India take a firm grip on Second Test

Overall lead of 237 runs over Sri Lanka with six wickets in hand:

by Chris Dhambarage reporting from Galle

CRICKET: The touring Indian team took a firm grip by building up a solid overall lead of 237 runs over Sri Lanka on the third day of the second test match which was continued at the Galle International Stadium yesterday.

India who are trailing one nil in the three match series reached an impressive 200 for 4 in their second innings when bad light halted play early after having earlier bowled out the home side for 292 runs.

The Indian second innings batting was spearheaded by the openers Virender Sehwag and Gautham Gambhir followed by two good knocks from their most experienced pair of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

However Sri Lanka did make a late comeback by capturing two quick wickets through their pace spin combination of Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan that kept their hopes alive to a great extent.

Left arm seamer Vaas delivered the most crucial blow by removing veteran Sachin Tendulkar when the batsman was well set to overcome Brain Lara’s record for the most number of runs in test cricket.

Tendulkar struck five boundaries during his 42 ball knock and he is now 96 runs short of reaching his milestone. This was followed by another vital break through when Muttiah Muralitharan got rid off Rahul Dravid with the decision referred by the third umpire.

Dravid laboured for nearly two hours facing a total of 92 deliveries for his 44 that contained six boundaries with both wickets going down at the same total within the space of seven deliveries. Ganguly and Laxman were yet to open their account when the players returned back to the dressing room due to bad light with eight overs remaining for the day.

Opener Virender Sehwag of course continued from where he left in the first innings by compiling a solid half century. The dashing right hander raced to a 49 ball fifty while hoisting one six and half a dozen of boundaries during an opening stand of 90 runs from just 19.3 overs.

In contrast his partner Gautham Gambhir batted more cautiously and was prepared to stay at the crease while getting behind the line against the spinners. His knock of 74 was quite a significant one considering the fact that this was his second fifty of the match following his contribution of 56 runs in the first innings.

Gambhir was heading towards the three figure mark before he was dismissed against a magnificent delivery from Ajantha Mendis. The stylish left hander struck ten boundaries and his innings lasted for 155 minutes while adding 54 runs for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid.

Earlier spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed six wickets for 102 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 292 runs in their first innings shortly before the lunch interval. Harbhajan Singh was easily India’s most penetrative bowler in the innings, claiming his 22nd five-wicket haul in Tests as he finished with six for 102 from his marathon spell of 40.3 overs.

Skipper Anil Kumble captured three wickets during the morning session including the prize scalp of Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene to finish with three wickets for 81 from 36 overs.

Sri Lanka who resumed the day on 214 for six added a further 78 runs during the first session and looked set to survive until lunch before a sudden rush of wickets just before the interval led to their collapse. Skipper Jayawardene of course provided the main resistance with a stubborn nock of 86 from 188 balls with 10 boundaries.

Sri Lanka started the day well with Mahela Jayawardena adding 58 useful runs for the sixth wicket along with wicket keeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardene during a tense first hour of play. India almost had an early success when a catch from Prasanna Jayawardena dropped just short of Rahul Dravid from the bowling of Anil Kumble.

Jayawardena found another good partner in Nuwan Kulasekera and the air added the further 36 runs for the eighth wicket that helped Sri Lanka at least to get closer towards the Indian total.

The Sri Lankan captain batted intelligently and collected his runs mainly through singles and with the odd boundary while shielding his partner at the other end.

In fact the Indian team switched onto the defensive against Jayawardena while setting up deep fielders with the intention of getting him off the strike. But the Sri Lankan captain was equal to the task as he set about his task determinedly while refusing to take any kind of risks against the spinners.

However just before the lunch interval Jayawardene edged a Kumble leg break and was well caught by wicket keeper Dinesh Karthik.

INDIA - 1ST INNINGS 329
(V. Sehwag 201 not out; A. Mendis 6-117)   
SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS 
(overnight 215-5)
M. Vandort c Dravid b Zaheer	  	  4
M. Warnapura c Gambhir b Harbhajan	 66
K. Sangakkara c and b Harbhajan  	 68
M. Jayawardene c Karthik b Kumble	 86
T. Samaraweera lbw b Harbhajan	 	 14
T. Dilshan c Gambhir b Harbhajan 	  0
P. Jayawardene c Laxman b Harbhajan	 24
C. Vaas c Harbhajan b Kumble	  	  1
N. Kulasekara not out	 		  5
A. Mendis lbw b Kumble	  		  0
M. Muralitharan c Ganguly b Harbhajan     0
Extras (b10, lb12, nb2)	 		 24
TOTAL (All Out)  			292

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Vandort), 2-137 (Warnapura), 3-144 (Sangakkara), 4-192 (Samaraweera), 5-192 (Dilshan), 
6-250 (P. Jayawardene), 7-255 (Vaas), 8-291 (M. Jayawardene), 9-291 (Mendis), 10-292 (Muralitharan).
BOWLING: Zaheer 9-1-51-1 (nb2), Sharma 8-1-36-0, Kumble 36-7-81-3, Harbhajan 40.3-8-102-6.
Overs: 93.3.

INDIA - 2ND INNINGS

G. Gambhir b Mendis	 				 74
V. Sehwag c Dilshan b Vaas			 	 50
R. Dravid lbw b Muralitharan	 	 		 44
S. Tendulkar c M. Jayawardene b Vaas 			 31
S. Ganguly not out	  				  0
V. Laxman not out	  				  0
Extras (lb1)	  					  1
TOTAL (for four wickets)				200

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-90 (Sehwag), 2-144 (Gambhir), 3-200 (Tendulkar), 4-200 (Dravid).
BOWLING: Vaas 13-4-32-2, Kulasekara 5-0-31-0, Muralitharan 21-1-70-1, Mendis 17.4-3-66-1.
Overs: 56.4.