The mountain of runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground is only growing bigger. On Tuesday too, the bowlers toiled and the fielders chased leather.
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara progressed to a regal 219, Mahela Jayawardene constructed yet another monument at the SSC with a sublime 174,Thilan Samaraweera eased his way to a stylish 76 not out and Virender Sehwag blitzed an unbeaten 63-ball 64 in the final session.
Responding to Sri Lanka's mammoth 642 for four declared, India responded strongly finishing the second day of the second Micromax Test at 95 without loss. The pitch continues to be loaded in favour of the batsmen.
The Indians had to negotiate 18 awkward overs before close but the free-stroking Sehwag and an assured Murali Vijay (22 batting) prevented an early breakthrough for the host.
Dammika Prasad generated pace but erred in length and Sehwag put away the short balls with typical ruthlessness. With a backlift that is higher and straighter, Vijay displayed sound footwork and balance.
Support seamer Angelo Mathews, angling his deliveries across Sehwag from round the wicket, received an official warning for running on to the pitch.
And in the only over Ajantha Mendis sent down, a rampant Sehwag on-drove and sliced the spinner to the fence. The buccaneering opener was, however, troubled by a couple of well-directed short pitched deliveries from paceman Dilhara Fernando.
Vijay drove fluently off the front foot, punched Fernando off his back-foot and square-drove the same paceman with panache.
Earlier, Sangakkara and Mahela dominated. Once again the Indian bowling stood exposed and the fielding in the deep was below international standards.
The feature of the 193-run third-wicket partnership between Sangakkara and Mahela was how well the two batsmen ‘left’ deliveries spinning away from the off-stump from both Harbhajan and Ojha. The Indian fielders agonised but these were judicious leaves.
Harbhajan went round the wicket in an attempt to turn the ball away from the left-handed Sangakkara with a slip waiting. And left-armer Ojha operated from round the wicket to the right-handed Mahela.
Both Sangakkara and Mahela, picking deliveries from the hand, allowed the sphere to spin past the bat harmlessly.
It was a mental tussle as well. Gradually, both Sangakkara and Mahela forced Harbhajan and Ojha to bowl to their strengths. The two spinners were sucked into bowling a middle and leg line, which brought a whole range of on-side shots into play.
Even if the cricket on view was rather one-sided, the Sri Lankan batsmen were exceptional strategically.
Indeed, when Ojha switched to round-the-wicket to Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan captain dismantled the bowler clinically. Converting the length by using his feet, the southpaw danced down to whip and hoist the spinner between square-leg and mid-wicket.
Consequently, when Ojha bowled fuller in the same over, Sangakkara slog-swept him from the crease for two more boundaries to catapult to 199. This was high-quality batsmanship.
Actually, the Sangakkara-Jayawardene pair – a left-right one – is among the hardest combinations to bowl at. The bowlers have to constantly switch their line.
Although he can cut hard, Sangakkara collects plenty of runs from firm strokes in front of the wicket off either foot. He is regal through covers with his drives and punches, can send the ball racing past mid-wicket.
On the other hand, Jayawardene often plays very late with extremely soft hands. When the bowler counters this feature of his batting, Jayawardene can waltz down for drives or lofted strokes in the ‘V.’
This was also a day when Samaraweera was effortless with his cover-drives and wristy leg-side strokes. He possesses the gift of timing.
The Indian attack failed to stem the flow of runs. There was hardly any bite in the bowling of Harbhajan and Ojha; both lacked the deception in flight to deceive and dismiss batsmen on a surface of this nature. The sooner Ojha develops the arm ball, the better. Otherwise, the left-armer will be predictable.
Pacemen Ishant Sharma and Abhimanyu Mithun failed to make an impression in the morning with a ball that was still hard and shiny. Both failed to bowl a persistent line that produces results.
Ironically, the best moment for India with the ball came from an occasional off-spinner. Sehwag got one to pitch on the off-stump and spin away. The tantalising length of the delivery forced Sangakkara to play from the crease. Dravid snaffled up the edge at slip.
Can Mendis trouble the Indian batsmen on day three? The result of the match might hinge on this duel.
Scoreboard: Sri Lanka (first innings): N. Paranavitana b Ishant 100 (221b, 10x4, 1x6), T. Dilshan c Laxman b Ojha 54 (42b, 10x4), K. Sangakkara c Dravid b Sehwag 219 (335b, 29x4), M. Jayawardene c Raina b Harbhajan 174 (244b, 20x4, 1x6), T. Samaraweera (not out) 76 (121b, 8x4), Extras (b-4, lb-8, w-2, nb-5) 19; Total (for four wickets in 159.4 overs decl.) 642.
Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Dilshan), 2-273 (Paranavitana), 3-466 (Sangakkara), 4-642 (Jayawardene).
India bowling: Mithun 23-5-117-0, Ishant 23-5-102-1, Ojha 46-9-172-1, Harbhajan 42.4-4-147-1, Sehwag 20 0-71-1, Raina 5-0-21-0.
India (first innings): M. Vijay (batting) 22 (50b, 4x4), V. Sehwag (batting) 64 (63b, 12x4), Extras (w-2, nb-7) 9; Total (for no loss in 18 overs) 95.
Sri Lanka bowling: Prasad 3-0-27-0, Fernando 7-0-31-0, Mathews 4-0-13-0, Randiv 3-1-15-0, Mendis 1-0-9-0.
