Related Links : Link to 3rd Test Scorecard I India’s Tour of Sri Lanka 2008
Debutant Dammika Prasad and Ajantha Mendis put Sri Lanka in a great position to call the shots in the decisive third test at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo. The strong Indian batting line-up once again proved that they still haven’t got the Mendis Mystery solved. India wasted the opportunity of batting first in good conditions and also another positive start from the openers to put up just the 249. Sri Lanka in reply to that have been jolted by the wicket of the inform Malinda Warnapura. But the homeside just needs to get its act once with the bat and they know that they can have total control over the match.
When Mahela Jayawardene lost the toss, he was hugely disappointed that his team couldn’t take first strike. And when a Sehwag’s pull shot was dropped at short square leg, there was a feeling that the hosts were going to be pay a huge price. The general feeling was that the pitch was too slow and easy for the batsmen to keep coming on their frontfoot to drive on the up with ease. But the script of the day had something in store altogether. India raced away to a good start with Sehwag and Gambhir continuing to take the bowlers to the cleaners. Debutant Dammika Prasad, who replaced Nuwan Kulasekara showed good speeds around 140 kmph, but at the same time was too erratic. In the 8th over, he got his act right with a perfect delivery that landed on the seam, came back into Sehwag and left him late to take a feather edge. Sehwag’s innings was cut short to 21 (from 21 balls with 4 fours) and India lost its first wicket at 51. Dammika was pumped up and his Captain kept his faith in the youngster to give a long spell.
Just when India was consolidating through Gambhir and Dravid, came an inswinger from Dammika that wrapped up the latter on his pads. Dravid (10 from 29) fell across his off stump in an exaggerated shuffle, a loud lbw shout was turned down and to the naked eye, it appeared that the batsman was struck outside his offstump. However, TV Replays provided enough evidence for the Umpires to change the decision, to a correct one after SL’s request for a review. It was no way going to be ‘not out’ as the impact was just infront of the offstump. India now in trouble at 92 for 2 and slipped further down the barrel as Tendulkar had another failure, and he too got lbw to a Dammika Prasad inswinger. Tendulkar asked for a review as there was a noise that created a doubt in his mind that he had hit the ball. But technology made it clear that Sachin was wrong and it meant that India went to lunch at a shaky 104 for 3.
After lunch, the visitors fought back through the left handed pair of Gambhir and Ganguly and the runs came at a decent rate. Muralitharan finally got to bowl his first over in the 30th of the innings! The spin king got smashed over his head and onto the sightscreen by Ganguly in his second over. But soon, it was Murali having the last laugh as he forced Ganguly (35 from 57 balls with 4 fours and a six) to edge his quicker off break to first slip where Mahela took a lovely catch. Just a few balls later, India lost their fifth wicket with Gambhir getting the rough end of the Review System. Gambhir played along the wrong line ever so slightly to a Mendis straighter one, the Umpire had his own doubts as the bat and pad were too close to each other and it was a decent stride forward. Mahela made the ‘T’ Signal and once again there was enough evidence to declare Gambhir out lbw. Once again an lbw decision changed which went against the Indians for the second time, but the right decision did come out.
Poor Gambhir missed out on a deserving hundred yet again. He had to be content with 72 this time which came in 128 balls with 10 fours. India now slipped to a hopeless 155 for 5. By tea, Mendis got VVS Laxman for the fifth time in five innings to make it 190 for 6. Laxman, who was on 25 (from 44 balls with a four) tried to work Mendis towards the onside, but then failed to read a leg cutter that broke past his bat to give a sharp stumping chance. Sri Lanka after that took wickets in a hurry including that of comeback man Parthiv Patel, who looked better than Karthik in his brief innings of 13 that lasted 42 balls. It was as good as over at 198 for 9 in the 60th over. But the last pair of Ishant and Zaheer had other plans. Both put their heads down to play like proper batsmen. Playing according to the merit of the bowling, both tail enders even managed to put on the best partnership of the innings that lasted just over 20 overs. After the two had crossed the milestone of the 50-run partnership, a more than satisfied Zaheer went for an ugly hoik over mid wicket only to miss a Mendis googly and to be stumped out. Zaheer made 32 from 73 balls with three fours and a six while Ishant remained undefeated on 17 from 61 balls.
India got 249 while lasting just 80 overs. Ajantha Mendis finished with a stunning 28-4-56-5 and debutant Dammika Prasad had to be content with 3 for 82. There was a consolation for India towards the end of the day when Malinda Warnapura shuffled too much across to leave his leg stump exposed. An accurate Ishant Sharma knocked that off with some good pace. Sri Lanka ended the day at 14 for 1 in 8 overs with Michael Vandort (3 from 20 balls) with Chaminda Vaas, the night watchman surviving six balls safely.