India, Sri Lanka Play Out Tame Draw on Fifth Day
The teams underwent the formalities on the fifth day, Friday, at the SSC as the second Test between Sri Lanka and India ended in a tame draw, as it was expected. Any hopes of a dramatic final day’s play were extinguished when the last Indian pair of Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha hung on for 27 overs and barely scored too many runs. It was evident that India did not even want to try and have a go at the Sri Lankan batsman.
This was confirmed by the Indian captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 during the post match presentation. He said that India had never even thought about a declaration and they had just wanted to play as long as possible and allow the bowlers to rest ahead of the third Test. He was also happy about the way his batsmen had played. Kumar Sangakkara said that he was pleased with the way his bowlers played and looked forward to the third Test. He was also given the Man of the Match award for his double century in the first innings.
Sri Lanka played out the remaining overs in the day and finished on 124/3. The Indian bowlers bowled much better in the second innings, though they started badly. Paranavitana smashed both Sharma and Abhimanyu Mithun to boundaries when they dropped it short. Tillakaratne Dilshan was the first to go after mistiming a pull shot to Sharma at short midwicket off Mithun. The ball was well outside off stump and it was a needless stoke.
Sri Lanka started at almost six runs an over and Dhoni was quick to bring the spinners on. Harbhajan managed to get one to turn and slant across and Paranavitana edged it to second slip. Mahela Jayawardene followed quickly as he was declared out, LBW for four off Virendar Sehwag. However, the replays suggested that the ball would have missed leg stump.
Both the teams will take positives out of this game. Once again, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 had a great outing with the bat and they will also be pleased with the performances of their two spinners. Especially at the beginning of the third day, when they got three quick wickets and had the Indians in a tangle.
Even Dilshan chipped in with wickets. However, the performances of their fast bolwers will be a concern. They got only one wicket and that too of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566 and gave 217 runs in 51 overs.
The Indian bowlers were poor again in the first innings and received no assistance from the pitch. But they looked good in the second innings and this is certainly a good sign for them. The batting did the job that was required of them and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 will be happy with the performance of Suresh Raina, who got a hundred on debut.
The pitch, a heartbreaker for bowlers, has come under severe criticism. It was still as flat as it had been on the first day, and had only slowed down a bit. It had nothing for the fast bowlers and only offered slow turn for the spinners. Dhoni too expressed his thoughts on the pitch and said he wished that the pitches were a bit more sporting.
Tracks like this will also deter the ICC’s plans to bring the crowds back to Test matches. When crowds for Test matches are going down, this Test match is not the perfect advert. The ICC needs to focus on making pitches in the sub-continent a tad more sporting so that there are chances for results. No one will be interested in watching boring run-fests like these in which the batsmen from both teams try and outdo each other and the bowlers have no advantages whatsoever.
The third and final Test will be played from 3 August at the Sara Oval in Colombo.
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