Sachin slams 48th Test ton as India rally
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century to lead India’s fightback in the second Test yesterday after Sri Lanka’s new-look bowling attack ran through the top order.
The world’s leading international run-scorer was unbeaten on 108 as India, replying to Sri Lanka’s 642-4 declared, recovered to 382-4 by stumps on the third day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
India, who lost the opening Test in Galle by 10 wickets to trail 1-0 in the three-match series, need 61 runs more to avoid the embarrassment of a second successive follow-on.
The tourists were 165-0 at one stage before suffering a mini-collapse to 173-3 in the morning session, as rookie off-spinner Suraj Randiv grabbed two wickets and Ajantha Mendis claimed one.
Tendulkar, 37, who has scored more Test runs and centuries than any other batsman in history, stood rock-solid at one end for four hours and 37 minutes to anchor India’s revival.
He put on 68 for the fourth wicket with VVS Laxman (29) and 141 for the unbroken fifth with debutant Suresh Raina, who ended the day unbeaten on 66.
Tendulkar, a veteran of 168 Tests, reached his fifth hundred this year by sweeping Randiv to the square-leg fence for his 13th boundary.
Sri Lanka were left to rue Tendulkar’s lucky escape on 29 when wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene failed to grasp a head-high catch as the batsman attempted to slice a ball from Dilhara Fernando to third man.
The hosts had changed their entire frontline bowling attack for the match following the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan and after losing fast bowler Lasith Malinga to a knee injury.
But Randiv stood out with 2-108 from 35 overs, while Mendis had 2-92 from 26 overs on a wearing wicket that afforded bounce and turn to the spinners.
Openers Virender Sehwag (99) and Murali Vijay (58) put on 165 for the first wicket before Sri Lanka hit back, removing both batsmen in the space of 11 deliveries.
Sehwag was one run away from his 21st century when he rushed out to loft Randiv’s first ball of the day, misjudged the line and was stumped.
It was a typically aggressive knock from Sehwag, including 15 boundaries, but his rush of blood to the head meant he missed out on a fourth century in successive Tests.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 642-4 declared (T Paranavitana 100, K Sangakkara 219, M Jayawardene 174)
India 1st innings (overnight 95-0):
M Vijay lbw b Mendis 58
V Sehwag st P Jayawardene b Randiv 99
R Dravid lbw b Randiv 3
S Tendulkar not out 108
V Laxman lbw b Mendis 29
S Raina not out 66
Extras: (b5, lb1, w4, nb9) 19
Total (for four wickets, 108 overs) 382
Fall of wickets: 1-165 (Sehwag), 2-169 (Vijay), 3-173 (Dravid), 4-241 (Laxman).
Bowling: Prasad 10-0-53-0 (nb4), Fernando 21-0-83-0 (nb4, w3), Mathews 9-1-24-0 (w1), Randiv 35-11-108-2, Mendis 26-2-92-2 (nb1), Dilshan 7-0-16-0.
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
