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And they lived happily ever after
 

When India won the toss on the first day of the third and final test, at the P. Sara Stadium, the prospects seemed grim for Sri Lanka. It was a must win test match and every advantage mattered. Looking at the pitch that morning, it looked no different from the S.S.C. or the surface at Galle. This meant that batting was going to become more and more difficult as the game proceeded.

The value of winning the toss became even more evident as Virender Sehwag and Gautham Gambhir knocked up another half century stand. They made it look so easy, that it sent shivers down the spine, imagining what Sri Lanka’s plight would be later in the day. Then Dhammika Prasad, the debutant, swung it around for the home team. In a deadly second spell, he picked up three most valuable wickets. Many events took place in the four days that followed and many players were applauded for the gigantic tasks they performed. To me most credit must go to the five wickets that Prasad claimed in the match.In that short burst on the first morning he dismissed Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar. What more can you ask from a debutant? That too, after going for many runs in the first spell. It was a gusty spell of bowling. India were still in command as they went for lunch at one hundred and forty for three wickets.
From there on the Sri Lankans did not look back. Mendis and Muralitharan, now a much feared spin duo, got to work. They picked up three wickets in the second session and another four in the third and India surrendered in eighty overs, for two hundred and forty nine runs. They squandered the advantage of winning the toss.

Dhammika Prasad a promising star

If not spectacular, the Sri Lankans batted with patience, knowing full well that Prasad, Mendis and Muralitharan had got the team into an advantageous position. Kumar Sangakkara was at his best. He batted and batted, almost as if this was to be his last innings. He could not have it his own way, partly because of the probing Indian bowlers and partly because the pitch demanded respect.

Sangakkara definitely stole the show on day two and helped his team to a commanding position. He faced three hundred and twenty eight deliveries, beat the sun and the Indian bowlers for over seven hours and helped Sri Lanka gain a valuable lead of 147 runs. Chaminda Vaas, Tilan Samaraweera, T.M. Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardane, Dhammika Prasad and Ajantha Mendis, lent a helping hand to put.
Once again the Indian opening pair made batting look easy and posted a sixty two run stand and once again it is Dhammika Prasad who separated them. Within the space of three runs both were back in the hut, Sri Lanka were definitely in the hunt with that. Prasad may not have got the ‘Man of the Match’ award, but the average wickets he claimed in the match was worth its weight in gold. It may be forgotten by many in the years to come, but for those who watched every ball of the game, it will remain etched in memory.

Once the top two departed India looked vulnerable. That was the case throughout the series. The big four, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly did not make enough runs. That haunted the visitors time and time again. They faltered again in the final innings. They contributed 161 runs in total, with three dismissed. It was their best collective tally. Yet it was insufficient to throttle the Sri Lankans.
India needed to have in excess of two hundred and fifty runs to pressurize the home team. The target of 122 runs was never going to be defendable, particularly with Ishant Sharma also not available to bowl. Although they picked up Vandort and Sangakkara early, it only required one big partnership to win the game for Sri Lanka.

That happened courtesy of Malinda Warnapura and skipper Mahela Jayawardena. They dug deep, fully focusing on the task at hand and the victory target. Once the score went past the seventy five mark, it became plain sailing. The Indians were simply going through the motions and waiting for the inevitable.
All three test matches ended within four days. A major reason for that was the review system. No more the “benefit of the doubt” going in favour of the batsman. So many decisions were reverted. Bowlers got their due. Maybe lbw decisions need careful review. Overall, through some playing time was lost it did more good than harm. My view is that the review system must be given more time and there will be definite advantages to the game.

Sri Lanka will be pleased with the performances. They faltered once in the series, when they batted poorly in Galle, in the second innings. One area they must develop is the opening batting combination. More runs are required at the top. Barring that, it was a satisfying series and a happy ending.

Ranil Abeynaike is a former Sri Lanka cricketer and curator of SSC

 

 
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