COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Malinda Warnapura and captain Mahela Jayawardene scored half-centuries yesterday to propel Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win against India in the third Test and a 2-1 series win.
Chasing a modest target of 122 runs for victory, Sri Lanka initially tumbled against some disciplined Indian bowling to reach 45-2 at tea. However, the two batsmen held the innings together with a 101-run partnership and Jayawardene hit Saurav Ganguly for a boundary to reach his 50 and take Sri Lanka to its second successive home series win against India — with a day to spare. Sri Lanka won the last home series 2-1 seven years ago.
After winning the toss and batting first on a good wicket, India was bundled out for 249 runs in the first innings. Sri Lanka rode on Kumar Sangakkara’s seven-hour 144 to score 396 runs and dismissed India for 268 in the second innings. Michael Vandort continued his poor form this series when he was bowled by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was forced to open the bowling in place of injured paceman Ishant Sharma in the second innings.
Sharma, who was injured after a fall on Saturday, sat out the whole of Sunday and came to bat with a runner in India’s second innings yesterday only to be dismissed without scoring. Vandort survived a close lbw appeal in the first ball of the innings from seamer Zaheer Khan, but failed to take advantage. He scored a total of just 39 runs in his five outings this series.
Sangakkara was out cheaply in the second innings caught by Gautam Gambhir off Khan for four. Resuming the fourth day on 161-5 India ended the first session at 238-7 with spinner Ajantha Mendis ending a threatening 85-run partnership between the tourist’s last recognized batting pair of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman.
