Mahela-Prasanna onslaught continues

With every passing session in this Test, Sri Lanka are tightening their grip over the match. After the Dilshan’s blistering knock, it was a classy Mahela Jayawardene (142), who scored a splendid century, his 27th Test century, and helped his team pile on more misery for India.

Mahela Jayawardene (142), who scored a splendid century, his 27th Test century, and helped his team pile on more misery for India. © AFP

In the first wicket-less session of the match, Mahela and Prasanna Jayawardena (43) scored 108 runs in 27.4 overs and took Sri Lanka to a resolute 483 for 5 — their first 450 plus score in India.

As the spinners continued the proceedings post-lunch, Sri Lankan batsmen went about their job without any fuss, tormenting the Indians by picking singles and wiping off the first innings deficit with telling ease.

With a silly-point, short-leg and short mid-wicket in place, Harbhajan and Mishra failed to produce anything special as the close-in fielders just played spectators to the batsmen who picked up runs almost at will.

Mishra continued to be inconsistent with his line and hardly bowled according to the off-side field, giving easy scoring opportunities on the leg-side to the well set Mahela. The veteran batsman, in his peculiar style brought up his maiden Test ton in India. The fact that he maintained a healthy strike-rate of over 60 in spite of hitting only 10 fours and a six in his first 100 runs goes to show how he toyed with the Indian bowling.

The Indians also failed to put pressure on Prasanna Jayewardene, who was new at the crease. In fact, they helped him get his eye in with their wayward bowling and shoddy fielding, allowing him to rotate the strike and quietly take Sri Lanka past the Indian score of 426 in the 10th over of the post-lunch session.

With the spinners making it too easy for the Lankans, the Indian skipper turned to his strike bowler Zaheer, with the hope of getting the reverse swing going. But the seamer held on with his plan of pitching it short every now and then, producing an over that contained as many as four bouncers — three well-directed and one well pulled by Prasanna for a couple. He almost got his third success with the bouncer as a surprised Prasanna nearly edged one to Dhoni.

Dhoni continued to make the bowling changes and resorted to the slow spin of Yuvraj Singh to produce something special for his team, but in vain. Both Mahela and Prasanna placed the ball immaculately between the fielders and brought up the third 100-run partnership of the Sri Lankan innings, in 150 balls.