SL Colts make Indians work

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 management8217;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 8220;sporting gesture8221;. 8220;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,8221; said the former Lankan medium-pacer. 8220;Since it fell within the framework of the rules, we agreed to their request,8221; 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, 9215;4, Upeka Fernando b Sodhi 15 18b, 56m, 2215;4, Malintha Gajanayake c Sodhi b Majumdar 3 37b, 61m, Thilina Kandambi c Kaif b Rao 68142b, 170m, 11215;4, Chamara Silva c Sodhi b Kaif 12 38b, 51m, 2215;4, Pubudu Senevirathne lbw b Rao 13 43b, 52m, 2215;4, Prasanna Jayawardena lbw b Majumdar 20 48b, 50m, 3215;4, Malinga Bandara not out 21 106b, 152m, 1215;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, 9215;4, Reetinder Sodhi c Jayawardena b Nissantha 6 18b, 22m, 1215;4, Mohd Kaif batting 38 94b, 140m, 7215;4, Neeraj Patel b Bandara 20 54b, 88m, 1215;4, Venugopal Rao c Nissantha b Kalum 12 15b, 16m,3215;4, Sunil Vishwanath batting 47 135b, 141m, 6215;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.