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Lanka halfway there
Afp, Colombo
THE ROOKIE: Sri Lankan paceman Dhammika Prasad (C), playing in his debut Test, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of India's Gautam Gambhir (unseen) on the third day of the third and final Test at the P Sara Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. Photo: AFPSri Lanka tightened the screw on India with a superb all-round performance on the third day of the crucial third and final Test here on Sunday.The hosts were indebted to debutant fast bowler Dammika Prasad and Kumar Sangakkara for boosting their hopes of clinching the series as India struggled to 161-5 in their second innings at stumps.That meant India were just 14 runs ahead with five wickets in hand. Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 46 and Venkatsai Laxman on 17 not out.The series is tied at 1-1, with Sri Lanka winning the opening Test by an innings and 239 runs and India posting a 170-run victory in the second match.Sri Lanka were bowled out for 396 in the afternoon in reply to India's modest first-innings total of 249, with left-handed Sangakkara making a solid 144 for his 17th Test century.Unorthodox Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis (2-39) broke Englishman Alec Bedser's record of 24 wickets in a three-Test debut series. Mendis has bagged 25 wickets in the ongoing series.Prasad ended India's early flourish when he dismissed stroke-happy openers Virender Sehwag (34) and Gautam Gambhir (26) in successive overs.Sehwag was caught by Thilan Samaraweera at gully, while Gambhir inside-edged a delivery on to his stumps while attempting to pull. The pair added 62 off just 10.4 overs.India were without Ishant Sharma in the morning as the fast bowler was unfit to bowl after falling on his follow-through in Saturday's last session.The injuries to Sachin Tendulkar and Laxman forced under-pressure India to change their batting order.Tendulkar batted down the order after suffering an elbow injury on Saturday and Laxman made his appearance with a runner (Gambhir) after twisting his ankle during practice before the second day's play.Sourav Ganguly (18) batted ahead of Tendulkar, but did not last long as he was adjudged leg-before off spinner Muttiah Muralidaran by umpire Mark Benson of England.The batsman requested the official to review his decision under a new experimental rule which is on trial in the ongoing series.The rule allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.Benson's initial decision turned out to be correct when he consulted TV umpire Billy Doctrove of the West Indies.Tendulkar (14) also fell in a similar manner, but off Mendis, to remain without a half-century in the series, like Ganguly.The match was evenly-poised on Saturday, but Sri Lanka gained the upper hand in the morning when they added 101 to their overnight total of 251-6 for the loss of just one wicket.Sangakkara, 107 overnight, added 80 for the seventh wicket with Prasanna Jayawardene (49) against a depleted Indian attack. He hit 14 fours in his 288-ball knock before being caught behind.India's hopes of bouncing back into the game rested on early wickets, but their bowling options were limited in the absence of Sharma.The tourists struggled even against lower-order batsmen Jayawardene and Prasad (36), who batted defiantly to extend their team's lead.India's fielding also left a lot to be desired as extra runs were given away and a couple of run-out chances missed.
One of several CNG filling stations between Kanchpur Bridge and Jatrabari of the capital which BNP big shots built on the Kutubkhali canal, drastically reducing Dhaka's drainage capability. PHOTO: STAR
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