SL’s tre-Mendis show restricts India at Colombo

COLOMBO, Aug 8: Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis and debutant Dammika Prasad restricted India to a modest first innings score of 249 in the third and final Test here on Friday despite a defiant last-wicket stand.

Unorthodox spinner Mendis finished with 5-56 and paceman Prasad with 3-82 as India were bowled out in the last session of the opening day after winning the toss on a good batting wicket.

India slipped from 151-3 to 198-9 before Zaheer Khan (32) and Ishant Sharma (17 not out) frustrated Sri Lanka with a 51-run partnership for the last wicket, the joint-highest stand of the innings.

Fast bowler Sharma then returned to dismiss Malinda Warnapura before Sri Lanka reached 14-1 in reply at stumps. Michael Vandort was unbeaten on three and nightwatchman Chaminda Vaas had yet to open his account.

Mendis continued to haunt the Indian batsmen, having so far grabbed 23 wickets in the series with clever variations.

Left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir was the only specialist batsman to give a good account of himself, top-scoring with a solid 72 for his third successive half-century. He hit 10 fours before falling leg-before to Mendis.

The series is tied at 1-1, with the hosts winning the first Test by an innings and 239 runs and India clinching a 170-run victory in the second match.

India’s famed middle order flopped yet again. Saurav Ganguly (35) and Vangipurappu Laxman (25) failed to convert starts into big innings, while Sachin Tendulkar (six) and Rahul Dravid (10) were not allowed to settle.

Prasad did the early damage with a triple-strike, having in-form opener Virender Sehwag caught behind in his first spell and then trapping Dravid and Tendulkar leg-before in the second before the lunch break.

India got off to a sound start when Sehwag (21) and Gambhir put on 51 for the opening wicket, but faltered against a disciplined Sri Lankan pace-spin combination.

Sri Lanka also benefited twice under a new experimental rule allowing players to seek a second opinion on umpiring decisions.

Gambhir and Dravid were initially given not out by umpire Mark Benson of England, but Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene asked the official to review his decisions.

Benson ruled the batsmen out after consulting TV umpire Billy Doctrove of the West Indies.

Tendulkar, who became only the third cricketer to appear in 150 Tests after Australians Steve Waugh and Allan Border, was unlucky when he asked Benson to review his decision after being adjudged leg-before.

The umpire was proved right after consulting the TV official.

The rule, on trial in the ongoing series, allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.

Gambhir, who scored 56 and 74 in the second Test, reached his half-century when he fluently drove Mendis through mid-wicket for his ninth four. He put on 49 for the fourth wicket with Ganguly.

Ganguly hit the match’s first six when he hoisted off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (2-58) over long-off and then gave a sharp chance in the same over, the edge flying past slip fielder Jayawardene for a four.

Jayawardene made no mistake when Ganguly edged Muralitharan again, holding a low catch to his right.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings):

G. Gambhir lbw b Mendis 72

V. Sehwag c P. J’dene b Prasad 21

R. Dravid lbw b Prasad 10

S.R. Tendulkar lbw b Prasad 6

S.C. Ganguly c M. J’dene b Murali 35

V.V.S. Laxman st P. J’dene b Mendis 25

P.A. Patel lbw b Mendis 13

A. Kumble b Mendis 1

Harbhajan Singh c Vandort b Murali 3