Sri Lanka strike back in ODI

2008-08-20 10:32

Dambulla - Sri Lanka hit back with two quick wickets after posting a modest 142 in the second one-day international against India on Wednesday.

India lost makeshift opener Irfan Pathan (five) and Suresh Raina (one) before reaching 17-2 in reply at the break. Virat Kohli was unbeaten on seven and Yuvraj Singh on one not out.

Zaheer Khan earlier grabbed four wickets in a sensational opening spell to help India restrict the hosts.

Sri Lanka were in danger of falling to their lowest-ever total of 96 against India when they were reduced to 44-6, but lower-order batsmen Thilan Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekara rallied their side with a defiant 74-run stand.

Left-handed Thushara (44) looked like reaching his half-century before swinging seamer Praveen Kumar to Virat Kohli at deep mid-wicket. He hit seven fours in his career-best knock.

Kulasekara, dropped on 13 by Rohit Sharma in the slips off spinner Harbhajan Singh, played a supporting role with 25 to emerge the second-highest scorer.

Instant results

Left-arm seamer Zaheer (4-21) sliced through the top order, claiming four of the first five wickets, including two in one over. Kumar also joined the party with 3-34, dismissing Thushara and Kulasekara in the same over.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to put the hosts in to bat after winning the toss produced instant results as Zaheer bowled Kumar Sangakkara with his sixth delivery which seamed back to hit the off-stump.

Zaheer claimed two wickets in his third over, removing in-form skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Kapugedera.

Jayawardene, who scored an unbeaten half-century in his team's win in the opening match, could make only two before falling to a juggling catch by Yuvraj Singh at first slip, while Kapugedera was caught behind.

Kumar, playing in place of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, then had Chamara Silva caught by Virat Kohli at point to reduce the hosts to 11-4 in just seven overs.

Specialist batsman

Sri Lanka's hard-hitting opener Sanath Jayasuriya, watching the disaster unfold from one end, was not allowed to play shots as he faced 37 balls for his 13 runs before being trapped leg-before by Zaheer.

The hosts lost their last specialist batsman when Tillakaratne Dilshan (16) was caught by a diving Subramaniam Badrinath at deep midwicket off a mistimed pull off seamer Irfan Pathan, but Thushara and Kulasekara then frustrated India.

India, already without regular openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag due to injuries, had earlier suffered another blow when Gautam Gambhir was ruled out of the match due to a stiff neck.

The left-handed opener was replaced by Badrinath, who made his one-day debut.

Sri Lanka named Dilhara Fernando in their playing eleven in place of veteran left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas, who missed the match due to a hamstring injury.

- AFP