Sri Lanka proves they are babes no more
By A.C. De Silva
FLASHBACK.... The first official cricket encounter between India and
Sri Lanka ended in a pulsating draw at the MAC Stadium, Madras with
somewhat of a close finish than expected. Set to get 175 runs for
victory, India went upto 135 for 7 wickets – that’s 39 runs short of the
target. So Sri Lanka proved that they were babes no more.
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Sunil Gavaskar made the top score of 155 in India’s first
innings score of 566 for 6 wkts declared.
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Duleep Mendis made the identical scores of 105 in the two
innings he batted in the Test against India. In the first
innings Sri Lanka made 346 and in the second innings Sri
Lanka made 394 runs. |
In getting to a draw, Sri Lanka somewhat kept up their reputation as
a fighting unit and gave India some anxious moments in the second
innings. India did well to make 566 for 6 wickets with skipper Sunil
Gavaskar leading the run chase from upfront with a stylish knock of 155.
There was also Sandeep Patil with a unbeaten knock of 114 while Dilip
Vengsarkar (90) and Arun Lal (63) also propped up the Indian total.
Sri Lanka’s team was not fully fit and could not make use of the fine
wicket, losing two early wickets - those of skipper Bandula Warnapura
and his opening partner Mahes Goonetilleke with the scoreboard showing
just 11 runs – in the first innings.
Lanka bat first
Sri Lanka skipper Bandula Warnapura who won the toss decided to bat
first. The Lankans lost the initiative early with the departure of
Warnapura and with Goonetilleke following suit, it was left for that
hard-hitting batsman Duleep Mendis and Roy Dias to carry the burden of
making runs on their shoulders.
In the first innings, Mendis made 105 and got the identical score in
the second innings. So, from the pathetic looking scoreboard of 11 for 2
wickets in the first innings, what followed after that, the quality of
batsmanship took one’s breath away. Mendis and Dias in one of the best
exhibitions of stroke-making seen at Cheapuk for a long time, lifted the
morale of the Sri Lankans. Both batsmen were quick on their feet and
each ball was treated on its merit. While Mendis took the initiative
Dias gave him full support.
Mendis – Dias stand 153 runs
The partnership between this pair – Mendis (105) and Dias (60)
realised 153 runs in the first innings, but once they were separated,
the Sri Lankan wickets tumbled. Sri Lanka at one stage were reduced to
204 for 6 wickets as Indian bowler Doshi took three quick wickets.
Doshi took the mantle of a stock bowler when the batsmen were on
rampage and a stroke bowler once he got among the wickets there was no
stopping him.
Surprisingly, India failed to strike home the advantage.
Somachandra de Silva (49) and Ranjan Madugalle (46) set about their
task diligently and helped Sri Lanka in a retrieving stand. By the time
the new-ball was taken, Sri Lanka had recovered sufficiently from 204
for 6 to 290 for 6.
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Ashantha de Mel – he took 2 for 133 in India’s first innings
total of 566 for 6 wkts declared and De Mel took 5 for 68 in
India’s second innings score of 135. |
Kapil Dev took 5 for 110 in the second innings in Sri Lanka
score of 394 and had 3 for 97 in the Sri Lanka first innings
total of 346 runs.
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Indian bowler Madan Lal accounted for Somachandra de Silva who was
batting attractively. The Indians seemed to be in no sense of urgency to
bowl out the Sri Lankans and India allowed Sri Lanka to make 346, a
comfortable total at almost 4.3 runs at over.
Kapil Dev bowled well in pathces and took 3 for 97 while Doshi though
not being menancing, gathered 5 for 85.
Gavaskar and Arul Lal 156 runs opening stand
Sunil Gavaskar led the Indian run chase when he opened the innings
with Arun Lal. Gavaskar made 155 and Arun Lal 63 in their superb opening
partnership of 156.
Then for the second wicket, there was another big stand of 173 runs.
Vengsarkar was run out for 90.
For Sunil Gavaskar, it was his 25th hundred in Test cricket, and
innings that held the batting together and laid the foundation for a
substantial lead.
Then it was Sandeep Patil who played an aggressive unbeaten knock of
114 runs and with useful contributions of Kapil Dev (31) and Madan Lal
(37 not out) helped India to declare at 566 for 6 wickets.
The Sri Lankan bowling looked pedestrian, with the exception of
Somachandra de Silva, where figures of 2 for 162 off 48 overs with four
maidens.
India declare 566 for 6 wkts
Sunil Gavaskar applied the closure of the India first innings at 566
for 6 wickets. However, it was felt that the lead would not be
sufficient to bowl Sri Lanka out a second time because the wicket was
playing as true as ever.
Came innings to 2 for Sri Lanka and another shock start – 2 wickets
were down for 47 runs. Warnapura was out in the first over to Kapil Dev
for 6 and Kapil also claimed the other opener Mahes Goonetilleke for 0
with the total at 47.
Mendis and Dias again
Then came that old faithful pair of skipper Duleep Mendis (105) and
Roy Dias (97). The Indian bowlers came in for a severe punishment and
Dias clearly exposed the limitations of the Indian attack. Doshi was
straying in line and Kapil Dev was not at his best. The Mendis-Dias
second innings stand was worth 110 runs.
Dias looked set for a well deserved century. But in his anxiety to
reach his century, he tried to cut Shukla and loffed the ball to
Gavaskar’s hands. Mendis played second fiddle to Dias. Mendis made the
second innings score of 105.
There were two other good scores of 77 by Anura Ranasinghe and
another good knock by Somachandra de Silva who made 46 and Sri Lanka
made 394 in the second innings.
Kapil Dev had a haul of 5 for 10 in the Sri Lanka second innings.
Chasing a target of 175 runs in 55 minutes and 20 mandatory overs, India
made a shaky start losing both Arun Lal for one and Vengsarkar who came
in as opener, for 5, the Indians never really got going and lost seven
wickets for 135 at the close of the match.
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS
B. Warnapura c Yaspal Sharma b Madan Lal 04
M. Goonetilleke c Patil b Kapil Dev 07
R. Dias c Arun Lal b Doshi 60
D. Mendis lbw b Doshi 105
A. Ranatunga c Vengsarkar b Doshi 25
R. Madugalle c Madan Lal b Doshi 46
A. Ranasinghe c Arun Lal b Doshi 00
D.S. De Silva c Gavaskar b Madan Lal 49
R. Ratnayake lbw b Kapil Dev 23
A. de Mel not out 18
A. de Silva c Visvanath b Kapil Dev 00
Extras 09
Total 346
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-11, 3-164, 4-203, 5-204, 6-204, 7-281
9-304, 9-346
Bowling: Kapil Dev 22.5-2-97-3
Madan Lal 16-1-72-2
Dilip Doshi 30-8-85-5
S. Patil 2-0-13-0
Shukla 22-4-70-4
INDIA - 1ST INNINGS
S.M. Gavaskar c A. de Mel b D.S. De Silva 155
Arun Lal b A. de Mel 63
D.B. Vengsarkar run out 90
G.R. Visvanath c Warnapura b D.S. De Silva 09
Sandeep Patil not out 114
Yaspal Sharma c Goonetilleke b A. de Mel 17
Kapil Dev c Goonetilleke b Ratnayake 31
Madan Lal Not out 37
Extras 50
Total (for six wikts declared) 566
Fall of wickets: 1-156, 2-329, 3-347, 4-363, 5-403, 6-488
Bowling: A. de Mel 29-2-133-2
R. Ratnayake 19-1-75-1
A. de Silva 18-2-78-0
B. Warnapura 9-3-27-0
D.S. De Silva 48-4-162-2
A. Ranasinghe 7-0-29-0
A. Ranatunga 1-0-12-0
SRI LANKA - 2ND INNINGS
B. Warnapura c Yaspal Sharma b Kapil Dev 06
M. Goonatilleke Srikanth (sub) b Kapil Dev 00
R. Dias c Gavaskar b Shukla 97
D. Mendis b Shukla 105
A. Ranatunga c Kiraani b Doshi 15
R. Madugalle c Patil b Doshi 04
A. Ranasinghe b Kapil Dev 77
D.S. De Silva not out 46
R. Ratnayake c Yaspal Sharma b Kapil Dev 06
A. de Mel b Doshi 12
A. de Silva b Kapil Dev 14
Extras 12
Total 394
Fall of Wickets: 1-6,2-47, 3-157, 4-198, 5-202, 6-291, 7-340
8-361, 9-362
Bowling: Kapil Dev 24.3-3-110-5
Madan Lal 7-1-43-0
Dilip Doshi 38-4-147-3
Shukla 27-5-82-2
INDIA - 2ND INNINGS
S.M. Gavaskar not out 04
Arun Lal c Dias b De Mel 01
D.B. Vengsarkar c and b De Mel 05
G.R. Visvanath lbw b De Mel 02
Sandeep Patil run out 46
Yaspal Sharma Not out 31
Kapil Dev c Goonetilleke b De Mel 30
Madan Lal c and b De Silva 09
S.M.H. Kirmani b De Mel 05
Extras 02
Total for seven wktsat close 135
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-16, 3-77, 4-90, 5-94, 6-125, 7-130
Bowling: A. de Mel 14-0-68-5
R. Ratnayake 5-0-36-0
D.S. De Silva 9-1-29-1 |
