Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the third One-Day International between West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Beausejour Stadium last night.

When the rain interrupted at 8:03 p.m., West Indies, chasing 258 from 50 overs to complete a clean sweep of the series, were 81 for two in 18.2 overs.

It left West Indies 2-0 winners of the series, but last night's abandonment of the match, without a result, was a disap-pointment to an almost sell-out crowd.

Opener Sewnarine Chat-tergoon gave the home team a promising start with a shot-filled 46 off 53 balls before edging a cut off left-arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Runako Morton, opening the batting in place of injured captain Chris Gayle, made 17 before edging a drive to the keeper from the first ball by left-armer Thilan Thushra.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was unbeaten on 13 and Marlon Samuels, three, when the rain sent the players off the field.

In between rain breaks, umpires Simon Taufel and Clyde Duncan carried out inspections before calling off play just after 9:30 p.m.

Earlier Mahela Udawatte and Tillakaratne Dilshan struck half-centuries to help Sri Lanka to a competitive total.

Opener Udawatte hit a measured 73 off 122 balls, while Dilshan provided the fireworks at the end in an aggressive 64 off 54 balls as Sri Lanka amassed 257 for eight in their 50 overs, in front of a near capacity crowd for the day/night match.

Asked to bat first for the third consecutive match, Sri Lanka, needing a consolidation win to avoid a series whitewash, recovered from a shaky start to post their highest total of the series.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle was the pick of the home team's bowlers with two for 41 from ten overs, but he suffered a groin strain in the 43rd over when he dived full stretch at extra-cover in trying to affect a run out at the bowler's end.

Gayle immediately left the field for treatment from physiotherapist C.J. Clark.

Fast bowler Darren Powell, celebrating his 30th birthday, and medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo also took two wickets but both proved expensive at the end when Sri Lanka were pushing on.

Powell struck with his first ball by having Kumar Sangakkara caught at extra-cover for one and he also had the wicket of Chamara Silva with the help of a smart leg-side catch by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Powell also took an outstanding one-handed catch on the second attempt at short fine-leg that accounted for captain Mahela Jayawardene for 17.

The dismissal of Silva left Sri Lanka 44 for three after 12 overs, but they consolidated with a fourth wicket partnership of 84 in 18 overs between Udawatte and Chamara Kapugedera.

Kapugedera contributed 40 off 52 balls before giving a return catch off Gayle who also dis-missed Udawatte from a leg-side stumping by Ramdin after a fifth wicket partnership of 44 with Dilshan.

Dilshan hit three fours and a six before lifting a catch to long-on off Bravo and he was ably assisted by Kaushalya Weeraratne, who chipped with 41 off 33 balls as the pair put on 79 in 9.2 overs.