Galle (Sri Lanka), July 20 (IANS) Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 520 for eight after tea on the third day of their first cricket Test against India at the Galle International Stadium here Tuesday.
Resuming at 256 for two, after the second day’s play was washed out and a delayed start on the third day, Sri Lanka scored briskly in the first two sessions scoring 264 runs and losing six wickets in the process.
Fast bowler Ishant Sharma found his form claiming three wickets for 145 while debutant pacer Abhimanyu Mithun picked up four for 105.
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).
Rangana Herath made an unbeaten 80 off 93 balls while Lasith Malinga made a quick-fire 64. Herath and Malinga shared a 115-run stand for the eighth wicket that took Sri Lanka to a position of strength.
Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, who was unbeaten on five, got a warm welcome from the Indian team when he came out to bat. 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 and went into lunch at 361 for six.
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.
