Galle (Sri Lanka), July 20 (IANS) Fast bowler Ishant Sharma found his form claiming three wickets as Sri Lanka made 361 for six in their first innings against India at lunch on the third day of the first cricket Test here Tuesday.
Ishant struck with his second ball of the day dismissing opener Tharanga Paranavitana (111) and then picked up crucial wickets of Mahela Jayawardene (48) and Angelo Matthews (41).
Prasanna Jayawardene was batting on 20 while Rangana Herath was yet to open his account when the umpires called for lunch at the Galle International Stadium, where Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will retire after this match.
Ishant, who has been rusty for a long time, tasted success early in the day when his away going delivery forced Tharanga Paranavitana to nick and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made no mistake with the catch.
Debutant pacer Abhimanyu Mithun then struck to remove Thilan Samaraweera, trapped leg before, for a duck.
Samaraweera failed to make the most of the life he got when Rahul Dravid dropped a sitter off Mithun at first slip.
Mithun, however, found himself at the receiving end of Jayawardene’s blade, who cut the young fast bowler over the slip cordon for a boundary.
Jayawardene and Mathews then accelerated the score with their 62-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Sri Lanka’s 300 runs came in 348 minutes in 81.4 overs.
Mathews and Jayawardene played the Indian spinners with ease, forcing skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to recall his fast bowlers.
Jayawardene missed an attempted flick off Ishant and was given lbw out. Jayawardene hit six boundaries in his 48-run knock.
Ishant then dismissed Mathews as he edged an away going delivery and V.V.S. Laxman took a good catch at second slip.
