http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, 2nd Test: Sachin Tendulkar Leads India Fight back
India’s Little Master once again lived up to his reputation of ‘Ton-Dulkar’, smashing a staggering 48th Test match hundred to lead his team’s fight back against hosts Sri Lanka on the third day of the second test being played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.
At the end of day three, the tourists reached 382 for 4, still needing an additional 60 runs to avoid the follow-on.
The start of the day was punctuated with some early dismissals for the tourists, as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid got out in the 37th, 38th and 41st over respectively.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 dasher Sehwag missed out on his 21st hundred by just one run, as he was given out stumped by wicket-keeper Jayawardene, of debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv, who claimed the prized scalp with the total at 165.
Sehwag’s typically belligerent knock came off only 101 balls and included 15 boundaries.
Immediately afterwards, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gautam-Gambhir-c58623 in the line-up, scored a well measured half-century (58), which included 8 fours.
Another major scalp was nailed when Rahul Dravid, the wall in the Indian batting line-up, also failed to read the length of a ball from Randiv, and was the second batsman in the innings caught at the crease and adjudged lbw. He could score only 3 runs facing 18 balls.
The fourth wicket stand between the Little Master Tendulkar and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 yielded 68 runs.
The two veterans looked like pulling the Indians out of the mire when Laxman also fell (to the greatest predicament of the day for the batsmen) to an lbw decision.
Laxman became the second victim of Mendis, when he was beaten on a forward prod and was struck on his front leg. He scored 29 off 98 balls, with 2 boundaries.
At that juncture, the Indians looked in trouble, and needed some inspiration from Tendulkar.
The man with the most runs in the history of Test and One-Day International cricket stood firm at one end after he was joined by debutant Suresh Raina.
The left-handed Raina looked unperturbed in his first Test match, negotiating the spinners and the quick bowlers with relative ease.
Tendulkar mixed caution with aggression, striking some delightful shots and drives in his innings.
The diminutive right-hander reached his half century off 115 balls, that included five fours and one six.
He opened his shoulders after the first milestone, taking only 66 more balls to reach his 48th test hundred, with the help of 9 additional fours.
All in all, his ton included 14 fours and one six, and was scored off 181 balls.
The partnership between the two steadied the ship, and helped calm the Indian nerves.
The duo has added 141 runs for their unbroken stand for the fifth wicket. Raina is unbeaten on 66 with the help of eight boundaries.
At the close of play, the tourists needed just 60 runs more to avoid the follow-on, and given the form of the two and the likes of Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and the tail-end to follow, the Indians look set to go past the mark.
The Sri Lankan bowlers, especially the faster ones, had a long day to endure on day three.
Dammika Prasad and Dilhara Fernando conceded 136 runs in 31 overs, without a single wicket between them.
The spinners shared the four wickets to fall, and they would have to do the majority of the work on day four in order to polish-off the rest of the Indian batting in what are still ideal batting conditions.
It remains to be seen how long the duo of Tendulkar and Raina bat, and if they can take their team to safety.
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