Herath, Malinga in record stand
India need 181 to avoid follow on:
Chris DHAMBARAGE reporting from Galle
Sri Lanka put up a tremendous batting performance as they took a firm
grip over India on the third day of the opening test match which
continued at the Galle International Stadium yesterday.
The Lankans recovered magnificently from an early setback to post a
massive 520 for 8 in their first innings and then applied the pressure
on the visitors from the start to leave them at 140 for 3 in reply. The
Indians are still trailing by 380 runs and need a further 181 runs to
avert the follow on.
Speed star Lasith Malinga returning to the Test team after a short
break struck in his second ball of the innings before Virender Sehwag
pulled the Indians out of trouble with an unbeaten 85 from 98 deliveries
inclusive of one six and 14 boundaries.
Earlier Sri Lanka rattled up a huge 520 for 8 in their first innings
before declaring at the tea interval. This was a tremendous effort
considering the fact that they had lost early two wickets in successive
overs. This was also the fourth highest total at the Galle International
Stadium.
The Indians were able to snatch the initiative when play resumed
eventually following another delayed start and after the entire second
day had been washed out due to bad weather.
Ishant Sharma looked more impressive than he was on the opening day
as the fast bowler sent back the maiden centurion Tharanga Paranavithana
in the second over of the day.
In the very next over debutant paceman Mithun removed Thilan
Samaraweera with a beauty and Sri Lanka had slumped to 260 for 4 at that
stage. However former captain Mahela Jayawardena and all rounder Angelo
Mathews settled down to play more intelligently with a fifth wicket
stand of 62 runs.
Both fell well in sight of reaching the half century mark and Sri
Lanka were still battling to post a score of over 400 runs at that
stage. Jayawardena and Mathews had six boundaries each and with Ishant
Sharma claiming both wickets. The best part of the batting of course
came during the latter stages where Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga
embarrassed the visitors by putting on a record 105 runs for the eighth
wicket.
Herath who is in the side mainly for his bowling performed a unique
feat by smashing a maiden half century while overcoming his previous
highest score of 33 not out which he made against Pakistan at Faisalabad
in 2004. The fact is that he would have even reached the three figure
mark if not for a declaration.
The 32 year old left hander produced his best performance in the
longer version of the game and remained unbeaten on 80 from 93
deliveries inclusive of one six and ten boundaries.
Lasith Malinga returning to the test team after a long layoff also
joined in the party as he hammered the Indian bowlers to all parts of
the ground to hit a career best 64 from 75 deliveries studded with two
sixes and nine boundaries.
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
(resumed at 256-2):
T. Paranavitanac Dhoni b Sharma 111
T. Dilshan c Dhoni b Mithun 25
K. Sangakkara c Tendulkar b Sehwag 103
M. Jayawardene lbw b Sharma 48
T. Samaraweera lbw b Mithun 0
A. Mathewsc Laxman b Sharma 41
P. Jayawardene lbw b Mithun 27
R. Herath not out 80
L. Malinga c Harbhajan b Mithun 64
M. Muralitharan not out 5
Extras: (b2, lb9, nb5) 16
Total (for eight wickets
declared, 124 overs) 520
Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Dilshan), 2-236 (Sangakkara), 3-259 (Paranavitana), 4-260 (Samaraweera),
5-322 (M. Jayawardene), 6-344 (Mathews), 7-393 (P. Jayawardene), 8-508 (Malinga).
Bowling: Sharma 28-5-145-3 (nb5), Mithun 28-3-105-4, Harbhajan 30-4-98-0, Ojha 28-1-115-0, Sehwag 10-0-46-1.
INDIA 1ST INNINGS
G. Gambhir lbw b Malinga 2
V. Sehwag not out 85
R. Dravid run out 18
S. Tendulkar lbw b Muralitharan 8
V. Laxman not out 18
Extras: (lb1, w1, nb7) 9
Total (for three wickets, 29.4 overs) 140
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Gambhir), 2-68 (Dravid), 3-101 (Tendulkar).
Bowling: Malinga 9-0-40-1 (nb4), Welegedara 4-0-34-0 (nb3), Herath 6.4-1-25-0, Mathews 3-0-9-0 (w1), Muralitharan 7-1-31-1. |
