What began as a decent session for Sri Lanka on Friday (August 14), with an 87-run stand for the fourth wicket between Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews, turned into a downright nightmare as R Ashwin and Amit Mishra took a wicket each — and could have had one or two more — to leave the side tottering at 108 for 5 at lunch on the third day of the first Test against India at Galle.
The home side were still trailing India by 84 runs, with Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne unbeaten on 10 and 4 respectively.
If Sri Lanka were looking down the barrel at 5 for 2 on Thursday evening, when they slipped to 5 for 3 — Dhammika Prasad perishing to a Varun Aaron bouncer off the first ball of the morning — a three-day finish looked very much on the cards.
But Aaron and Ishant soon got carried away with the short ball strategy, allowing Sangakkara and Mathews to settle as boundary balls were all but gift-wrapped to the batsmen.
Virat Kohli plugged one end, tossing the ball to Ashwin in the 11th over but though he was getting appreciable bounce and turn, the batsmen looked more assured and were willing to take him on. Mathews, in particular, was the more dynamic of the two, taking Sri Lanka past the 50-run mark with a six over mid-on.
But just as the partnership was looking threatening, Ajinkya Rahane pulled off a brilliant catch at slip to remove Sangakkara for a 70-ball 40. One wicket begat another as Mishra, replacing Harbhajan Singh in the 26th over, had Mathews out for a 63-ball 39 at silly point eight balls later.
It was as if Sri Lanka were batting on a minefield as Chandimal then attempted a sweep, only managing to loop the ball to backward short leg. Kohli and co looked astonished that Bruce Oxenford, the umpire, remained unmoved. Replays suggested that the ball had brushed the toe end of the bat.
Two more close calls were turned down, both off Mishra, with Thirimanne reprieved off an inside edge that went to pad and into silly point’s hands – but if the last few moments were anything to go by, Sri Lanka face a tough battle to last the day. (WISDEN)
