India take on Sri Lanka on Day 4 of the third and final Test in Colombo. (Source: Reuters)
India, after setting a 386-run target for Sri Lanka, reduced the hosts to 67/3 on Day 4 to take the upper hand in the third and final Test. Ishant Sharma took two while Umesh Yadav claimed one wicket late in the day. Earlier, India resumed the day at 67/3, India lost Virat Kohli early but Rohit Sharma scored a fifty and shared crucial stands with Stuart Binny (49) and Naman Ojha. R Ashwin (56) and Amit Mishra (39) then extended the lead over 350 runs before India were all out for 274.
As it happened…
1740 hrs IST: STUMPS! Sri Lanka end Day 4 at 67/3 as bad light forces an early close. They are still 319 runs short of their target. Ishant took two wickets for India while Umesh Yadav chipped in with one.
1730 hrs IST: India spinners asking some questions to Sri Lanka batsmen but no success.
1715 hrs IST: 50 up for Sri Lanka. They have lost three wickets in pursuit of 386
1705 hrs IST: Yadav is leaking runs in the middle. He has been all over the place this session
1700 hrs IST: Mathews and Silva doing a fine recovery job for the hosts after early hiccup
1645 hrs IST: WICKET! Ishant is on fire. Gets rid of Chandimal and follows it up with a very animated celebration. Chandimal edged it to Rahul, who fumbled but Kohli took it on the rebound
1635 hrs IST: Chandimal launches a counter-attack. India, Yadav won’t mind him driving away from the body
1624 hrs IST: WICKET! Umesh rewarded for a fiery little spell. Finds Karunaratne’s edge, Ojha does the rest behind the stumps. Sri Lanka struggling at 2/2 in stiff chase.
10 min read
When the 1st innings in Galle produced opening partnerships of 15 & 14, did you think those would be the highest of the series?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1613 hrs IST: WICKET! Ishant rewarded for a brilliant first over. Finds Tharanga’s edge, Ojha takes a regulation catch behind the stumps. Sri Lanka off to poor start. 1/1
1610 hrs IST: Sri Lanka openers are out in the middle. Ishant with the new ball for India
1557 hrs IST: WICKET! R Ashwin out for 58. India all out for 274 and set Sri Lanka a 386-run target in the third.
Clearly what was said on the field was worse than what it looked like.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1552 hrs IST: A series of short balls from Prasad to Ishant. Aggression from both the players and it turns ugly after Ishant gestures to Prasad. Chandimal joins in and Ashwin tries to cool things down but things get heated up. Mathews and umpire Nigel Long calm things.
1545 hrs IST: WICKET! Umesh Yadav skies it and Rangana Herath takes good catch at fine-leg. India lose their 9th wicket with the lead being 380.
1535 hrs IST: R Ashwin and Umesh Yadav slowly and steadily carrying the innings.
1525 hrs IST: R Ashwin looking for quick runs now.
1500 hrs IST: Tea on Day 4. Ashwin and Yadav will resume for India after 20 minutes.
1455 hrs IST: WICKET! Sharp work by Kaushal Silva at short-leg ends Mishra’s fighting hand. India 234/8. Lead over Sri Lanka worth 345 now
1450 hrs IST: Mishra brings up the 50-run partnership with Ashwin. The duo scoring some crucial runs, and pushing India’s lead over Sri Lanka
1437 hrs IST: Ashwin is using his feet well against the spinners. Getting to the pitch of the ball and working around for singles
1433 hrs IST: With Tea just round the corner, Ashwin and Mishra just nudging the ball around.
1422 hrs IST: India bring up their 200. Lead now 314.
If they keep going the same way, the batting averages of Ashwin and Mishra could be crossing paths soon #SLvIND #INDvsSL @IExpressSports
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) August 31, 2015
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1406 hrs IST: India stretch the lead to 300. Ashwin and Mishra slowly making progress.
1355 hrs IST: That must have hurt. A sharp Pradeep bouncer directed on the body hits Mishra on the shoulder. The right-hander was in no position to either play or leave that delivery
1346 hrs IST: Sri Lanka have their tails up now and would like to wrap the Indian team at the earliest
1345 hrs IST: Ojha did all the hard work but blew a good opportunity, on debut
1340 hrs IST: WICKET! Ojha (35), who was looking good for a big score today, attempts a wild shot off Herath and presents an easy catch to Karunaratne at covers. India 179/7
1315 hrs IST: After a fifty in the first innings, Amit Mishra comes out to bat ahead of R Ashwin
Crucial contribution from Stuart Binny. Has had a good test match so far.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1313 hrs IST: WICKET! Dhammika Prasad finds Stuart Binny’s edge and he will miss his half century by a whisker.
1257 hrs IST: 150 up for India in the 42nd over. Binny 42* and Ojha 26*
1245 hrs IST: The lead in excess of 250 now. Binny and Ojha all at ease in the middle
1240 hrs IST: The two teams are out in the middle for the afternoon session. Spinner Kaushal to commence proceedings
Clearly India’s session but by getting Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Sri Lanka have ensured they aren’t out of this one yet.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1200 hrs IST: Lunch has been taken at SSC. India end the session at 132/5, lead over Sri Lanka 243 runs now. Binny and Ojha will commence proceedings in the afternoon session
1151 hrs IST: It was a good knock, but could have been BIG
Blew it……..Was a big opportunity……Good hand in the circumstances but bigger goal spurned. #Rohit
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js1150 hrs IST: Rohit did all the hard work but threw it away against the run of play
Not sure whether anyone’s divided opinions in Indian cricket like Rohit has since maybe Greg Chappell #SLvIND #INDvsSL @IExpressSports
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) August 31, 2015
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1140 hrs IST: WICKET! Rohit miscues a pull off Prasad to Pradeep in the deep. Out for a well-made 50
1138 hrs IST: Rohit brings up his fourth Test fifty. Brilliant knock under pressure, in testing conditions
1127 hrs IST: 100 up for India. Binny and Rohit doing a fine job for the visitors. Scoring some very crucial runs
These Binny runs are hurting Sri Lanka now but they are just right for Rohit Sharma.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1124 hrs IST: Binny dances down the track, misses, so does the keeper. Easy stumping chance there. The right-hander going after everything in the middle
4th inns totals@ SSC 397/10 NZ 2009 L 391/3 SL v Pak 2009 D 337/4 Pak 2006 D 326/5 SL v Zim 1998 W 285/5 Pak 1997 D 281/5 Ind 1997 D #IndvSL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 31, 2015
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1118 hrs IST: And, the lead crosses the 200-run mark. Still six wickets in hand, India should look at lead in excess of 300 from here now
1116 hrs IST: Binny is playing his shots in the middle. Positive cricket from the all-rounder
1110 hrs IST: Very important innings for Stuart Binny. He needs some runs under his belt. Has been very ordinary with the bat so far in the series.
That cover drive……Gee this Rohit can bat!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1053 hrs IST: Brilliant over by Pradeep, persisted on that line outside off-stump troubling new man Stuart Binny.
1047 hrs IST: WICKET! Nuwan Pradeep swings it a bit and Virat Kohli edges it straight to the slips.
1035 hrs IST: That’s 50-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the 4th wicket.
It is not much good possessing talent if you cannot summon it when needed.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1030 hrs IST: That’s 50 for India and their lead is now 161.
1028 hrs IST: Huge shout by Mathews&Co. and Rohit Sharma survives yet another LBW appeal.
1011 hrs IST: Spinner into the attack, Herath needs to break this stand.
1009 hrs IST: Virat Kohli is very slow to get off the blocks. Kohli is at 8 and played 30 balls for that. Rohit on other hand is at 15 off just 22 balls.
Fabulous day’s test cricket in prospect. Opportunity to show skill in demanding conditions. Performers can’t ask for more. #SLvsInd
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 31, 2015
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1004 hrs IST: Virat Kohli miscued this one from Dhammika Prasad but didn’t carry to the fielder.
0957 hrs IST: Huge shout! But umpire not interested. Prasad bowls an in-swinger and hits the pads of Sharma who looked clueless!
0951 hrs IST: Virat Kohli looking good, a solid back-foot defence and then lunges forward to drive Prasad through the covers.
0946 hrs IST: India 21/3, another wicket can cause trouble here.
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Day 3 Recap
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