Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas took three wickets each as Sri Lanka restricted West Indies to 269 for nine on the third day of the first Test in Georgetown, Guyana, on Monday.
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 for eight declared on the first two days.
Tail-ender Jerome Taylor was unbeaten on 22 at the end of the day with Darren Powell on six.
Muralitharan, the world's highest wicket-taker, finished with three for 104 from 38 overs while Vaas ended with three for 45 from 22 overs.
Ramnaresh Sarwan celebrated his return to international cricket after a six-month injury absence with a fine hard-working 80 from 199 deliveries, an innings that included five boundaries.
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 on the third morning 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), who had been dropped before the break on one at slip off Muralitharan, with a quicker delivery and won an lbw decision.
Sarwan and Hinds then battled hard for over an hour, adding 53 runs for the sixth wicket.
But Chaminda Vaas, who discovered some reverse swing, found Sarwan's edge and Prasanna Jayawardene held on to a good catch at the second attempt.
Muralitharan ended a 31-run stand just after tea when he had Hinds caught behind.
The Sri Lankans were then frustrated by a stubborn 44-run eighth wicket stand between Ramdin and debutant Sulieman Benn (28).
Scorecard
Sri Lanka first innings 476-8 dec (M. Warnapura 120, M. Jayawardene 136)
West Indies first innings
C. Gayle lbw Vaas 0
D. Smith c P. Jayawardene b Thushara 14
R. Sarwan c P. Jayawardene b Vaas 80
M. Samuels c P. Jayawardene b Thushara 5
S. Chanderapul c Warnapura b Muralitharan 23
D. Bravo lbw Muralitharan 8
R. Hinds c P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 37
D. Ramdin c Sangakkara b Vaas 38
S. Benn run out 28
J. Taylor not out 22
D. Powell not out 6
Extras (4-lb, 4-nb) 8
Total (9 wickets, 106 overs) 269
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-46, 3-58, 4-99, 5-109, 6-162, 7-193, 8-236, 9-252
Bowling: Vaas 22-7-45-3, Thushara 20-3-59-2, Dilshan 1-0-2-0, Muralitharan 38-6-104-3 (2-nb), Herath 25-6-55-0 (2-nb)
