Muralitharan leaves India in tatters
Saturday, 26 July 2008
COLOMBO, July 25 (Cricinfo): Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis shook the SSC pitch out of its slumber after the Sri Lankan batsmen given them a mountain of runs as a cushion, and the new-ball bowlers had done their bit in taking the shine off the ball. Once the spinners came on, the batsmen were either mesmerised or stunned -- both, in rapid succession, in the case of Rahul Dravid -- and when bad light stopped play on the third day, India were 242 adrift of the follow-on with only four wickets left.
All eyes were on Mendis and he delivered a spectacular blow in pegging back Rahul Dravid's off-stump, but it was the old master who caused the most damage with four wickets, though the relentless pressure from the other end would have helped.
It was in stark contrast to India's start. After 162 overs on the field, Virender Sehwag and Gambhir finally got a chance to bat and the featherbed of a pitch allowed the pair to hit their stride quickly. Sehwag was especially aggressive, hitting five boundaries in the first five overs. But he threw it away when he failed to control a hook off Nuwan Kulasekera, which landed down Malinda Warnapura's throat at deep square-leg.
Six overs before tea, Mendis was introduced. In three overs, he got Gambhir to jab at sliders twice, but Gambhir had his way when he feasted off two full tosses. With his last ball before tea, Mendis beat Dravid with a legbreak, and suddenly the dull match had come alive.
Post-tea, Sri Lanka inflicted maximum damage. Particularly Murali, who drew Gambhir - on 39 - out of the crease but the ball dipped and a leading edge was snapped up at cover. The next over, Dravid had no answer to a Mendis special: the "carrom" ball was quick, pitched just short of a length on middle stump, and turned just enough to beat the poke and take the top of off stump. Not bad for a first Test wicket, a mention Mendis wouldn't mind on his CV.
India 159 for 6 (Gambhir 39, Murali 4-38) trail Sri Lanka 600 for 6 dec (Dilshan 127*) by 441 runs.
All eyes were on Mendis and he delivered a spectacular blow in pegging back Rahul Dravid's off-stump, but it was the old master who caused the most damage with four wickets, though the relentless pressure from the other end would have helped.
It was in stark contrast to India's start. After 162 overs on the field, Virender Sehwag and Gambhir finally got a chance to bat and the featherbed of a pitch allowed the pair to hit their stride quickly. Sehwag was especially aggressive, hitting five boundaries in the first five overs. But he threw it away when he failed to control a hook off Nuwan Kulasekera, which landed down Malinda Warnapura's throat at deep square-leg.
Six overs before tea, Mendis was introduced. In three overs, he got Gambhir to jab at sliders twice, but Gambhir had his way when he feasted off two full tosses. With his last ball before tea, Mendis beat Dravid with a legbreak, and suddenly the dull match had come alive.
Post-tea, Sri Lanka inflicted maximum damage. Particularly Murali, who drew Gambhir - on 39 - out of the crease but the ball dipped and a leading edge was snapped up at cover. The next over, Dravid had no answer to a Mendis special: the "carrom" ball was quick, pitched just short of a length on middle stump, and turned just enough to beat the poke and take the top of off stump. Not bad for a first Test wicket, a mention Mendis wouldn't mind on his CV.
India 159 for 6 (Gambhir 39, Murali 4-38) trail Sri Lanka 600 for 6 dec (Dilshan 127*) by 441 runs.