India crush Lankans to post 100th Test victory

India’s historic 100th Test victory couldn’t have come in a more emphatic fashion. Dhoni’s boys completely outclassed the Lankans to script a fine victory with a huge margin of an innings and 144 runs. Made to follow on after trailing by 413 runs, the Lankans were bundled out for 269 in the second innings. India go to Mumbai for the third Test with 1-0 lead in the three-game series.

S Sreesanth returned to Test cricket in style, taking 5 for 75 in the 1st innings. His match haul of 6 wickets landed him the man-of-the-match award. © AFP

If Indian batsmen flourished on the innocuous track of Green Park, the bowlers came out spewing venom. Returning from 18-months of wilderness, S Sreesanth bowled beautifully to finish the match with six wickets, including a 5 for 75 in the first innings. Quite deservingly, he walked away with the man-of-the-match award for running through the Lankan side and helping India enforce follow-on.

In the second innings, Harbhajan Singh was in his element, tormenting the batsmen with his spin and bounce. His classic off-spinner’s dismissal of Prasanna Jayawardene (29) will remain etched in memory for a long time to come. He picked up three wickets to finish the match with a scalp of five. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha bowled wonderfully well for a debutant to pick up four wickets in the match.

Despite wickets falling all around him, Thilan Samaraweera (78*) showed remarkable defiance in delaying the inevitable. Faced with an impending defeat, he was clearly in a denial mode and batted with amazing poise and application.

Initially, Samaraweera began cautiously but opened his shoulders to first go after the medium-pacers and then shifted his attention towards the spinners. He took on Zaheer Khan, who was attempting to bounce him out, and pulled him for a couple of boundaries. And when the ball was pitched up, he either drove or flicked with the flourish of a class batsman that he is.

On a few occasions, he even charged down the wicket to hammer both Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha for a handful of boundaries. It’s only in the fitness of things that he remained unbeaten at 78 — the only Lankan player to score a half-century in the match. He was involved in two crucial half-century partnerships with Prasanna and Ajantha Mendis (27).

With four of its best batsmen back in the pavilion after made to follow on, Sri Lankans were obviously looking down the barrel when they started on day-four. The inevitable could only be delayed and it rather emboldened their batsmen to go down in a blaze of glory. They went hammer and tongs in the first session and carved out an incredible 149 runs to go into lunch at 206 for 8.

But as sure as death, the end finally came in the second session with the dismissal of Chanaka Welegedara (4) at 269, giving India their historic 100th Test victory.

Prasanna and Samaraweera began day-four with a lot of spunk and took the attack to the Indian bowlers. The duo put together a partnership of 61 runs for the fifth wicket in only 13 overs.

Harbhajan Singh celebrates after affecting a classic off-spinner’s dismissal to send back Prasanna Jayawardene (29). © AFP

However, it was Muttiah Muralitharan who batted like a bull in a China shop — causing maximum damage. Wondering what the fuss was all about, Murali was off to the mark with a straight six off Harbhajan and then followed it with two consecutive boundaries. He had decided to provide spectators with some entertainment and he did. He danced down the wicket to Ojha and lofted him for another six. But his charge didn’t last long; in the very next delivery he was bowled out while going for another mighty heave. His blistering cameo of 29 came off just 11 ball, which included three boundaries and two sixes.

Earlier, Zaheer Khan drew the first blood on day-four. He bounced out Angelo Mathews (15) with Rahul Dravid taking a nice diving catch at gully.

But the distinction of affecting the finest dismissal of the day undoubtedly went to off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Bowling from round-the-wicket, he flighted the ball that dipped and spun sharply after pitching outside the off-stump. The ball landed on the perfect length as it drew Prasanna forward only to find the gap between bat and pad and crash into the off-stump. The exaggerated celebration by the bowler thereafter showed how much he relished the dismissal.