July 27: Jaded legs, drooping shoulders and the fall of many a batting record marked the second day’s play of the second Test at the SSC here on Tuesday. Mahela Jayawardene falling for 174 (358m, 244b, 20x4, 1x6) brought the declaration at 642/4 after 159.4 overs. Earlier Kumar Sangakkara scored 219 (399m, 335b, 29x4), his seventh double hundred.
A major portion of the day was a long-drawn exercise on a flat pitch where India went through their motions waiting for the hosts to call off the innings. In the 18 overs India got to bat they moved confidently to 95/0 and now require a further 348 runs to avoid the follow-on. Virender Sehwag carried on his good form to register a run a ball 50 while M. Vijay, looking in good touch, was giving him company with 22 at stumps. The Indian innings however was not short of drama with Angelo Mathews receiving a warning for running on the danger area.
In a bid to create footmarks for the spinners, Mathews decided to go around the wicket and was unable to stop from running in. The trap for Sehwag was the short ball aimed outside the off-stump with a sweeper cover, deep point and third man, but the opener did not oblige.
Starting the day at an imposing 312/2, Sri Lanka marched on effortlessly with their two most experienced batsmen setting the tone with some audacious hits. The first ball from Abhimanyu Mithun was stroked for a boundary by Sangakkara and from there it was leather hunt all day. The first six overs ushered in 36 runs and forced the early introduction of spin.
Pragyan Ojha continued to disappoint. There was no life in the wicket but the Test level demands greater control. Sangakkara collected four boundaries off one over from Ojha while Jayawardene added three to his count; and the left-armer looked totally out of place. The string of boundaries brought the skipper close to his 200 and an intended square drive off Harbhajan went through slips to mark wild celebrations. The first session was worth 145 at five per over.
Jayawardene who kept erasing records like a good hobby was well on course for the second double hundred of the match and the strokes that were essayed from his broader growing blade were easy on the eye. Suresh Raina was brilliant on the field. His athleticism was the only bright spot for the visitors who were desperately hoping for a break. Jayawardene chipped a length ball from Harbhajan only to be snapped by the alert Raina at mid-wicket. Samaraweera, who completed 4000 runs in Test cricket, was unbeaten on 76 when the declaration came.
SCOREBOARD
Sri lanka (1st innings)
T. Paranavitana b Sharma 100, T. Dilshan c Laxman b Ojha 54, K. Sangakkara c Dravid b Sehwag 219, M. Jayawardene c Raina b Harbhajan Singh 174, T. Samaraweera not out 76
Extras (b 4, lb 8, w 2, nb 5) 19
Total (in 159.4 overs) 642/4
FoW: 1-99, 2-273, 3-466, 4-642
Bowling: Mithun 17-4-75-0, Ishant 15-4-66-1 (nb2), Ojha 23-5-59-1 (nb2), Harbhajan 22-3-61-0 (w1), Sehwag 9-0-26-0, Raina 4-0-15-0
India (1st innings)
M. Vijay batting 22, V. Sehwag batting 64.
Extras (w2, nb7) 9.
Total (no loss, 18 overs) 95
Bowling: Prasad 3-0-27-0 (nb3), Fernando 7-0-31-0 (nb4, w1), Mathews 4-0-13-0 (w1), Randiv 3-1-15-0, Mendis 1-0-9-0