Sri Lanka were switched on, positive, and played with
unrelenting intensity. But, yet again, they were outplayed by a
determined Indian side
The Bulletin by Amit Varma20-Dec-2005
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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You cannot accuse Sri Lanka of letting things drift in this game: for
all three days so far, they were switched on, positive, and played with
unrelenting intensity. But, yet again, they were outplayed by a
determined Indian side. First, Tillakaratne Dilshan, with an assured
65, helped them to 206, thus saving the follow-on. Then they took
regular wickets to restrict India to 100 for 5. But Yuvraj Singh, with
a commanding 75 off 83 balls, and Ajit Agarkar, with 48 off 43,
attacked them out of the game. India finished the day on 287 for 9,
479 ahead.The most exhilarating passage of play came when Yuvraj was at the
crease. He has always been suspected of weakness against spin, but the
way he batted today, you’d have suspected him of a weakness
the thing. Whether rocking back to cut or pull or stepping out to the
pitch of the ball, he was completely in control. He drove and pulled
well, but his sweep was his most memorable shot today, powerful and
devoid of risk. Time and again he went down on his knees as if to
propose, but proceeded to dispose.After he was out, chasing a wide ball from Malinga Bandara and edging
it to the keeper, Agarkar took over. He batted with controlled
aggression, and his intent was evident in the way he looked at the
bowler while in his stance: jaws taut, eyes wide open and focussed,
head unmoving, balanced. With full backlift and followthrough, he kept
the bowlers worried and the fielders exercised, hitting six fours and
a six in his innings.He was out with the score on 247, when Bandara cunningly held one back
and Agarkar’s drive ended up in a tame return catch. Anil Kumble and
Harbhajan Singh then continued playing positively, hitting a six each,
as India’s lead climbed well past 450.While the day ended in flamboyance, it had begun with attrition. Sri
Lanka had battled hard to avoid the follow-on, and despite Dilshan’s
effort, Sri Lanka’s lower order were never likely to resist the Indian
bowlers, who thrive in such conditions, for long. Harbhajan Singh was
particularly destructive, finishing up with 7 for 62.Jehan Mubarak was the first to go in the morning, bowled through the
gate by a ball from Kumble that turned into him (144 for 6). Shortly
afterwards, Harbhajan picked up his fifth wicket of the innings,
taking a one-handed return catch to his right after Farveez Maharoof,
intending to drive, merely pushed the ball up towards mid-on (155 for
7).Dilshan and Bandara then added 43, removing worries of having to
follow on. Dilshan batted with composure and control, and his footwork
and shot selection were immaculate. Bandara, meanwhile, was not averse
to giving the ball a thump, slog-sweeping Harbhajan for six, and then
stepping out and tonking another six over long-on.But it was a false dawn. Dilshan was out with the score on 198, beaten
by Harbhajan’s turn and bounce, caught by a diving Mohammad Kaif at
short leg. It was similar to how Lasith Malinga was out later, fending
the ball off for a diving leg slip to catch it. In between, Muttiah
Muralitharan was stumped off Kumble, after Kumble saw him charge down
the track and pitched it short.Sri Lanka struck off the first ball they bowled, which hardly deserved
a wicket. Malinga’s ball was very wide and very short, and Virender
Sehwag lunged out to tip it up towards third man, where Maharoof took
an easy catch. But Maharoof doesn’t just catch: he took the next
wicket, bowling a beautiful good-length ball to VVS Laxman that seamed
away, and took an edge on the way (5 for 2). Wickets feel regularly
thereafter – Sachin Tendulkar was a trifle unclucky to be adjudged lbw
off a ball that hit him high on his leg – but the tempo of run-scoring
stayed high. A certain player who is reputed not to like spin was
responsible for that. So much for reputations.How they were outSri LankaJehan Mubarak b Kumble 13 (144 for 6)
Farveez Maharoof c and b Harbhajan 4 (155 for 7)
TM Dilshan c Kaif b Harbhajan 65 (198 for 8)
Muttiah Muralitharan st Dhoni b Kumble 3 (201 for 9)
Lasith Malinga c Sehwag b Harbhajan 0 (206)
IndiaVirender Sehwag c Maharoof b Malinga 0 (0 for 1)
VVS Laxman c Sangakkara b Maharoof 5 (9 for 2)
Sachin Tendulkar lbw Dilshan 19 (34 for 3)
Gautam Gambhir c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 30 (81 for 4)
Mohammad Kaif lbw Bandara 9 (100 for 5)
MS Dhoni lbw Muralitharan 14 (134 for 6)
Yuvraj Singh c Sangakkara b Bandara 75 (174-7)
Irfan Pathan b Muralitharan 27 (198 for 8)
Ajit Agarkar c & b Bandara 48 (247 for 9)
