ICC's top-ranked batsman, just before the break.

Sangakkara snicked a comfortable catch through to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin after scoring 10.

The resumption after lunch was delayed by 20 minutes by the first shower, but the 26-year-old Edwards soon brightened the mood of a disappointing crowd of about 2,000.

Vandort spent 81 balls compiling 30 before he clipped a leg-side catch through to Ramdin. The opener struck five fours.

Soon after Vandort's dismissal, rain returned at 98 for three and stalled play for another hour and 15 minutes.

Taylor took up the mantle as the West Indies continued to dominate when the action restarted.