Dilshan 109 in Sri Lanka’s 366-8
Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed his sixth century this year to give Sri
Lanka a solid start in the crucial third and final Test against India
here on Wednesday.
Dilshan made 109 as Sri Lanka, seeking a win to draw the series 1-1,
battled a wicket with turn and bounce to pile up 366-8 by close of the
opening day’s play at the Brabourne stadium.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews returned unbeaten on a career-best 86 as
the tourists grabbed the chance to have first strike for the only time
in the series after skipper Kumar Sangakkara called correctly.
India, who won the second Test in Kanpur by an innings and 144 runs
after the first match in Ahmedabad ended in a high-scoring draw, will
dislodge South Africa as the top-ranked Test side if they win the series
2-0.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh picked up four wickets and left-arm slow
bowler Pragyan Ojha two as the vintage stadium, hosting a Test after 36
years, laid out a sporting wicket to provide an absorbing day’s cricket.
Dilshan, 33, dominated the day with 10 boundaries and two sixes in
his 11th career Test century and the second in the series after making
112 at Ahmedabad.
“This is a very good Test wicket,” said Dilshan. “There is something
there for both batsmen and bowlers. It is not easy to bat on because of
the bounce and turn.
“This is definitely one of my better innings, much better than the
one in Ahmedabad because that was on a flat wicket.
“Our aim is to get 400 and put pressure on India. These conditions
should suit Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan),” said Dilshan.
Dilshan anchored the innings superbly after a first-wicket stand of
93 in 20 overs with left-handed Tharanga Paranavitana, who made his
highest score in the series of 53. Harbhajan broke through 25 minutes
before lunch when he forced Paranavitana to edge a catch to Rahul Dravid
at first slip.
India hit back in the afternoon session with three quick wickets as
Sri Lanka slumped from the lunch score of 117-1 to 213-4 by tea.
Sangakkara had scored 18 when he was caught down the leg-side by
wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Ojha.
Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene added 59 for the third wicket with
Dilshan to lift the tourists to 187-2, when India slammed on the brakes
with two wickets in four balls.
Jayawardene (29) hooked Shanthakumaran Sreesanth to fine-leg where
Virender Sehwag took a smart catch, before Harbhajan had Thilan
Samaraweera caught in the leg-trap for one.
Mathews and Dilshan put Sri Lanka on top again by adding 74 for the
fifth wicket when the century-maker fell to a poor decision by umpire
Nigel Llong.
The Englishman gave Dilshan caught at short-leg off Harbhajan even as
television replays showed the ball go off the batsman’s pad to Murali
Vijay at forward short-leg.
Prasanna Jayawardene overcame Dilshan’s setback by making a fluent 43
with six fours and a six during a sixth-wicket stand of 67 with Mathews.
Nuwan Kulasekara and Rangana Herath fell in quick succession, but
Muralitharan kept Mathews company at close. MUMBAI, AFP
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Dilshan favours
referrals after wrong dismissal
Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan said on
Wednesday he would still be batting in the third Test
against India if the umpires’ referral system had been in
place for the series.
Dilshan, who made 109 in Sri Lanka’s
first-day total of 366-8, fell to a poor decision by umpire
Nigel Llong midway through the final session at the
Brabourne stadium.
The Englishman gave Dilshan caught at
short-leg off Harbhajan Singh even as television replays
showed the ball go off the batsman’s pad to Murali Vijay.
“If the referral system was there, I would
still be batting out there,” Dilshan told reporters after
the day’s play.
The system gives a batting or fielding
team two chances per innings to contest an on-field umpire’s
decision by referring it to the third umpire watching
television replays.
The system is not being used in the
current series because the television company broadcasting
the matches was reportedly not willing to bear the
additional expenses.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India
has not officially commented on why the system was not being
used.
The system is in place for two other
series Pakistan-New Zealand and Australia-West Indies taking
place at the same time. MUMBAI, AFP |
T. Paranavitana c Dravid b Harbhajan 53
T. Dilshan c Vijay b Harbhajan 109
K. Sangakkara c Dhoni b Ojha 18
M. Jayawardene c Sehwag b Sreesanth 29
T. Samaraweera c Vijay b Harbhajan 01
A. Mathews not out 86
P. Jayawardene c Harbhajan b Ojha 43
N. Kulasekara c Dhoni b Zaheer 12
R. Herath c Dravid b Harbhajan 01
M. Muralitharan not out 00
EXTRAS (b-4, lb-4, w-2, nb-4) 14
TOTAL (eight wickets; 89 overs) 366
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-93 2-128 3-187 4-188 5-262 6-329 7-359 8-362
To bat: C. Welegedara
BOWLING (to date): Zaheer 19-2-70-1 (4nb, 1w), Sreesanth 14-1-66-1
(1w), Harbhajan 29-2-107-4, Ojha 23-1-97-2, Yuvraj 4-0-18-0.
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