COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) – Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews struck his sixth test century but India took command on the third day of the second test at P Sara Oval yesterday.
After a wicketless first session, the touring side dismissed the last seven batsmen for 65 runs to bowl Sri Lanka out for 306 and take an 87-run first innings lead.
India then lost opener Lokesh Rahul to the fifth ball of their second innings before Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane guided them to 70 for one at the close of play, an advantage of 157 runs.
Vijay was unbeaten on 39 while Rahane was 28 not out after both survived loud lbw appeals.
Starting the day on 140 for three, Mathews (102) and Lahiru Thirimanne (62) enjoyed a productive morning session in Sri Lankan hero Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell match.
The pair added 84 runs in the session without being separated, much to the frustration of India who trail 1-0 in the three-match series.
Ishant Sharma struck two big blows after lunch to expose Sri Lanka’s late order before leg-spinner Amit Mishra polished off the tail with four for 43.
Paceman Ishant ended a 127-run stand by removing Thirimanne although the batsman looked unhappy with the caught-behind decision.
He also got rid of Dinesh Chandimal for 11 but Mathews brought up his century with a reverse-swept four off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Mathews faced 167 balls in a patient knock, hitting 12 boundaries in a display of controlled aggression, before becoming Stuart Binny’s first test victim.
Mishra then removed Dhammika Prasad for five in the next over and also got rid of Jehan Mubarak for 22 and Tharindu Kaushal for six.
Sri Lanka v India scoreboard
Scoreboard at stumps on the third day in the second Test between Sri Lanka and India on Saturday in Colombo, Sri Lanka India 1st innings 393 (L. Rahul 108, R. Sharma 79, V. Kohli 78, W. Saha 56; R. Herath 4-81)
Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight: 140-3)
D. Karunaratne lbw b U. Yadav 1
K. Silva c Ashwin b Mishra 51
K. Sangakkara c Rahane b Ashwin 32
L. Thirimanne c Saha b I. Sharma 62
A. Mathews c Vijay b Binny 102
D. Chandimal c Rahul b I. Sharma 11
J. Mubarak b Mishra 22
D. Prasad c Rahane b Mishra 5
R. Herath lbw b Ashwin 1
T. Kaushal st Saha b Mishra 6
D. Chameera not out 0
Extras (b-2 lb-6 nb-5) 13
Total (all out, 108 overs) 306
Fall of wickets: 1-1 D. Karunaratne,2-75 K. Sangakkara,3-114 K. Silva,4-241 L. Thirimanne,5-259 D. Chandimal,6-284 A. Mathews,7-289 D. Prasad,8-300 J. Mubarak,9-306 R. Herath,10-306 T. Kaushal Bowling I. Sharma 21 – 3 – 68 – 2(nb-4) U. Yadav 19 – 5 – 67 – 1 S. Binny 18 – 4 – 44 – 1(nb-1) R. Ashwin 29 – 3 – 76 – 2 A. Mishra 21 – 3 – 43 – 4 India 2nd innings M. Vijay not out 39 L. Rahul b Prasad 2 A. Rahane not out 28 Extras (w-1) 1 Total (for 1 wickets, 29.2 overs) 70 Fall of wickets: 1-3 L. Rahul To bat: R. Sharma, V. Kohli, W. Saha, S. Binny, R. Ashwin, A. Mishra, I. Sharma, U. Yadav Bowling D. Prasad 4 – 0 – 12 – 1 R. Herath 11.2 – 3 – 23 – 0 D. Chameera 4 – 0 – 14 – 0(w-1) A. Mathews 2 – 1 – 1 – 0 T. Kaushal 8 – 0 – 20 – 0
