Sri Lanka hammered home the advantage of winning the toss and batting first on a rather placid track on the first day of the first Test match between India and Sri Lanka at Galle. Sri Lanka ended a rain-curtailed first day’s play at 256/2 at the end of the 68th overs and ensured that the Lankans held all the aces going into the second day.
Toss has always been crucial in Sri Lanka, and with a bowling line-up that India had, there was no doubting that it was going to prove a vital cog in the game. As it turned out, Sri Lanka hammered home the advantage of winning the toss and getting off to a flier.imageĂŹshant Sharma:Disappointing day at the office>
Not for a moment did the Sri Lankan openers allow the Indian bowling to settle down. Ishant Sharma went for aplenty in his opening overs and despite debutant Abhimanyu Mithun looking good enough, the runs leaked rather easily. Tillakaratne Dilshan was at his explosive best, but what was good to watch was that even Tharanga Paranavitana did not allow the bowlers any mercy.
The pair added 55 in ten overs – and yes, this was a Test match – and looked to be running away with the game, before a couple of bouncers from Mithun softened Dilshan and he feathered one to the wicket-keeper. The Indians celebrated, but little did they realise that it would be their last celebration for a long, long time!
Kumar Sangakkara joined Paranavitana and the pair had hardly any difficulties taking the Indian bowling on. There was enough humidity in the atmosphere to sap the pace bowlers, whereas the spinners weren’t as effective as they would have been on a fourth or a fifth day wicket. Harbhajan had just been recovering from flu, and looked a pale shadow of himself, and also went back into the dressing room to take a break while Pragyan Ojha pitched it a little too short on more occasions than one.
Both the batsmen, Sangakkara and Paranavitana got to their centuries, and it was only a rather soft dismissal of the Sri Lankan captain for 103 that pegged the Lankans back a little. However, by then, Sri Lanka had reached 236/2 and looked good for a 500-plus score. Mahela Jayawardene came in next but did not have much to do as the game was called off early due to the bad light.
Paranavitana remained unbeaten on 110 whereas Jayawardene was on eight when the stumps were drawn and the Lankans ended the day on 256/2.