Lankans seize initiative

• The pens will be out quicker than daggers in self-defence. Obituaries of the batting quartet are certain to appear as India sit embarrassingly close to another crushing defeat on the back of an insipid and inept batting display that even the pair who batted an entire day in Kolkata in 2001 to revive Indian cricket might not be enough at the crease to alter the fate of the third Test here.
• V.V.S. Laxman, with Gautam Gambhir as runner, survived 32 nervy minutes in the company of Rahul Dravid as India hung on to fight another day at 161/5, an effective score of just 14.
  
• Dravid who is under tremendous pressure to live to his high standards was unbeaten on a polished 46.
• After their tardiness allowed Sri Lanka to post 396 in their first innings, India were on the back foot.
  
• With two more days left the script looks firmly in favour of the hosts.
• Virender Sehwag and Gambhir gave India a cracking start, something they had done consistently this series, their 50 coming in 49 balls but soon Sehwag’s uppish square cut and Gambhir’s ill advised pull, both against Dhammika Prasad, proved fatal.
• With two frontline batsmen on the injured list and the openers not taking up the responsibility fully, Sourav Ganguly walked in much earlier than expected at four. The only period of reasonable resistance came from the two men who had stated their Test career together at Lord’s 12 years ago. Dravid and Ganguly added 43 runs in 15.2 overs to offer a semblance of promise.
• After surviving a referral, Ganguly paid the price for trying to effect the sweep to a delivery pitched within the stumps and fullish in length. Parthiv Patel, promoted in the order by compulsion, looked mystified during his short stay.
• Ajantha Mendis trapped him with the carom ball to draw level with Sir Alec Bedser as the highest wicket taker for a debutant in a three Test series. He surpassed that tally with the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar later. It was also the first time Mendis had the measure of Tendulkar in six innings.
• Mahela Jayawardene went for the referral twice in the same over bowled by Muralitharan against Tendulkar. It was clear the ball pitched marginally outside the line of leg stump on both occasions. Tendulkar failed to learn and was sent back when he offered no shot to Mendis to a delivery that pitched on off stump.
• Earlier India extended all possible help to Sri Lanka when they set out to further extend their two-run lead. The lack of intensity was appalling.
• Singles were allowed freely and there was hardly a fielder who looked like saving them.
• Kumar Sangakkara started the day with a few delectable square cuts while Prasanna Jayawardene proved why his batting is held in high esteem by the locals.
• Kumble grew grumpy and there was nothing much left in terms of innovation he could usher.
• The non-availability of Ishant Sharma, who could not recover in time from his injury, was a costly loss.
• The bite was lacking as runs were collected with a measure of comfort. The effort of Prasanna added to Sangakkara’s confidence. Two shots from the wicket keeper lit up the Stadium. A well controlled pull off Zaheer Khan followed by a splendid cover drive off Kumble were the best that flowed. Sangakkara was neatly pouched by Parthiv who looked safe behind the stumps. The centurion followed the wrong one and duly nicked it.
• The pair had added 80 runs to push India out of the match. Sangakkara’s disciplined effort — more than seven hours at the crease — fully deserved the standing ovation he received from the knowledgeable Tamil Union clubhouse.
• What followed was pure misery for India. Dammika Prasad used the long handle to good effect carting Zaheer and Kumble for a few boundaries. Prasanna who had a well deserved half-century in sight timed his flick too well for his own comfort and Harbhajan Singh took a well judged catch at deep square leg.
• Mendis joined Dammika and the rubbing of salt into the wounds continued.
• A 29-run partnership for the ninth wicket was the last thing India would have wanted on a day on which nothing went right. Kumble wrapped up the innings by trapping Mendis in front.
• A lead of 147 was achieved and India quietly trooped of fully aware they had little chance of coming back to bowl with a competitive target in place.