India on ropes after Lankan run spree
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) – India were waging a grim battle to survive the first cricket Test after Sri Lanka went on a record-breaking batting spree on the fourth day here yesterday.
The Indians, trailing by 334 runs on the first innings as Sri Lanka piled on 760-7 declared, moved to 190-2 in their second knock by stumps at the Motera stadium.
Gautam Gambhir was unbeaten on 74 and nightwatchman Amit Mishra was on 12, with India facing three tough sessions on the final day to avoid defeat in the first match of the three-Test series.
Earlier, Sri Lanka compiled the highest ever total on Indian soil before skipper Kumar Sangakkara declared the first innings 40 minutes after lunch.
Former captain Mahela Jayawardene hit a monumental 275 and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 154 after a world-record stand of 351 for the sixth wicket.
The pair broke the 72-year record set by Australians Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton, who had put on 346 for the sixth wicket against England at Melbourne in 1937.
Sri Lanka’s total surpassed India’s 676-7 against the same opponents in Kanpur in 1986, which was the previous highest total in a Test match played in India.
Scoreboard
India 1st innings 426
Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 591-5)
T Dilshan c Dravid b Zaheer 112
T Paranavitana c Dhoni b Sharma 35
K Sangakkara c Tendulkar b Zaheer 31
M Jayawardene b Mishra 275
T Samaraweera c Yuvraj b Sharma 70
A Mathews c Gambhir b Harbhajan 17
P Jayawardene not out 154
D Prasad c Mishra b Harbhajan 21
Extras: (b5, lb16, w4, nb20) 45
Total (for 7 wkts declared, 202.4 overs) 760
Did not bat: C Welegedara, M Muralitharan, R Herath.
Fall of wickets: 1-74 (Paranavitana), 2-189 (Dilshan), 3-194 (Sangakkara), 4-332 (Samaraweera), 5-375 (Mathews), 6-726 (M Jayawardene), 7-760 (Prasad).
Bowling: Zaheer 36-6-109-2 (nb9, w2), Sharma 33-0-135-2 (nb3, w2), Harbhajan 48.4-4-189-2, Mishra 58-6-203-1 (nb8), Yuvraj 16-1-64-0, Tendulkar 7-0-20-0, Sehwag 4-1-19-0.
India 2nd innings:
G Gambhir not out 74
V Sehwag c Mathews b Herath 51
R Dravid lbw b Welegedara 38
A Mishra not out 12
Extras: (lb7, nb8) 15
Total (for two wkts, 45 overs) 190
To bat: Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Venkatsai Laxman, Mahendra Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma.
Fall of wickets: 1-81 (Sehwag), 2-169 (Dravid).
Bowling: Welegedara 9-0-31-1 (nb1), Prasad 9-0-49-0 (nb3), Herath 13-0-47-1, Muralitharan 14-0-56-0 (nb4).
India trail by 144 runs with eight wickets in hand
Toss: India
Umpires: Tony Hill (NZL) and Daryl Harper (AUS)
TV umpire: Amish Saheba (IND)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
