Galle, July 20: Sri Lanka found unlikely batting heroes in Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga to post a massive score of 520/8 declared. India compounded their misery by losing wickets at regular intervals on Day Three of the first Test here on Tuesday. Virender Sehwag with an authoritative 85 and V.V.S. Laxman on a composed 18 were at the crease as India finished on 140/3.

With a huge reservoir of runs to fall back on Sri Lanka started with an attacking field. The fall of Gautam Gambhir, playing across to Lasith Malinga, provided the perfect start. The solidity of Rahul Dravid and the exuberance of Sehwag nullified the early loss. Chanaka Welegedara suffered by spraying the ball all over. Sehwag’s first nine scoring shots contained eight boundaries.

With the wicket proving to be a batsmen’s ally, there was minimal trouble before Dravid paid the price for attempting a second run off a fielding error. Angelo Mathews flicking the bails in a flash did full justice to a perfect throw from Malinga. Sachin Tendulkar chose a length delivery from Muttiah Muralitharan to sweep and was adjudged leg before. Sehwag paying scant respect to the situation went about his task with bludgeoning drives and a massive straight six off Murali. The dashing opener seemed to exist in a parallel world.

Sehwag received on-field treatment for a minor hamstring niggle but nothing could stop his bold approach. Laxman thrived by thrusting out the front foot and played for time with élan. The day’s play stretched beyond 6pm but Laxman and Sehwag held on gamely against the pace of Malinga and the turn of Murali. India are still 181 runs away from reaching their primary target, to save the follow-on.

Earlier, play started an hour late and seamers Abhimanyu Mithun and Ishant Sharma put India back on track with early wickets. Tharanga Paranavitana edged Ishant when the bowler got the ball to shape away marginally. The change of end worked well for both bowlers.

Mithun responded by getting his stock ball, the in swinger to cut back sharply, to trap Thilan Samaraweera. Dravid putting down a sitter at first slip did not prove costly. Both Ishant and Mithun produced sharp pace. Mahela Jayawardene endured a tight spell. A dab over the slip cordon off Mithun and a brazen straight drive off Ishant showed his fine touch. Unable to break the shackles, Mathews took the aerial route to Ishant.

The introduction of spin had no bearing on the batsmen. Harbhajan Singh, bowling from the Fort End could not get any purchase. The predominantly leg stump line did not create any trouble barring a solitary appeal for catch at short leg. Ishant, with images of Galle, 2008 resurfacing, hit the three-quarter length consistently. Trapping Jayawardene brought India right back. Mathews unable to resist the pace and lift hung his bat to be held by an athletic Laxman. The twin blow gave a glimmer to keep the score under 400 but few things went right for the visitors from that point.

Prasanna Jayawardene spanked Harbhajan for 17 runs off the final over before lunch. The first session produced 105 runs for four wickets. Honours were even.

Mithun, reaped the rewards for pitching the ball up. Prasanna fell over to a delivery that held its line.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka 1st innings
(resuming from 256/2)
T. Paranavitana c Dhoni b Sharma 111, T. Dilshan c Dhoni b Mithun 25, K. Sangakkara c Tendulkar b Sehwag 103, M. Jayawardene lbw b Ishant 48, T. Samaraweera lbw b Mithun 0, A. Mathews c Laxman b Ishant 41, P. Jayawardene lbw b Mithun 27, R. Herath 80 not out, L. Malinga c Harbhajan b Mithun 64, M. Muralitharan 5 not out
Extras (b2, lb9, nb5) 16
Total (in 124 overs) 520/8 decl.
FoW: 1-55, 2-236, 3-259, 4-260, 5-322, 6-344, 7-393, 8-508
Bowling: Ishant 28-5-145-3 (nb5), Mithun 28-3-105-4, Harbhajan 30-4-98-0, Ojha 28-1-115-0, Sehwag 10-0-46-1

India 1st innings
G. Gambhir lbw b Malinga 2, V. Sehwag batting 85, R. Dravid run out 18, S. Tendulkar lbw b Muralitharan 8, V.V.S. Laxman batting 18
Extras (lb1, w1, nb7) 9
Total (in 29.4 overs) 140/3
FoW: 1-2, 2-68, 3-101
Bowling: Malinga 9-0-40-1 (nb4), Welegedara 4-0-34-0 (nb3), Herath 6.4-1-25-0, Mathews 3-0-9-0 (w1), Muralitharan 7-1-31-1