Day 4: Chasing 257, India 53/3 at stumps

Agencies
Bellevision Media Network

Colombo, 06 August 2010: Suraj Randiv took three quick wickets in India’s second innings by removing first-inning centurion Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Murali Vijay to leave India reeling at 53/3 at stumps on day four of the third and final Test at the P Sara Stadium here on Friday.

 

At the close of the day’s play, Sachin Tendulkar on 11 and night watchman Ishant Sharma on two were in the middle. India require another 204 runs to win the Test and level the series 1-0. With the wicket set to break even more on day five on Saturday, India will now have their hopes on the Littel Master to see them through in this game.

 

 

Earlier, Abhimanyu Mithun and Amit Mishra finally ended India’s frustration with the Lankan tail as the former got rid of Thilan Samaraweera and the latter dismissed Ajantha Mendis to bring curtains down on SL’s second innings at 267 all out, a lead of 256 runs.

 

Thilan Samaraweera and Ajanthan Mendis proved to be a thorn in India’s flesh after the visitors had taken six wickets in the morning session. Samaraweera made 83 and was involved in what could be a match-winning partnership with Ajantha Mendis who scored 78.

 

The hosts were precariously placed on 125-8 before lunch but the pair batted sensibly to reach 225-8 at tea, a 214-run second innings lead. Before that, Indian spinners skittled Sri Lanka’s lineup in the first session taking six wickets for 98 runs.

 

Sehwag returned best bowling figures for India with 3-50 while Pragyan Ojha returned 3-80. India was dismissed for 436 runs in its first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s 425.