Sri Lanka's hopes of making further inroads into the West Indies' batting line-up were frustrated by rain in Kandy with only 41 overs possible on the second day of the third Test.
Having enjoyed the better of the opening session, the tourists lost two quick wickets after lunch before the rain set in with the score on 244 for five.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul posted his 55th Test half-century, his first in the series, in the first over after lunch when he swept left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for four.
But he was out for 54, caught by Mahela Jayawardene off the spinner Ajantha Mendis, ending a 99-run fourth-wicket stand with Brendan Nash, who remained unbeaten on 62.
Dwayne Bravo was out without scoring, stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene.
Nash who faced 110 balls and hit five boundaries earlier went past 1,000 career runs in Tests. Carlton Baugh was yet to score.
