Cold shower on the high-voltage contest

What the abandonment means is that local television, already heavily criticised for its handling of such a prestige event with unnecessary intrusive add breaks, have a second chance to create further advertising resistance to the products on display. It also means that the first prize of US$300,000 along with the silver trophy, is held over for another day and the more than half-million dollars earned with winning the two preliminary round games and the semi-final would add a nice gilt edge to the winners purse.

At 14/0, with Virender Sehwag essaying two boundaries: first to third man and next to fine leg, it was the start India had wanted, but the rain declined to cooperate.

Under the Duckworth/Lewis system the team playing second is naturally penalised: this time it was to the extent that Sri Lanka’s 244/5 was recalculated to India’s disadvantage. This is far from ideal and should it be needed for tomorrow’s (Monday’s) reserve day, it would be an advantage to bat first.

India made three changes to the side which had beaten South Africa in the semi-final in the mid-week game and the question of whether Javagal Srinath being included was a wise one raised more than a couple of Mumbai eyebrows. In fact there were more serious question marks around the choices of all-rounder Ajit Agarkar and batsman Dinseh Mongia.

It had been argued that while Agarkar bowls the odd ball which takes a wicket, Mongia coming in for an out-of-form Venkata Sai Laxman. Just how odd are the deliveries which take wickets is a matter between Agarkar and Saurav Ganguly. Giving away 22 runs in his first four overs was not quite what Ganguly had in mind either.

It was not until Harbhajan Singh was introduced in the 11th over that Sri Lanka’s batting ran into problems. His accuracy and teasing length and that of Sehwag provided the brake India needed to apply.

De Silva, dropped twice off successive deliveries from Sehwag’s bowling must have wonderd if it was not a deliberate ploy to give him a chance to play a meaningful role in the Sri Lanka effort.

Jayasuriya did what he could to keep the scoreboard moving until Harbhajan Singh pulled off a fine running dive to take the bottom edge and from that point it was a matter of keeping a tight rein in the strikerate. At least Sangakkara this time managed to reach the half-century.

Somehow Sri Lanka had lost their way. If anyone was lined up for Man of the match it would have been Harbhajan. His 3/26 at least gave the selectors what they needed and with Sehwag adding to the Sri Lanka problems, the target of 245 was more than manageable. Only no one can legislate against rain.