SL Colts make Indians work

Vice-captain Mohammad Kaif (38) and Tamil Nadu left-handed batsman Sunil Vishwanath (47) were instrumental in providing stability to the Indian innings with an unbroken association of 82 runs for the fifth wicket. And when stumps were drawn for the day, the Indians were 27 runs away from overhauling the opposition total.

Earlier, the day began with a surprise when the Lankans replaced a player from the final eleven. Left-arm medium-pacer Ruwan Sujeewa de Silva running highfever was substituted by all-rounder Sathpath Kalum after the Lankan team management’s request was acceded to by the Indian coach Krishnamachari Srikkanth. The International Cricket Council (ICC) Law 1.2 does have such a provision provided the rival team management agrees to it.

Later, the Sri Lankan manager Asantha de Mel while apologising for this uncommon development, thanked the Indians for their “sporting gesture”. “Sujeewa had a temperature of 104 degrees and since last evening which forced us to take the decision. Actually he was very keen to play and was in tears when we decided to rest him. He is still kept under observation,” said the former Lankan medium-pacer. “Since it fell within the framework of the rules, we agreed to their request,” opined Srikkanth.

The Lankans frustrated the Indians for 87 minutes adding 20 to their overnight score of 211-7 before being bowled out. Left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar did most of the damage with a spell of 4-1-3-2.The Indians suffered an early setbackwith the exit of skipper Reetinder Singh Sodhi (6). Further agony was in store when Kaif retired hurt without opening his account after he was struck on the rib-cage by Prabath Nissantha. Opener Anshu Jain steadied the ship in the company of Gujarat southpaw Neeraj Patel (20). The 19-year-old Jain, who made his first class debut for Rajasthan this season, confidently tackled the rival attack and appeared headed for a big score despite the departure of Patel to a beauty form leg-spinner Malinga Bandara and Venugopal Rao (12) in quick succession. Jain undid it all by falling prey to off-spinner Pubudu Senevirathne which left the Indians precariously placed at 122-4. Kaif walked in to join Vishwanath and the duo mended the damage to carry the fight into another day.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka Colts (1st innings; overnight 211-7): Ian Daniels c Vora b Sodhi 59 (150b, 198m, 9×4), Upeka Fernando b Sodhi 15 (18b, 56m, 2×4), Malintha Gajanayake c Sodhi b Majumdar 3 (37b, 61m), Thilina Kandambi c Kaif b Rao 68(142b, 170m, 11×4), Chamara Silva c Sodhi b Kaif 12 (38b, 51m, 2×4), Pubudu Senevirathne lbw b Rao 13 (43b, 52m, 2×4), Prasanna Jayawardena lbw b Majumdar 20 (48b, 50m, 3×4), Malinga Bandara not out 21 (106b, 152m, 1×4), Ranil Dhammika c Rao b Sodhi 3 (46b, 70m), Sathpath Kalum c Rao b Pawar 2 (29b, 27m), Prabath Nissanka c Kaif b Pawar 1 (16b, 15m); Extras (2b, 6lb, 6nb): 14. Total (all out in 110 overs; 456 minutes): 231

Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Fernando), 2-53 (Gajanayake), 3-103 (Daniels), 4-141 (Silva), 5-176 (Kandambi), 6-180 (Senevirathne), 7-203 (Jayawardena), 8-224 (Dhammika), 9-227 (Kalum)

Bowling: Srivastava 12-4-32-0 (4nb), Hazare 23-6-43-0 (1nb), Sodhi 28-12-49-3, Pawar 25-7-39-2 (1nb), Majumdar 10-2-40-2, Kaif 2-1-8-1, Rao 9-4-10-2

India Colts: Anshu Jain c Kandambi b Senevirathne 58 (107b, 180m, 9×4), Reetinder Sodhi c Jayawardena b Nissantha 6 (18b, 22m, 1×4), Mohd Kaif batting 38 (94b, 140m, 7×4), Neeraj Patel b Bandara 20 (54b, 88m, 1×4), Venugopal Rao c Nissantha b Kalum 12 (15b, 16m,3×4), Sunil Vishwanath batting 47 (135b, 141m, 6×4); Extras (4b, 4lb, 1w, 14nb): 23. Total (for four wickets in 68 overs; 306 mins): 204

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Sodhi), 2-89 (Patel), 3-104 (Rao), 4-122 (Jain)

Bowling: Nissantha 12-3-35-1 (5nb, 1w), Kalum 12-3-41-1 (1nb), Fernando 6-3-9-0, Dhammika 18-3-53-0 (6nb), Bandara 13-2-36-1 (2nb), Senevirathne 7-1-22-1.