Tuesday 10th August, 2010 15 down a return catch. He went Murali's on to post 109. At 350 for seven, it looked as if Sri Lanka will gain a first innings lead of 50 'parting shot' on runs or so. But Mathews put down a sitter, at third slip this Bedi brilliantly time, with Amit Mishra on four and the two drops hurt Sri timed - Atapattu Lanka. A 64 run stand followed for the eighth wicket, as Mishra hit 40 and Abhimanyu Mithun added 46 as India took an 11 run lead in the first innings. Another highlight in the third Test was Malinga becom- ing the third Sri Lankan to take 100 Test wickets when he dismissed Tendulkar. Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas are the only two crick- eters to have taken 100 Test wickets. Ajantha Mendis meanwhile, claimed his 50th Test wicket becoming the quickest Sri Lankan to do so in 12 Tests. In their second innings, Sri Lanka were heading for disas- ter. Some considerable turn on the track on the evening of day Marvan Atapattu three saw Sehwag snaring Calling retired spin great openers Dilshan and Muttiah Muralitharan's outburst Paranavithana. against his long-time detractor But come the fourth day the Bishen Singh Bedi a perfect "part- track seemed to have settled ing shot", former Sri Lanka captain down, but that wouldn't stop Marvan Atapattu said that the icon- India's cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, left, and Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara hold the trophy at the end of the final Test the Sri Lankans from commit- ic bowler brilliantly timed his ver- cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010. Sri Lanka won the first Test in Galle by ten ting ‘hara-kiri’. They lost six bal attack on the Indian. wickets and India squared the series when they won the third and final Test at P. Sara Oval. The second Test at SSC was drawn. wickets in the first session, "Of course, it was with amuse- slumping to 87 for seven and ment that I read Murali's parting then 125 for eight. shot at Bedi. It was brilliant timing What followed was an high- too," Atapattu said. light package, some entertain- "He (Murali) has hardly said any- ment by Ajantha Mendis. He thing on his way to 800 wickets and A series Sri Lanka was involved in a record 118 when his work was done with a run stand with Thilan world record tucked under his belt Samaraweera after the early he came out with this quip in collapse as the pair batted the answer to Bedi. Who can take him entire afternoon session. on? Perfect timing of the ball," Mendis belted the ball, hav- Atapattu wrote in a newspaper. should have won ing got his eye in hitting ten Muralitharan recently uncharac- fours and a six in a knock of BY REX CLEMENTINE et (64) during Sri Lanka's first Only rain was going to pre- ment and that the remaining teristically attacked Bedi, calling innings. vent a Sri Lankan win on the place was a toss up between 78, the highest score by a Sri the former Indian captain a contro- Lankan number ten batsman, ften cricket administra- The hosts did well to post final day as India still required Herath and Mendis. versy monger and an ordinary improving on Nuwan tors wonder why main- 520 in the first innings. Kumar 63 runs to avoid an innings This was Sangakkara's sev- bowler who would have been ham- Kulasekara's 54. This was Ostream media engage in Sangakkara and Tharanga defeat. enth double hundred and now mered by any batsman if he was Mendis' first Test fifty and his acute criticism, that too exclu- Paranavithana hit centuries, There was some stubborn only Sir Don Bradman and playing now. highest score in first class sively directed at the adminis- with the opener making his resistance from the Indian Brian Lara have scored more An untiring critic of cricket. trators of the sport, rather maiden hundred. Then towards lower order as they denied double hundreds than the Sri Muralitharan, Bedi has repeatedly Sri Lanka recovered to post than dealing with the actual the end, the tail wagged as Muralitharan his 800th wicket Lankan. called him a "chucker" and asked 267 and set the Indians a target game itself. While this maybe a Malinga and Rangana Herath for some 20 odd overs. Sri Lanka posted 642 for the ICC to ban the bowler's "doosra" of 257 to win. clear case of administrators added 115 runs for the eighth Eventually it all ended accord- four with Mahela Jayawardene as it was illegal. At stumps, they reduced trying to divert the attention of wicket before declaring on 520. ing to the script, when Mahela and Paranavithana also mak- The former opening batsman also India to 53 for three. With those journalists who investi- That partnership proved to Jayawardene caught Pragyan ing hundreds and India praised all-rounder Suraj Randiv Sehwag too back in the pavil- gate mass scale corruption be crucial and in a game where Ojha at first slip to give the required more than 400 runs to and hoped that the 25-year-old takes ion without troubling the scor- within the administration of one and half days were lost to bowler his 800th scalp. India avoid the follow on. Sachin inspiration from Muralitharan to ers, Sri Lanka were fancying the sport, it invariably happens rain, it helped Sri Lanka to were bowled out for 338, setting Tendulkar, hadn't made a hun- improve his off-spin skills. "Randiv their chances as India required due to the inefficiency of offi- enforce the follow-on after the Sri Lankans a target of 94 dred on Sri Lankan soil for 11 had a great start to his career and 204 runs with seven wickets in cials who are an hindrance for India were dismissed for 276 in and they got there in the 15th years and he was too good a he should develop something new in hand on the final day. the smooth running of the their first innings. over without losing a wicket. batsman to miss out. The star his armour like Murali did. He Sri Lanka had an opportu- team. A century by Virender After all the excitement in Indian batsman was dropped would do well, I am certain," said nity to further tighten the The whole episode regard- Sehwag (109) and Yuvraj Galle, the second Test at SSC on 29 by wicketkeeper the cricketer-turned-commentator. screws in the eighth over of ing the number one rank in Singh's 52 were the only note- ended in a dull draw on a track Prasanna Jayawardene and he Speaking about the just-conclud- the morning with the total on Test cricket wasn't properly worthy performances as India that was the worst advertise- went on to score a double hun- ed three-match Test series against 67 for four when Sachin understood by the cricket offi- collapsed, losing their last five ment for Test cricket. The dred, his fifth in Tests. India, Atapattu said that the good Tendulkar offered a catch to cials and it was yet another wickets for 24 runs. In his last National Curator of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka only needed a scores registered by Sri Lankans forward short leg. The hosts embarrassment for Nishantha Test, Muralaitharan made an Anurudda Polonowita was draw at P. Sara Oval to win the proved that the country's batting had stationed their best fielder, Ranatunga, Secretary of the impact, claiming a five wicket passing the buck, blaming the series 1-0 and with Lasith order is now able to handle a strong Dilshan, in that position Cricket Interim Committee, haul in the first innings. teams for having weaker bowl- Malinga returning, a draw pace attack. instead of Paranavithana, who after it was revealed that at the Following on, the experi- ing attacks, but probably would have been the last thing "In the early 80s through to the end of month of July, the rank- enced duo of Sachin Tendulkar knows within himself that hav- in their minds, on a track had fielded there the entire series and he failed to hang on 90s people had doubts whether the ings were updated annually. and Rahul Dravid were carving ing aspired for many roles which probably suited fast Sri Lankans could play genuine fast Talking of the actual series, out what possibly could have within the administration bowlers. to the chance. Tendulkar was eventually bowling. The local fans, as well as the euphoria in Galle during been a draw. ranging from Board President The failure to win the those playing, thought first of the With half an hour to go for (he contested the 2001 Board series is due to Sri Lanka's dismissed for 54, but V.V.S. the first Test was simply a once strengths of the opposition fast stumps on day four, India had Elections), coach, Chairman of poor performance with the bat Laxman, batting with back in a life time opportunity. men. Recall when Duleep Mendis moved to 161 for two with Selectors, to curator that it's in the second innings of the spasms, stroked an unbeaten The Galle District Cricket and Sunil Wettimuny were felled by Tendulkar looking solid on 79 impossible for one to master all final Test and they will regret 103, his 16th Test hundred and Association and its Secretary the Australians? and Dravid on 44 and the pair aspects of the game.