Mumbai, Dec 5 (Inditop.com) Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara hit a defiant unbeaten century on the fourth day Saturday but couldn’t prevent India from taking a step closer towards winning the third and the final cricket Test here.
Sangakkara led the fightback with a gutsy 133, his 21st Test ton. Giving him company was Nuwan Kulasekara on nine as Sri Lanka were 274 for six at stumps and still trailing by 59 runs. India declared their first innings at 726 for nine Friday in reply to Sri Lanka’s 393.
Indian bowlers completely dominated the proceedings Saturdday, picking up six wickets, four of them in the second session, during the day. Zaheer Khan and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha picked up two wickets each while Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh got a wicket apiece.
The last session, however, surely belonged to Sri Lanka as Sangakkara stood firm with his century as 130 runs came up in the post tea session as compared to 133 in the first two. Sangakkara’s 258-ball unbeaten innings was studded with 19 fours and a six.
Resuming at the overnight score of 11 without loss, and 322 runs behind, Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals and failed to put up a decent partnership.
Barring opener Tharanga Pranavitana (54) and Sangakkara, none of the Sri Lankan batsmen offered any resistance and had only themselves to blame for this.
Sri Lankan openers Parnavitana and Tillekaratne Dilshan (16) adopted a cautious approach, but for the second time in the match, Dilshan fell to off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Dilshan didn’t offer a shot as the ball hit his pad and umpire Daryl Harper judged him out. TV replays showed the ball was missing the leg stump.
Paranavitana (54) batted fluently in the company of Sangakkara for their 90-run partnership for the second wicket, but Sreesanth produced a brilliant late swinging delivery to get rid of Parnavitana, triggering a mini collapse.
Mahela Jayawardene (12), Thilan Samarawera and Angelo Matthews (5) departed within a space of 25 runs, denting Sri Lanka’s hopes. Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene (32) did their best to arrest the slide with their 64-run stand for the sixth wicket but Ojha trapped Prasana to end the partnership.
Sangakkara and Kulasekara then frustrated the Indian bowlers with a 66-run stand and saw the day safely without any further damage.
India lead the series 1-0 and a win here will propel them to the top spot in Test rankings. The historic Brabourne Stadium is hosting its first Test match in 36 years.
