Boys in Blue easy prey for Lankans

Just as important were the 27.5 overs bowled by spinners Muralitharan, Chandana and Dilshan. They collected five of the wickets to fall and turned up the pressure from the moment Yuvraj threw it away with an impetuous attempt to clear the boundary.

Followed as it was by the run-out of Rahul Dravid through sharp thinking and efficient ground fielding, Sri Lanka confirmed their status among the top limited overs sides.

Atapattu switched the spinners and bowled them in tandem to retain the overall pressure on the visitors, strangling their efforts each time they threatened to nose in front. Chandana’s tidy leg-spin and the off-spin mix from Murali and Dilshan tightened the noose.

Sri Lanka were given an early lifeline when Sanath Jayasuriya, on 19, offered a chance that was meant for Sehwag but Dhoni fumbled by getting in the way. It happens, of course, but it again showed up the 24-year-old’s general low key tour.

A scoreline of 50 for three would have been decidedly indigestible for a massive crowd waving their Sri Lanka flags inside the stadium, already bouncing to the lively jive beat of the bands around the venue.

Sri Lanka had deviated from the plot with all-rounder Dilhara Lokuhettige promoted to three and just as quickly giving way to Sangakkara. It is why the wicket of Jayasuriya at this stage would have left a gaping hole in the top order run scoring becoming a premium.

What did follow Jayasuriya’s dismissal was perhaps the most entertaining batting of the series. Jayawardene and Arnold had fun and rotated the strike, galloping along in what was an object lesson of intuitive understanding between two batsmen with 320 caps between them.

Jayawardene was relaxed and composed and as fluent as he was in scoring his masterful undefeated 94 in Dambulla a week ago.

They knew all too well the importance placed on their partnership to keep the Sri Lanka machine rolling along at a consistent pace. There were only nine boundaries between them as they made most of every scoring opportunity. They were not going to surrender their wickets that easy.

It was smart tactics and left India pressed hard and desperate to make the breakthrough. When it came, the score was three runs short of 250 with overs in hand.