GALLE, Sri Lanka (CMC) – West Indies were facing an uphill task in saving the opening Test against Sri Lanka after being forced to follow on and then losing both openers in their second innings on the third day here Friday.

At the close at the Galle International Stadium, West Indies were struggling on 67 for two, still 166 runs adrift of making the Sri Lankans bat a second time.

Left-hander Darren Bravo was unbeaten on 20 and was partnered by night watchman Devendra Bishoo on six.

Right-handed opener Kraigg Brathwaite top-scored with 34 before he was lbw to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, 15 minutes before the close.

His partner Shai Hope failed again with six, dragging on a wide delivery from left-arm spinner Milinda Siriwardana with the score on 18.

Earlier, West Indies slumped to 251 all out in their first innings, after resuming the day on 66 for two.

They were destroyed by Herath’s spell of six for 68 while seamer Dhammika Pradad supported with two for 65.

Bravo top-scored with exactly 50, tail-ender Jerome Taylor chipped in with 31 while Bishoo scored 23 not out and Denesh Ramdin, 23.

Samuels, unbeaten on seven overnight, fell in the day’s third over for 11 with just four runs added to the total and West Indies then needed a series of small partnerships to get up to their eventual score.

Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood (11) put on 41 for the fourth wicket while Ramdin and captain Jason Holder (19) put on 33 for the sixth wicket.

When both fell in the space of 21 deliveries to leave the Windies slumping on 171 for seven in the first hour after lunch, Taylor and Kemar Roach (22) produced a rear-guard action in an eighth wicket partnership of 46, to see the total past 200.