Related Links : Link to 3rd Test Scorecard
Sri Lanka are nicely poised to win the 3rd Test and also the 3-Test Series Idea Cup on Monday. The hosts have put the Indians in dire straits at 161 for 5 after earlier taking a big lead of 147. There is just a slender lead and a minute hope for the visitors in the form of their prolific batting pair of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Both batsmen in the past have proved that they are capable of batting through an entire day’s play. A lot of Indian fans still dream that the Kolkata partnership can be revived on Monday. But the reality is that the match could well be over in an hour or two considering the striking powers of Ajantrha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.
At stumps on Day 3, India have got Dravid batting well on 46 (from 88 balls with 4 fours) and an injured VVS Laxman on 17 (from 37 balls with a four). One positive for the visitors is that all the three unsuccessful reviews are out of the bag for Sri Lanka while they hold one unsuccessful one. India started with an absolute bang through Sehwag and Gambhir but that didn’t last the distance. It was a powerful start in the 9-over phase just before Tea with Sehwag on 30 and Gambhir on 24 to knock off 57 out of the 147-run deficit. Both these batsmen looked to have a purpose in their mind and that was probably to wipe off the deficit as quickly as possible. Sri Lanka had to find a way to stop that or they were gone in the last session. The Sri Lankans were depending on Ajantha Mendis to strike but even before he could, came a couple of telling blows from debutant Dammika Prasad.
Both Sehwag and Gambhir played rash shots to lose their wickets to leave India at 65 for 2. Sehwag began the downslide for his team by cutting a good length delivery which was superbly caught by a flying Thilan Samaraweera at gully. Sehwag made 34 from 29 with 7 fours and his partner Gambhir (26 from 43 balls with 3 fours) joined him back in the pavilion within 10 minutes when his ambitious pull shot ricocheted back onto his stumps. India had to promote Ganguly and Parthiv in the batting order because of the injuries to Sachin and Laxman. Ganguly (18 from 50 balls with a four and a six) lasted about an hour in the company of Dravid before missing to connect a sweep off a Murali doosra that struck him plumb infront. Ganguly fell in the 28th over with India at 108 for 3 and in the very next over, Parthiv Patel made it 109 for 4 after being very late on a quicker delivery from Ajantha. The final blow for India came when a tentative Tendulkar padded up to a Mendis delivery which was a googly. Tendulkar for once was not able to read what was coming off a bowler’s hand! Sachin lasted 22 deliveries making 14 with a boundary.
India closed the day at 161 for 5 in 45 overs. Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka stretched their overnight total of 251 for 6 to 396 in 134.2 overs. Sangakkara went onto make 144 (from 288 balls with 14 fours) before nicking a Kumble slider behind the stumps. His overnight partner Prasanna Jayawardene made quite a difference with his 49 (from 116 balls with 5 fours) and his partnership of 80 with Sanga could be the turning point of this Test. India even failed to dislodge the tail enders who made merry on a track that was too slow. Dammika Prasad helped himself to 36 while no.10 Ajantha Mendis got a career-best 17.