Wankhede Test poised for thrilling finale

The track records of the two teams makes interesting reading: India have never lost a Test series at home since Pakistan won the rubber by a 1-0 margin in 1986-87. And only once have India lost in their 315-Test match history after setting the opposition a target of 300-plus. Very narrowly at that, as Australia won with just two wickets to spare while chasing a mammoth 342 in 1977-78 against Bobby Simpon’s side.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have never been successful chasing even a target of 200-plus in their not-so-long Test career. But if the likes of the Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga treat the Sunday’s play like a one-day situation, then one may never know what could be in store for the Indians. After all, no team in contemporary cricket has crossed the 300-run mark in 50 overs-limit internationals as often as the combative Lankans.

There was much ennui in the early part of the fourth day as occupation of the crease was the primary concern of the Sri Lankans — just 56 runs coming in 30 overs of the pre-lunch play.

Most of those runs came from the authoritative blade of Aravinda de Silva. Aravinda, who scored 78, 126, 146, 120, 33 and 110 not out in his previous six innings, raised visions of scoring an unprecedented eighth Test hundred in single calendar year. However, he was out when he tried to play a forcing shot off the backfoot to be caught behind off Rajesh Chauhan.

That was the breakthrough the Indians needed, as Aravinda was looking dangerous, once slamming Anil Kumble over midwicket for a six.

But Hashan Tillkeratne and Lanka de Silva offered passive resistance as the Test looked heading towards a dull draw. But Tillekeratne left playing across to Abey Kuruvilla and then tragedy struck Lanka de Silva when Javagal Srinath sent him to hospital with a delivery that rose from a length.

The ball crashed against the protective grill of the helmet and tore the skin of the batsman as he collapsed on to the ground like a boxer floored by a knock-out punch.The Lankan innings came to a swift end, with Srinath picking up his 100th wicket by shattering the stumps of Pramodaya Wickeramasinghe. Srinath’s took 30 Tests to reach the landmark. However, his last 54 wickets came in just 12 Tests. It’s feat achieved by 12 other Indians and just one pure paceman — the great Kapil Dev. It certainly puts Srinath’s achievement in perspective.

Skipper Sachin Tendulkar’s attempt to infuse life into a dying Test was laudable. But the manner in which his side went about the task of going for the runs left a lot to be desired. Only Navjot Sidhu and Rahul Dravid brought a semblance of sanity as they added 87 runs in 22.1 overs for the second wicket without looking foolish.

Dravid yet again lost out on a century. With the team declaration in sight, he went for the runs. It was, however, not easy with Kumara Dharmasena bowling on the leg with seven men guarding the region — four of them on the fence. Dravid fell to a brilliant catch by Aravinda — one of the four that he took in the innings.

Tendulkar, who remained just long enough to score the 13 he need to complete 1000 runs in the calendar year, and the rest of the line-up just collapsed like a house of cards — the last five wickets for just eight runs as Dharmasena registered the best figures by a Sri Lankan on Indian soil.Jayasuriya and Maravan Atapattu survived the four overs before close without ado, as Srinath and Prasad failed to put pressure on the batsmen by erring in length.

A fascinating day’s play is in store tomorrow. The crowds will surely throng the Wankhede Stadium, which can only be a good advert for Test cricket.

SCOREBOARD

India: (1st innings) 512

Sri Lanka: (1st innings): Sanath Jayasuriya c Azharuddin b Kumble (69m, 44b, 9×4) 50, Maravan Atapattu c substitute (Jadeja) b Chauhan (403 m, 273b, 15×4) 98, Kumara Dharmasena c Kumble b Chauhan (212m, 141b, 3×4) 40, Roshan Mahanama c Kumble b Prasad (69m, 66b, 2×4) 20, Aravinda de Silva c Mongia b Chauhan (139m, 122b, 1×6, 9×4) 66, Arjuna Ranatunga c Azharuddin b Chauhan (25m, 15b) 1, Hashan Tillekaratne lbw Kuruvilla (178m, 115b, 3×4) 25, Lanka de Silva retired hurt (121m, 88b, 2×4) 20, Chaminda Vaas c sub (Kulkarni) b Kuruvilla (13m, 7b, 1×4) 4, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe b Srinath (9m, 2b) 2, Ravindra Pushpakumara not out (2m, 0b) 0. Extras (b 7, lb 12, w 4, nb 12): 35. Total (all out in 143.2 overs and 623 minutes): 361

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Jayasuriya), 2-180 (Dharmasena), 3-219 (Mahanama), 4-259 (Atapattu), 5-269 (Ranatunga), 6-312 (Aravinda), 7-351 (Tillekeratne), 8-359 (Vaas), 9-361 (Wickeramasinghe)

Bowling: Srinath 28.2-4-107-1, Prasad 18-6-30-1, Kuruvilla 19-2-62-2, Kumble 41-19-76-1, Chauhan 34-13-48-4, Ganguly 3-0-19-0

India (2nd innings): Saurav Ganguly c Tillekaratne b Wickramasinghe (16m, 12b, 1×4) 11, Navjot Sidhu c Pushpakumara b Jayasuriya (110m, 70b, 1×6, 5×4) 43, Rahul Dravid c Aravinda b Dharmasena (154m, 121b, 8×4) 85, Sachin Tendulkar c Aravinda b Jayasuriya (28m, 16b, 1×4) 13, Mohammed Azharuddin c Aravinda b Dharmasena (11m, 10b) 4, Nayan Mongia not out (35m, 13b) 9, Anil Kumble c Mahanama b Dharmasena (3m, 3b) 1, Javagal Srinath sub (Jayawardane) b Dharmasena (8m, 9b) 5, Rajesh Chauhan run out (1m, 0b) 0, Abey Kuruvilla c Aravinda b Dharmasena (1m, 1b) 0. Extras (b 3, lb 6, nb 1): 10

Total (for 9 wickets declared, in 42.4 overs and 187 minutes): 181

Did not bat: Venkatesh Prasad

Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Ganguly), 2-103 (Sidhu), 3-136 (Tendulkar), 4-149 (Azharuddin), 5-173 (Dravid), 6-175 (Kumble), 7-181 (Srinath), 8-181 (Chauhan), 9-181 (Kuruvilla)

Bowling: Vaas: 5-1-19-0, Wickremasinghe 5-0-20-1, Pushpakumara 5-0-28-0, Jayasuriya 15-1-48-2, Dharmasena 12.4-0-57-5

Sri Lanka (2nd innings): Sanath Jayasuriya batting (17m, 10b) 1, Maravan Atapattu batting (17m, 14b, 1×4) 5. Total (for no loss in four overs and 17 minutes): 6

Bowling: Srinath 2-1-2-0, Prasad 2-1-4-0

Mind your language

Pramodaya Wickeramasinghe’s unprovoked verbal assault on Saurav Ganguly brought disgrace to the fair name of Sri Lankan cricket and put him in danger of censure from International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Bobby Simpson.

The Lankan paceman dismissed Ganguly cheaply — his 50th Test victim.

Wickeramasinghe then heaped insult to Ganguly’s injury by running upto the batsman to show the one-finger sign, emphasising his point by growling at him: “F..k off, man.” The audible obscenity, picked up the powerful microphones, was heard by millions viewing the live telecast.

Ganguly himself sportingly played down the incident by not attaching much importance to it, but Simpson told The Indian Express that “I have taken note of it (the incident).”