Vaas completes 300 Test wickets, but India firmly in the saddle

SA'ADI Thawfeeq reporting from India

NEW DELHI, Monday - Sri Lanka's most successful fast bowler Chaminda Vaas took his 300th Test wicket on the third day of the second cricket Test at the Ferozshah Kotla grounds here today, but India inspired by half-centuries from Irfan Pathan and skipper Rahul Dravid put themselves firmly in the saddle. Following the spate of wickets that fell on the second day - 13, today's play was more on a sombre note like

the first, with India building upon their first innings lead of 60 runs by scoring 237 for five wickets by the close. It gave them an overall lead of 297 with five wickets in hand and two full days of play.

India continued with their bagful of surprises against Sri Lanka when they promoted Pathan to open the batting instead of Dravid. It was another tactical ploy adopted by the Indian team management to upset the Sri Lankans and put them out of rhythm. India did this successfully during the one-day series which they won 6-1.

On that occasion Pathan sent to bat as a pinch-hitter on two occasions made 83 and 35. Today the 21-year-old talented all-rounder from Baroda obliged his team by scoring a Test career best 93 in 207 minutes (10 fours, 2 sixes) before falling to Dilhara Fernando, seven short of a maiden Test century. Prior to this knock his previous highest was 55.

The ease with which Pathan played indicated the pitch was not to blame for the batting collapses of both teams in the first innings, that it was all in the mind of the batsmen who were suspicious of its two-pace where some balls tended to keep low and others came through at normal height.

It was vital that Sri Lanka get as near to India's first innings total of 290 as they would be batting last on a pitch which by tomorrow should suffer from the wear and tear of the first three days. Resuming at 198-6 Sri Lanka were able to add just 32 runs for the last four wickets as the tail failed to support Jehan Mubarak who was left unbeaten on 29 scored in 88 minutes.

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble ran through the tail adding a further two wickets to his overnight tally of four to finish with six wickets for 72, the 30th time he had taken a five-for in a 99-Test career.

When India commenced their second innings Vaas was straight into action picking up the wicket of opener Gambhir lbw for the second time in the Test. That dismissal gave him his 300th in a career spanning 90 Tests and made him the 20th bowler in the world to achieve that milestone and only the second Sri Lankan after Muralitharan.

Vaas also sent back Laxman cheaply for 11 and, when Bandara captured the prize wicket of Tendulkar for 16, India was somewhat on the ropes at 86-3. It seemed the umpires had finally come to realize the way they had been fooled by Tendulkar's pretence to play a shot but actually coming forward and tucking his bat behind his left pad giving the impression of playing a stroke.

This way he escaped being given out leg before wicket at least on three occasions on the first day. The moment he tried the same tactic on the second day he was given out to Muralitharan. Today Bandara trapped him lbw. India however recovered through a 92-run stand in 93 minutes between Pathan and Dravid.

The Indian captain was batting so confidently that he looked in great shape for a century. But a fine bit of fielding by Jayawardene from mid-on who made a direct hit at the non-striker's end ended his innings.

Dravid was so infuriated with his dismissal that he threw his bat on the ground, an act which may fetch him a fine or a reprimand from ICC match referee Clive Lloyd. During the course of his innings Dravid passed 8000 runs playing in his 94th Test.

Muralitharan, the first innings destroyer of the Indian batting with seven wickets went wicketless today after 25 overs which meant that Sri Lanka had to struggle hard to contain the Indian batting.

The Test is firmly in India's grasp with a lead of nearly 300 runs and a wearing pitch to bowl on in the remaining two days. Whatever target they are given to chase on the fourth innings will certainly test the strength and quality of the Sri Lankan batting.

INDIA 1ST INNINGS 290
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
(overnight 198-6)

D.A. Gunawardene lbw b Pathan       	25
M.S. Atapattu c Gambhir b Kumble     	88
K.C. Sangakkara c Kumble b Pathan  	3
D.P.M. Jayawardene lbw b Kumble    	60
T.T. Samaraweera b Kumble   		1
T.M. Dilshan lbw b Kumble      		0
J. Mubarak not out       		29
W.P.U.J.C. Vaas c Harbhajan b Kumble          2
C.M. Bandara b Pathan        		1
M. Muralitharan b Kumble        		9
C.R.D. Fernando c Ganguly b Harbhajan         0
Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-1, pen-5) 		12

TOTAL (all out, 83.3 overs, 333 mins) 	230

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-54 (Gunawardene), 2-62 (Sangakkara), 3-175 (Jayawardene), 
4-179 (Samaraweera), 5-179 (Dilshan), 6-198 (Atapattu), 7-200 (Vaas), 8-204 (Bandara), 
9-219 (Muralitharan), 10-230 (Fernando).

BOWLING: Pathan 22-8-34-3, Agarkar 16-4-40-0, Kumble 28-6-72-6 (1nb), 
Harbhajan 15.3-0-67-1, Tendulkar 2-0-6-0.

INDIA 2ND INNINGS

G. Gambhir lbw b Vaas            		3
I.K. Pathan c Sangakkara b Fernando  	93
V.V.S. Laxman c Sangakkara b Vaas   	11
S.R. Tendulkar lbw b Bandara  		16
R. Dravid run out          		53
S.C. Ganguly not out    		22 
Yuvraj Singh not out     		28
Extras (b-2, lb-4, nb-5)            		11

TOTAL (5 wkts at close, 68 overs, 303 mins)  237

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Gambhir), 2-42 (Laxman), 3-86 (Tendulkar), 
4-178 (Pathan), 5-190 (Dravid).

BOWLING: Vaas 17-3-58-2 (1nb), Muralitharan 25-3-86-0, 
Fernando 14-3-57-1 (4nb), Bandara 12-1-30-1.