Sri Lanka lose despite Karunaratne’s magnificent 141
Sri Lanka failed to live up to the acid test of foiling India despite a magnificent 141 by opener Dimuth Karunaratne with all over before tea by 2.35 p.m. at the SSC on the penultimate day of the second test match on Saturday. The innings and 53-run triumph gave India the series with the third and final Test match to be played next week at Pallekelle.
Karunaratne’s six Test ton off 307 balls and in 366 minutes containing 16 boundaries was a characteristically endurance personification that sets apart specialist opening batsmen. An effort that won praise from Sri Lankan skipper, Dinesh Chandimal who said in the post-match press briefing that it was one of the best innings he had seen in recent years.
Having taken strike yesterday soon after lunch with Sri Lanka following on and watched his partner Upul Tharanga depart on zero total, the left hander, who posted a face saving 191-run second wicket alliance with Kusal Mendis, continued the rearguard defiance of the Indian bowling attack going in to lunch with a well compiled century. When lunch was taken he was on 136 and Angelo Mathews on 28 with the total reading 302 for 4 wickets. Nightwatchman Malinda Pushpakumara had perished by an unwanted stroke just when he was shaping up well and looking at ease having struck three consecutive boundaries in an over. With the total on 238 he opted for a reverse sweep to Ashwin to see his stump knocked down. In the situation when occupation of the crease was the name of the game in effect, Pushpakumara had undone the good work thus far. He made 16 off 58 balls inclusive of 3 boundaries. Skipper Dinesh Chadimal lasted only six balls for 2 runs edging to second slip Rahane off Jadeja.
The post lunch session was decisively crucial to Sri Lanka of saving the match with the former St. Joseph’s College duo of Karunaratne and Mathews at the wicket. The pair had added 69 for the fifth wicket with Mathews having countered with some aggressive shots piercing the boundary thrice and a lusty six. But once again when a partnership was looking ominous India struck with Karunaratne being prised out by Jadeja as he top edged the spinner to Rahane. Soon after Mathews departed for 36 caught by Saha off Jadeja. It marked the triggering of India’s post-lunch all spin new ball control courtesy Jadeja and Ashwin as Sri Lanka lost 6 wickets for 84 runs by the 80th over. R.A. Jadeja’s 5 for 132 earned him the Man of the Match award.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, in the post-match media confab reasoned that for all the planning, his team had been thoroughly outplayed by the number one team in the world. But he hoped Sri Lanka would strive to bleed India in the third test which would be boost. Indian skipper Virat Kohli said that India’s victory was a result of the Team’s resolute planning of meeting any situation to come on top. One such was going for 600-plus first innings totals to pressurize the opposition. The two test wins against Sri Lanka had proved it. Towards that end, the batting nucleus dipped strong from the middle to the lower order. Pujara was a batsman of special mention for the depth he brought in the middle order. India’s success story was sheer hard work. Pujara had raised his game having worked on improving his batting in the last 15 months. Pandya was another strong lynchpin down the order to beefing up the batting.
“We knew once we took the new ball that we could wrap up things”, Kohli contended on that winning note.
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
