No joy for West Indies as Sri Lanka openers put on 85

MIAMI (Reuters) - Sri Lanka reached 85 for no wicket at lunch in the first test against West Indies in Georgetown, Guyana on Saturday.

Malinda Warnapura was 53 not out while Michael Vandort finished unbeaten on 32 after surviving a run-out chance in the first hour.

The pair justified captain Mahela Jayawardene's decision to bat first on a grassless pitch that offered little movement to the three West Indies seamers.

New-ball bowlers Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor found the outside edge a couple of times but the Sri Lankan openers looked comfortable on the slow pitch.

Sri Lanka picked two spinners, slow left-armer Rangana Herath partnering Muttiah Muralitharan, and included Thilan Samaraweera in place of out-of-form batsman Chamara Silva.

West Indies gave a debut to left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.