Sri Lanka In Control At Galle
India are looking down the barrel in the first test match against Sri Lanka, as Murali and Malinga knocked the life out of the Indian batting line up, leaving them stuttering at 181 for 5 in their second innings after following on in the first.
Murali claimed his 67th five wicket haul in an illustrious career that has just one day left, and is still 2 wickets shy of a magical 800 wicket mark in test cricket. Malinga also played a big part in putting the hosts in the driving seat as he dismissed the ever dependable http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 stranded on the crease at the end of day 4.
India have never been famous for batting out draws and face a momentous task in Galle if they are to have any chance of getting themselves out of jail.
Murali broke the spine of the Indian batting line up in the first innings after claiming the priced scalps of Dhoni, Yuvraj and Sachin in the first innings and force them to bat again. Even in the second innings India didn’t get the best of starts and were precariously place at 68 for two when Sachin and Dravid took the charge to the hosts. It was a partnership that breathed some life into the Indian side but it was just not meant to be as Malinga came back to remove the pair before the end of the day and put Sri Lanka firmly in command of the match once again.
Dravid got out as he flicked straight into the hands of the leg gully, while Sachin was trapped leg before wicket. Malinga ended the day with 3 wickets to his name while Murali and Walegedara bagged one wicket each.
India had resumed their first innings at 150 for six in reply to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758’s 520 and it didn’t take long for Murali to weave his magic after being introduced rather late into the attack. Dhoni and Yuvraj shared a 74 runs stand to give the visitors some hope but Murali was in devastating form and his wily off spinners proved to be too hot to handle as he first bowled Dhoni and then removed Yuvraj to dash any hopes of India saving the follow on.
After Sehwag’s dismissal at 109 runs, India never recovered, and wickets fell at regular intervals with Murali being the tormentor in chief. Sehwag was caught by Pranawithana of Walegedara while Laxman was out pulling the pacer straight into the hands of deep square leg. Yuvraj then stepped in to take control of the proceedings but after Murali removed him and Dhoni, India never stood a chance and were all out for 276.
In the second innings the start was even worse as Gambhir was out for a duck in the first over when Malinga trapped him Leg before wicket. Sehwag and Dravid then shared a 42 wicket stand for the second wicket but when Sehwag was out for 31 in the 10th over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 lost all control and fell like a house of cards.
Tendulkar and Dravid tried to give some respectability to the score card with Sachin going on to score 84 and Dravid making 44 but Malinga’s swing proved to be too hot to handle for both. Even Yuvraj fail ed to rescue the Indians as he also fell cheaply for just 8, leaving only Dhoni and Laxman as the last recognized pair of batsmen to dig India out of the hole, but it seems very unlikely with the wicket deteriorating on the fifth day and Murali in red hot form.
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