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India battles back through Harbhajan Singh

S. Ram Mahesh

Sehwag carries his bat; Mendis continues to torment the Indians

— Photo: AFP

CENTRE OF ATTRACTION: Harbhajan Singh celebrates with teammates after sending back Thilan Samaraweera.

GALLE: Friday was an intense, compelling day of Test cricket, the sort that simmers with vitality and advances the match. Eleven wickets were taken, 330 runs made, and by the time the second day ended in glorious sunlight, the second Test here at the Galle International Stadium was finely balanced.

India battled back through Harbhajan Singh’s four wickets after tea, as Sri Lanka finished on 215 for five in 61 overs. This after Virender Sehwag had scored more than 60 per cent of India’s 329, becoming the second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to carry his bat, and Ajantha Mendis had added to his deepening reputation as a bowler of exquisite skill, claiming six for 117.

Zaheer strikes

Mighty as the efforts of Sehwag and Mendis were, Harbhajan deserves immense credit for grabbing the third session and bullying it India’s way. After Zaheer Khan had opener Michael Vandort caught smartly at third slip in the first over, Malinda Warnapura and Kumar Sangakkara set about eating into India’s first-innings score.

The left-handers did it in style, parading some of the finest driving you’d hope to see. At 126 for one going to tea, Sri Lanka looked poised to strong-arm India out of the contest. But Harbhajan and Anil Kumble managed to turn the screws after tea, and Harbhajan encashed the benefit.

A flighted off-break had Warnapura caught at short-point, a position employed specifically for the opener’s bottom-handed driving.

Sangakkara, who Dinesh Karthik failed to stump on 58, couldn’t press the advantage. A delivery aimed at the left-hander’s blind spot unsettled the surface as it bounced, and returned to Harbhajan off the leading edge.

Thilan Samaraweera was conned by a delivery from around the wicket that revolved like an off-break through the air, but skidded on to his back pad without turning. The batsman’s referral fell through, and when Harbhajan coated one with layers of over-spin to have Tillakaratne Dilshan sharply caught at bat-pad, Sri Lanka looked distinctly wobbly.

Mahela Jayawardene was fortunate to survive: Kumble’s early withdrawal of the backward short-leg spared him; a tough half-chance to forward short-leg — the same over his partner Prasanna Jayawardene was dropped there — wasn’t snapped up either.

Sri Lanka also had the best of three close calls (four, if you count Kumble’s stumping). Two involved referrals of leg-before decisions: umpire Billy Doctrove upheld both his initial verdicts — Ishant Sharma (given out) and Warnapura (adjudged not out) —although the replays appeared to recommend reversals.

The third umpire’s interpretation on line-ball decisions wasn’t ironclad either. Why Kumble was sent on his way, while Samaraweera, found on the line by an athletic pick-and-throw from Zaheer, wasn’t, will remain one of those fascinating, unanswered questions.

Sehwag had earlier fulfilled the promise he pithily made on Thursday — but only in part. The opener scored a double-hundred; he was unable, however, to propel India to 400 and beyond. This was due, in no small part, to the rest of the batsmen insisting that they act as if part of a wine-tasting party where the oysters go bad.

Curiously, there were few portents of rapid departure in the morning. Sehwag may have seemed like a man with a machete in the undergrowth, but his perception of risk is beyond lesser minds. The introduction of Mendis after the first break for drinks sectioned the morning session into two unequal parts: the period when India, resuming on 214 for four, progressed to 278 for four; and the period when six wickets fell for the addition of a mere 51.

The thing that perhaps turned it was Jayawardene’s choice of ends for Mendis. Mendis found that his undercut ‘carom’ ball was skidding perilously off it.

Wily bowling

Laxman’s gentle lob to mid-wicket might have appeared an act of tomfoolery, but there was some wily bowling behind it. The batsman had pulled a googly for four earlier in the over, the over-spin on the delivery helping the stroke by bouncing conveniently. Then came the undercut delivery. Karthik and Harbhajan were opened up by Mendis’s angle.

Sehwag was deserted by Kumble and Zaheer as well — Muralitharan, supported splendidly by ’keeper Prasanna Jayawardene, finally getting into the act.

But having survived a chance on the rope, a referral for leg-before, and a close, convincing shout for caught-behind, Sehwag made it past 200.

SCOREBOARD

India — 1st innings: G. Gambhir lbw b Mendis 56, V. Sehwag (not out) 201, R. Dravid c Warnapura b Mendis 2, S. Tendulkar lbw b Vaas 5, S. Ganguly c P. Jayawardene b Vaas 0, V.V.S. Laxman c Samaraweera b Mendis 39, D. Karthik lbw b Mendis 7, A. Kumble st P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 4, Harbhajan b Mendis 1, Zaheer c P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 2, Ishant lbw b Mendis 0; Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-7): 12; Total (in 82 overs): 329.

Fall of wickets: 1-167 (Gambhir), 2-173 (Dravid), 3-178 (Tendulkar), 4-178 (Ganguly), 5-278 (Laxman), 6-290 (Karthik), 7-317 (Kumble), 8-318 (Harbhajan), 9-323 (Zaheer).

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 19-1-74-2, Kulasekara 8-1-40-0, Mendis 28-1-117-6, Muralitharan 27-1-93-2.

Sri Lanka — 1st innings: M. Vandort c Dravid b Zaheer 4, M. Warnapura c Gambhir b Harbhajan 66, K. Sangakkara c & b Harbhajan 68, M. Jayawardene (batting) 46, T. Samaraweera lbw b Harbhajan 14, T. Dilshan c Gambhir b Harbhajan 0, P. Jayawardene (batting) 5; Extras (b-6, lb-6): 12; Total (for five wkts. in 61 overs): 215.

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Vandort), 2-137 (Warnapura), 3-144 (Sangakkara), 4-192 (Samaraweera), 5-192 (Dilshan).

India bowling: Zaheer 6-1-39-1, Ishant 8-1-36-0, Kumble 22-4-57-0, Harbhajan 25-4-71-4.

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