Classy Sangakkara gives SL upper hand over India

COLOMBO, Aug 9: Kumar Sangakkara cracked a solid 107 not out to help Sri Lanka gain a slender advantage over injury-hit India in the crucial third and final Test here on Saturday.

The left-hander was involved in two valuable partnerships as the hosts reached 251-6 in their first innings at stumps on the second day in reply to India’s 249. Prasanna Jayawardene was unbeaten on one.

Sangakkara put on 95 for the third wicket with night-watchman Chaminda Vaas (47) and 60 for the fifth with Thilan Samaraweera (35) on an absorbing day of cricket.

Sangakkara rarely erred in shot-selection during his long innings, driving, cutting and pulling remarkably well on the way to his 17th hundred in 76 Tests. He has so far struck 11 fours in his 226-ball knock.

India struck twice in the last session just when it looked like Sri Lanka were on course for a big lead, with left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan having Samaraweera caught behind and Anil Kumble trapping Tillekeratne Dilshan (23) leg-before.

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

India were a paceman short in the last session as Ishant Sharma walked off the field after falling on his follow-through.

Vangipurappu Laxman was off the field throughout the day after twisting his ankle during practice before the day’s play and Sachin Tendulkar injured his left elbow while attempting a catch in the afternoon.

An Indian official, however, said both Laxman and Tendulkar were expected to bat in the second innings.

India had another injury scare when wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel was hit on the face while collecting a delivery from leg-spinner Kumble. He, however, continued to keep wicket.

The tourists, who grabbed just one wicket in the morning, bounced back in the second session when off-spinner Harbhajan Singh removed a well-set Vaas and in-form captain Mahela Jayawardene in successive overs. Vaas frustrated India for more than a session with a fighting knock, hitting nine fours before uppishly driving Harbhajan straight to Virender Sehwag in the covers.

Vaas missed a rare double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket by just two runs. He now has 2,998 runs and 347 wickets in 107 matches.

He had survived twice on 47 before falling on the same score.

He was given out by Mark Benson after being caught by close-in fielder Tendulkar off Kumble, but asked the official to review the decision under a new experimental rule.

Benson ruled the batsman not out after consulting TV umpire Billy Doctrove. Vaas was then dropped off Kumble by Tendulkar, who injured his elbow after losing balance.

Jayawardene also asked for a review after he was given out leg-before by umpire Rudi Koertzen while attempting to sweep Harbhajan, but the initial decision proved right after consultation with the TV official.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings) 249 (G. Gambhir 72; B.A.W. Mendis 5-56).

SRI LANKA (1st Innings, overnight 14-1):

M.G. Vandort lbw b Zaheer 14

B.S.M. Warnapura b Sharma 8

W.P.U.J.C. Vaas c Sehwag b Harbhajan 47

K.C. Sangakkara not out 107

D.P.M. Jayawardene lbw b Harbhajan 2

T.T. Samaraweera c Patel b Zaheer 35

T.M. Dilshan lbw b Kumble 23

H.A.P.W. Jayawardene not out 1

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-9, W-2, NB-1) 14