Mendis, Prasad baffle Indian batting on day one

Elmo Rodrigopulle

Ajantha Mendis, the newest Sri Lankan bowling sensation proved to be the scourge of the Indian batsmen once again as he made them look utterly helpless and strokeless wonders bagging 5 for 56 to bundle out the Indians for 249 on the first day of the final Test at the P.Sara Stadium,yesterday.

At the close the Sri Lankans were 14 for one with Vandort on 3 and nightwatchman Chaminda Vaas on nought. Malinda Warnapura went bowled Sharma for 8.

Now that the Lankans have got the Indians cheaply, what the Lankan batsmen should do is to put their heads down build a big score so as not bat again and then launch into their opponents a second time letting loose the spin twins Mendis and Mualitheran.

Playing in only his Third Test,Mendis has so far pocketed 23 wickets which is quite amazing considering that he was bowling to some of the best batting masters in the4 game. They failed to read which way he was tweaking and it was a treat to watch his mastery.

Mendis was well supported by Dhammika Prasad 3 for 82 and Muttiah Muralitheran 2 for 58.

The teams made a change each with Sri Lanka giving Dhammika Prasad the fast man his cherished Test debut and India recalling wicket keeper batsman Parthiv Patel.Out went Nuwan Kulasekera and Dinesh Karthik.

Anil Kumble won the toss again and it looked as though the Indians would launch out on a run spree with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gamhir giving them a quick start of 50.

Chaminda Vaas and debutant failed to breakthrough in their opening spells. Then a clever move by skipper Jayawardena who switched Prasad to the Press Box end saw the beginning of the end for he Indians who came into this game after a convincing win in Galle and the Three Test series even at one-all.

With the score on 51 Prasad struck having danger man Sehwag who blasted an unbeaten double hundred in the previous Test caught behind by Prasanna Jayaardena for 21 with 4 fours.It was the bowler”s first Test wicket and he sure would have been thrilled.

After having a look at the wicket from the Press Box,I told Sirasa”s Sports Director,

Brian Thomas and my colleague Richard Dwight that it looks a good toss to lose. And that is how it went.

Opener Gambhir stuck out it while wickets fell all around him to make a determined 72 with 10 fours.Big runs were expected from Rahul Dravid,Sachin Tendulkar,Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman,the reputed Indian batting guns that had refused to fire at the SSC and Galle. They once again proved pop guns at the P.Sara, yesterday, making 10,6,35 and 25.

The rest of the batting too crumbled and it was left to numbers 10 and 11 Ishant Sharma 17 and Zaheer Khan 32 their reputed fast bowlers to give their more reputed batsmen how to play straight and make runs.

They added 51 for the last wicket to take the Indian score to 249 from a sad 198 for 9.

INDIA 1ST INNINGS:

G. Gambhir lbw b Mendis				72
V. Sehwag c P. Jayawardene b Prasad		21
R. Dravid lbw b Prasad				10
S. Tendulkar lbw b Prasad			 6
S. Ganguly c M. Jayawardene b Muralitharan	35
V. Laxman st P. Jayawardene b Mendis		25
P. Patel lbw b Mendis				13
A. Kumble b Mendis				 1
H. Singh c Vandort b Muralitharan		 3
I. Sharma not out				17
Z. Khan st P. Jayawardene b Mendis		32

Extras (b1, lb8, nb5)				14

TOTAL (for all out)				249

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-51, 2-92, 3-102, 4-151, 5-155, 6-190, 7-195, 8-196, 9-198, 10-249.
BOWLING: Vaas 12-1-44-0, Prasad 17-0-82-3 (nb5), Mendis 28-4-56-5, Muralitharan 23-3-58-2.

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS:

M. Vandort not out				3
M. Warnapura b Sharma				8
C. Vaas not out					0

Extras (b1, lb2)				3

TOTAL (for one wicket)				14

FALL OF WICKET: 1-14 
BOWLING: Zaheer 4-1-9-0, Sharma 4-2-2-1