Lanka set for big total in first Test against India

T V Sriram
Galle (Sri Lanka), July 18 (PTI) Captain Kumar Sangakkara
and Tharanga Paranavitana struck centuries as Sri Lanka laid
the foundation for a mammoth first innings total in the first
cricket Test against a lacklustre India here on Sunday.
Sangakkara (103) notched up his 22nd century while
Paranavitana (110 batting) scored his maiden ton as the hosts
exposed India's toothless bowling attack to pile up a
comfortable 256 for two at close on a rain-truncated opening
day.
Electing to bat, the Sri Lankan batsmen capitalised on
easy batting conditions at the Galle International Stadium to
take control of the match which is star spinner Muttiah
Muralitharan's swansong Test.
Paranavitana and Mahela Jayawardene (8) were at the
crease when play was called off shortly after the tea break
because of rain.
It turned out to be a miserable day for the Indians with
a depleted bowling attack struggling to make any impact on the
Sri Lankan batsmen who scored at a brisk pace. The hosts could
have been in a far more comfortable position had bad light and
rain not deprived them off 21 overs during the day.
Sangakkara and Paranavitana captalised on a solid start of
91 for one at lunch and the duo treated the hapless Indian
bowling attack with disdain by sharing 181 runs for the second
wicket in exactly 51 overs to take the game away from the
visitors.
India removed Sangakkara early in the final session,
holing out to Sachin Tendulkar off part-timer Virender Sehwag
at Sri Lankan score of 236 for two but Jayawardene and
Paranavitana ensured that they did not lose any more wickets.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (25) was the only Sri Lankan batsman
who fell in the morning session to Abhimanyu Mithun,
his first Test scalp.
Sangaakkara's 103 came from 145 balls with the help of 12
fours and it was his fourth century against India. He also
went past West Indian Gordon Gneenidge and Englishman Colin
Cowdrey to become the 23rd most prolific batsman.
The Indian attack without strike bowler Zaheer Khan and S
Sreesanth due to injuries, were at the receiving end of a
solid Sri Lankan batting display and went wicketless in the
whole of the extended second session. They conceded 137
runs in 38 overs bowled in the session.
To compound the matters for India, their most experienced
bowler Harbhajan Singh suffered from after effects of a bout
of flu and apparently a hamstring problem. He went off the
field mid-way into the post-lunch session but returned after
about 20 minutes. More PTI TVS
MYR


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