Jayasuriya, Aravinda devour Indian attack

By close of the penultimate day of the second Test, Navjot Sidhu survived an anxious moment against Chaminda Vaas. Sidhu was fortunate that his edge bisected the wicket-keeper and first slip. Ajay Jadeja exploited the large untenanted areas of the ground because of the attacking field to help India’s cause.

It was another highly disappointing day for India on the tour. Even a cursory look at the Indian bowling and fielding gives one the feeling that the India colours comes far too easily these days. The bowling not only lacks the penetration but also imagination and innovation. Unless some radical measures are taken to replace the apparent out of form players, India will continue to find ways and means of plumbing new depths. In fact, no international team has looked so defeatist in recent years as this Indian team on this tour.

And against the professional of Sri Lanka, who have honed their skills with admirable work ethics, the Indians are like lambs before predators. Once Roshan Mahanama was out to a soft dismissal, the day belonged to Jaysuriya and Aravinda. They created a one-day situation by tea, at which time they were on 149 and 57 respectively in Lanka’s total of 282 for 2.

Jaysuriya needed 51 runs in 39 balls at tea to beat Ian Botham’s best record of the fastest double hundred (220 balls vs India at Oval in 1982). “I was not aware of the record. I came to know of it only after I got out,” he said later.

He could still have been the second fastest by beating Gordon Greenidge’s double ton off 232 balls against England at Lord’s in 1984.

Jaysuriya was on 199 when Tendulkar had nine men in a ring to prevent the one. Jayasuriya decided to go over the top, swung at Abey Kuruvilla and was bowled.

The 218-run third wicket between Jayasuriya and Aravinda eclipsed the previous highest of 176 for the third wicket between Chanidka Hathurusinghe and Aravinda against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1995-96.

Jayasuriya, however, passed another milestone today by crossing 1000 runs in 1997. His tally before this innings was 915 from 14 innings. Lanka lost two more quick wickets with the run outs of Ranatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana, which acted as a setback to their pursuit of quick runs.

Aravinda, however, sustained the pressure from one end and in the process got his second century of the match. It was the second time in his career that he was achieving the feat. He had earlier scored 138 not out and 103 not out in a Test against Pakistan earlier this year.

He joins the select band of players like Sunil Gavaskar, Clyde Walcott, Herbett Sutcliff, George Headley, Greg Chappell and Allan Border who have all done it more than once. Gavaskar is the only batsman to do it on three occasions.

Aravinda’s aggression suffered only in comparison to Jayarusiya’s at one point of his innings he literally walked out to tackle Kuruvilla. But it was certainly not one of his better innings. He could have been out on four had Anil Kumble reacted with better alacrity. Mohanty was the bowler to suffer.

Mohanty himself could not capitalise on two hot return chances offered by Aravinda when he was on 47 and 50.

Aravinda, too, came close to completing 1,000 runs in this year. His tally now stands at 873 runs.

India have the necessary batting ammunition to go for the target and emerge successful. The track is still good to play strokes. And if they are successful in their assault, it would do wonders to their confidence and reputation which is now in the pits. an interesting final day’s play is in the offing.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA (1st innings): 332
INDIA (1st innings): 375
SRI LANKA (2nd innings; overnight 77-1)
Sanath Jayasuriya b Kuruvilla (419m, 226b, 21×4, 2×6) 199
Maravan Atapattu c Azharuddin b Kumble (76m, 50b, 3×4) 29
Roshan Mahanama st Mongia b Kumble (130m, 98b, 5×4) 35
Aravinda de Silva c sub (Kambli) b Kumble (267m, 198b, 13×4) 120
Arjuna Ranatunga run out (Ganguly) (6m, 4b) 1
Romesh Kaluwitharana run out (Ganguly) (9m, 6b) 2
Mahela Jayawardena c Mongia b Kuruvilla (14m, 10b, 1×4) 7
Chaminda Vaas not out (23m, 15b) 5
Extras: (b1, lb4, w1, nb11) 17
Total: (for seven wickets declared, in 97.4 overs and 475 minutes) 415
Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Atapattu), 2-145 (Mahanama), 3-363 (Jayasuriya), 4-369 (Ranatunga), 5-374 (Kaluwitharana), 6-394 (Jayawardena), 7-415 (Aravinda)
Bowling: Mohanty 15-0-72-0, Prasad 16-1-72-0, Kuruvilla 24-3-90-2, Kumble 38.4-2-156-3, Ganguly 3-0-18-0, Dravid 1-0-2-0
INDIA (2nd innings)
Ajay Jadeja batting (55m, 50b, 7×4) 35
Navjot Sidhu batting (55m, 30b, 2×4) 12
Extras: (nb2) 2
Total: (for no loss in 13 overs and 55 minutes) 49
Bowling: Vaas 5-1-20-0, S de Silva 5-2-7-0, Muralitharan 3-0-22-0