2nd Test: India get off to a brisk start

Agencies

Colombo, 27 July 2010: Replying to Sri Lanka’s 642, India were 95 for no loss in their first innings at close on day two of the second cricket Test here on Tuesday. Indian opener Virender Sehwag led India’s fightback with a solid knock of unbeaten 64 and his partner Murali Vijay played a sensible inning of 22 not out at close of play.

 

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara scored a classy 219 and Mahela Jayawardene struck 174 as Sri Lanka declared its first innings at 642-4 on day two of the second Test against India on Tuesday. It was Sangakkara’s seventh double ton, while it was the fomer Sri Lankan captain’s 10th three-figure knock at the SSC, the most by a batsmen at a single ground, surpassing Australian legend Don Bradman’s tally of nine at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

 

 

Jayawardene and Sangakkara, who compiled Test cricket’s highest partnership of 624 runs at the same venue against South Africa four years ago, put on 193 runs for the third wicket. Sangakkara, who was on 214 at lunch, fell in the fourth over after the break when he edged a lazy drive off part-time spinner Virender Sehwag to Rahul Dravid at lone slip. The left-hander hit 29 boundaries during his seven-hour stay at the crease.

 

Sangakkara’s seventh double-century put him on par with Wally Hammond of England. Only Bradman (12) and West Indian Brian Lara (nine) have more scores of 200 or more. Thilan Samaraweera continued the run-spree with a fine fifty. Sri Lanka lead 1-0 in the three-match series after thrashing the top-ranked Indians by 10 wickets in Galle last week.

 

Sri Lanka ended India’s misery in the field when Sangakkara called his troops back at the fall of Jayawardene’s wicket. India’s first objective will be to avoid the follow-on which they failed to do in the Galle Test. Earlier Mahela Jayawardene became the third century-maker in Sri Lanka’s first innings as India continued to chase leather in the second cricket Test on Tuesday. Jayawardene followed Tharanga Paranavitana (100) and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (219) with a fluent 143 not out to lift the hosts to 587-3 at tea on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC).

 

It was the former Sri Lankan captain’s 10th three-figure knock at the SSC, the most by a batsman at a single ground, surpassing Australian legend Don Bradman’s tally of nine at the Melbourne cricket ground. Jayawardene has so far hit 18 boundaries in his 28th Test hundred, building Sri Lanka’s advantage on a lifeless wicket that is proving to be a bowlers’ graveyard. Jayawardene and Sangakkara, who compiled Test cricket’s highest partnership of 624 runs at the same venue against South Africa four years ago, put on 193 runs for the third wicket.

 

Sangakkara, who was on 214 at lunch, fell in the fourth over after the break when he edged a lazy drive off part-time spinner Virender Sehwag to Rahul Dravid at lone slip. The left-hander hit 29 boundaries during his seven-hour stay at the crease. Thilan Samaraweera continued the run-spree with an unbeaten 52, having so far added 121 runs for the fourth wicket with Jayawardene. Sri Lanka lead the three-match series 1-0 after thrashing the top-ranked Indians by 10 wickets in Galle last week.

 

Starting the day at 312-2, Sangakkara and Jayawardene added 65 runs from 14 overs in the first hour, easily negotiating the second new ball that was claimed late on Monday evening. By the time lunch was called, Sri Lanka had hammered 145 runs in 29 overs in the morning session. Sangakkara moved to 199 with four boundaries in one over from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, and then reached 200 with an edged four to third-man off Harbhajan Singh.