It was dificult wicket to bat - Thilan

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Sri Lanka’s premier batsman Thilan Samaraweera said that he would cherish the moment of scoring a century on the second day of the third and final test match against India at the P. Saravanamuttu Oval in Colombo yesterday.

The 33 year old right hand middle order batsman scored an unbeaten 137 which enabled the home team pile up a formidable first innings total of 425 runs after they had resumed from their overnight total of 293 for 4.

Samaraweera who completed his 12th hundred stated that this knock could be rated as one of his best in his career in the recent past although he had made similar contributions when the side had been in deep trouble.

Samaraweera believes that this was a difficult wicket to bat unlike the drawn high scoring second test match played at the SSC ground last week where both teams scored over six hundred runs in the first innings.

Samaraweera noted that he did not change his game plan even though wickets tumbled at the other end but held his nerves under pressure to carry his team towards a challenging total.

He noted that he was dismissed in the 70’s on a couple of occasions against India but this time was more determined and had done the home work as he raced to his eighth hundred in the sub continent.

He believes that Sri Lanka are still on top of the game but need to pick up early wickets to put pressure on the Indian middle order. He noted that Sehwag’s wicket could be the key although the Indian opening batsman was let off by Angelo Mathews on 52.

Samaraweera further stated that the pressure is on India as they are still trailing by 245 runs on the first innings and need to bat last on a wicket which is expected to take a fare amount of turn during the latter stages.