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InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | in-depth coverage > India-Sri Lanka Test Series 2005 > Laxman, Harbhajan put India on top 19.33 IST 19th Dec 2005 By Agencies 
India wrested control of the third Test against Sri Lanka with VVS Laxman ensuring a good first innings total and Harbhajan Singh picking four quick wickets on the second day in Ahmedabad today.Laxman struck 104 and joined forces with Irfan Pathan, who made 82, to lift India to a healthy first innings score of 398 at the Motera ground. It was then the turn of Harbhajan to steal the thunder, the off-spinner sending back four Lankan batsman in the space of 30 balls, two of them in successive balls, to leave the visitors tottering at 131/5 at close on an extended day's play. Laxman played the sheet anchor's role to perfection and batted almost till lunch after which the Indian tail wagged vigorously until being dismissed 40 minutes before Tea. Sri Lanka's first essay was wrecked by Harbhajan who dismissed captain Marvan Atapattu (40), Mahela Jaywardene (0), Thilan Samaraweera (1), who foiled the Indian bowler's hat-trick attempt, and Kumar Sangakkara (41) while giving away just nine runs in 11 overs. Lanka, comfortably placed at 74/1 one stage, slumped to 105/5 in just over ten overs after the Punjab bowler came on to bowl in the 20th over of the innings. At stumps, Tillekaratne Dilshan was batting on 27 with Jehan Mubarak on 11. The visitors were 68 runs short of avoiding the follow on a wicket showing signs of sharp turn and bounce. Overall, they trail India by 267 runs with five wickets in hand. The morning belonged to Laxman, who came as one-down batsman and saw four other top order batsmen fall with only 97 on board yesterday. But the stylish Hyderabadi held fort and shepherded the hosts to a challenging score. The 31-year-old right-hander pulled it around with a concerted effort and by the time he was dismissed, India were bailed out of trouble. Laxman's ninth Test century, which came in 251 balls and 401 minutes, contained 14 fours. He had rallied India yesterday with an 86-run stand with Mahendra Dhoni (49) for the sixth wicket and today put on a century stand (125) with Pathan, who supported his senior partner diligently in making 82 with 12 fours in 221 minutes. Laxman, who was unbeaten on 71 overnight in a total of 247 for six, reached the three-figure mark with a delicate glance for four off Lankan medium pacer Farveez Maharoof. His last century had come on the tour of Zimbabwe in the first Test at Bulawayo in September and it was also the right-handed batsman's maiden three-figure effort in four Tests against the Lankans. Laxman was castled by Maharoof, armed with the second new ball that was taken belatedly after 92 overs. But the visitors' hopes of cutting short the innings after his dismissal before Lunch at 308 was thwarted by the Indian tail as the innings prospered till well into the second session. On the forefront of this defiance was Pathan, overnight 39, who added 37 runs with Ajit Agarkar (26) while making his second successive half-century of the series following his gritty 93 as an opener at Delhi in the second Test. Pathan was trapped leg before by the economical and accurate Maharoof while playing half cock. In all he faced 162 balls and struck 12 fours. Agarkar and Kumble (21) got involved in a stand of 39 runs for the ninth wicket before the Indians were bowled out. Thus the lower order put on 301 runs after the top half had been packed off yesterday with only 97 on board. Muralitharan and Malinga bagged three wickets apiece for the visitors. Maharoof was also rewarded for his perseverance with two wickets while Bandara also picked up a brace. The tourists had a shock start with Upul Tharanga unable to take his bat away to a sharply lifting and seaming away delivery from Pathan and edging it to keeper Dhoni to leave Lanka at 14/1. The post-tea period saw Atapattu negotiating new ball bowlers Agarkar and Pathan beautifully with superb strokes in front, apart from playing Kumble too without much ado. But the introduction of Harbhajan, who has not done anything extraordinary in the series so far, changed the complexion of the game totally. While Jayawardene and Samaraweera were caught in the leg trap by Mohammad Kaif, captain Atapattu and Sangakkara, who both were batting well in scoring 40 and 41 respectively, were lured into playing the injudicious sweep shots and dismissed. Atapattu was caught off a top edge at square leg after staying for 106 minutes and hitting six fours while Sangakkara, with whom the former put on 60 runs for the second wicket, was bowled round his legs after batting for 131 minutes and facing 91 balls. Sri Lanka still trail by 267 runs in their first innings at Stumps on Day Two and they have just five wickets in hand. in-depth coverage > India-Sri Lanka Test Series 2005 > |
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