Agency :
It was a day of oohs, aahs and disappointment here on Friday – with the Kumar Sangakkara fans returning home dejected and the Test staying largely in the balance with India only slightly ahead.
Sangakkara’s arrival was the most anticipated event of the day but it ended in an anti-climax as the man of the moment could score only 32 in his penultimate international innings.
It was also a Friday of some missed chances, where sometimes the bowler was denied success by fielders and at other times by the umpires.
Sri Lankan bowlers allowed only 74 more runs to India on the second day, bowling them out for 393 with Wriddhiman Saha (56) scoring his second consecutive Test half-century and Rangana Herath continuing to have the upper hand over Indian batsmen with figures of 4 for 81.
Saha fell LBW to Herath, with the other noteworthy contribution in the lower order coming from Amit Mishra who made 24 before being sent back by Dushmantha Chameera. R Aswhin, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav couldn’t do much, scoring two each.
Angelo Mathews, Chameera and Dhammika Prasad ended with a brace apiece.
But it wasn’t without lots of dramas and hands on hips as a couple of decisions, which the hosts thought should have gone their way, saw the umpire shaking his head in disapproval. While that didn’t cost Sri Lanka much, it did allow India to get closer to the 400-run mark.
India began well with the ball through Umesh Yadav, who struck with his first delivery of the match, though he was lucky as replays showed his in-swinger would have clearly missed the leg-stump of Dimuth Karunaratne (1) who was adjudged LBW.
India could have got two more wickets before lunch, but Stuart Binny was caught overstepping after dismissing Kaushal Silva for 11, and the Lankan opener went on to make 51 before throwing it away with a top-edged sweep shot against Amit Mishra towards the close of play.
It was Silva and Sangakkara’s wickets that gave India the slight advantage they have with a lead of 253. Sri Lanka ended the day at 140 for 3.
Sangakkara, before being dismissed for 32, was given a life by Ajinkya Rahane who made amends for dropping him in the slips at 24 – both times off Ashwin.
Kumara and Silva had added 74 runs to help the hosts recover from an early wicket, but both the set batsmen fell in the final session of the day to let it slip.
Mathews (19*) and Lahiru Thirimanne (28*) then took the hosts safely to stumps but still a fair way behind the visitors, which leaves them with a task to see off the first session on Saturday before thinking of surpassing India’s total.
It was a day of oohs, aahs and disappointment here on Friday – with the Kumar Sangakkara fans returning home dejected and the Test staying largely in the balance with India only slightly ahead.
Sangakkara’s arrival was the most anticipated event of the day but it ended in an anti-climax as the man of the moment could score only 32 in his penultimate international innings.
It was also a Friday of some missed chances, where sometimes the bowler was denied success by fielders and at other times by the umpires.
Sri Lankan bowlers allowed only 74 more runs to India on the second day, bowling them out for 393 with Wriddhiman Saha (56) scoring his second consecutive Test half-century and Rangana Herath continuing to have the upper hand over Indian batsmen with figures of 4 for 81.
Saha fell LBW to Herath, with the other noteworthy contribution in the lower order coming from Amit Mishra who made 24 before being sent back by Dushmantha Chameera. R Aswhin, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav couldn’t do much, scoring two each.
Angelo Mathews, Chameera and Dhammika Prasad ended with a brace apiece.
But it wasn’t without lots of dramas and hands on hips as a couple of decisions, which the hosts thought should have gone their way, saw the umpire shaking his head in disapproval. While that didn’t cost Sri Lanka much, it did allow India to get closer to the 400-run mark.
India began well with the ball through Umesh Yadav, who struck with his first delivery of the match, though he was lucky as replays showed his in-swinger would have clearly missed the leg-stump of Dimuth Karunaratne (1) who was adjudged LBW.
India could have got two more wickets before lunch, but Stuart Binny was caught overstepping after dismissing Kaushal Silva for 11, and the Lankan opener went on to make 51 before throwing it away with a top-edged sweep shot against Amit Mishra towards the close of play.
It was Silva and Sangakkara’s wickets that gave India the slight advantage they have with a lead of 253. Sri Lanka ended the day at 140 for 3.
Sangakkara, before being dismissed for 32, was given a life by Ajinkya Rahane who made amends for dropping him in the slips at 24 – both times off Ashwin.
Kumara and Silva had added 74 runs to help the hosts recover from an early wicket, but both the set batsmen fell in the final session of the day to let it slip.
Mathews (19*) and Lahiru Thirimanne (28*) then took the hosts safely to stumps but still a fair way behind the visitors, which leaves them with a task to see off the first session on Saturday before thinking of surpassing India’s total.
