Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    72
    128
    196
    10
    0
    56.25
    42.1 Mahela asks for the review for the lbw decision. It landed on the leg stump line, turned in slightly, Gambhir shaped to defend - the bat was adjacent to the pad but outside the line and he is struck in front on the middle and leg line.. That has to be out. It would have hit the middle and off stump. Decision still pending. Tony Greig, on air, reckons it should be out. Let's see. And the verdict is OUT. Another good call from Mahela to go for the review. He can release a dummy's guide to reviews. Virtual eye suggests it would have hit the off and middle stump. 155/5
    7.2 What a big wicket to get as your first Test match victim. Dammika takes out Sehwag. It landed on a length around the off stump and straightened. Sehwag had a tentative poke. Fatal. He walks away. A goggle eyed Dammika roars. It shaped away a fraction late. 51/1
    18.3 loud shout for lbw. Mahela has asked for the review. It landed on a length outside the off stump, came back in with the angle and was hit in front of the off stump line. Almost 40% of the ball was inside the mat around that off stump. Dravid had pressed the front foot too much across and couldn't get his bat around it in time. Decision still pending. Doctrove is the third umpire. Benson is talking with him. And the verdict is OUT. The virtual eye suggests it would have hit the off stump. In the recent times Dravid has been troubled with his trigger movement - he has been pushing that front leg too much across. 92/2
    22.1 Tendulkar has asked for the review for the lbw. It was another length delivery coming in. Tendulkar took a half-step forward to defend. The bat came down adjacent to the pad, straight down the line around the middle stump but the ball came in with the angle, beat the bat and hit the inner half of the front pad before hitting the back pad. Was there a inside edge? Replays don't show deflection. Tony Greig, on air, reckons the sound was the ball hitting the back pad after the deflection from the front pad. He reckons that has to be given out on the available evidence. And the verdict is Out It would have hit the leg stump, which virtual eye confirms. After he was given out, Tendulkar walked down the track, seemed to ask the umpire - well perhaps, the non striker according to my colleague - something before asking for the review. You can't use snickometers yet in the review system. If they show a replay with a snicko, I will tell you what it showed. 102/3
    39.5 Murali has struck. It was the quicker off break around the off stump line, Ganguly came forward and tried to get the bat behind the pad but it was popping out from behind the pad and the turning ball went off the face of it to Mahela at first slip. Mahela had earlier dropped Ganguly of Murali. Sri Lanka have done really well on a flat track. 151/4
    54.3 Done in by that carrom ball! What a pocketful of talent. Laxman was sucked forward into a defensive push across the line and was left stranded by the delivery cutting away from him. He had dragged the back foot just outside the crease and Prasanna, a very fine keeper, did the final rites. Superb to watch. Mendis you beauty. 190/6
    56.1 Patel has asked for the review for the lbw decision. It was the carrom ball again. It landed on a length on the off stump line and cut in a touch. The left-handed Patel lunged forward to defend but the bat was well outside the line. Looks pretty plumb. It would have hit the middle. Verdict is OUT. The Mendis code has not been cracked by the Indians. What a season of mystery. 195/7
    56.3 What a treat. You are watching history in making. Years later they are going to look back at this series as the time when the middle-fingered assassin hunted down the Indians. Kumble is done in by the two-fingered googly. A unsure Kumble tried to poke it to the off side, missed and the ball threaded the bat and pad gap to disturb the furniture. Timber! Warwick Armstrong, Jack Iverson, Johnny Gleeson have found a wonderful successor. 196/8
    59.4 Harbhajan falls to his favourite slog sweep. It gained more height than distance and Vandort, rushing to his right from deep midwicket, held on to a good catch. And then they were one. What a wonderful performance from the Sri Lankan bowlers. To reduce India to 9 wickets on the opening day on a flat track is a fab effort. 198/9
    not out
    17
    61
    77
    0
    0
    27.86
    79.6 Mendis picks up another five-for. Wonderful work from Prasanna. It was the googly, Zaheer went for the slog sweep, misses and dragged his back foot outside the crease. Prasanna collects it and whips the bails in a unitary motion. Unlike some, Prasanna doesn't move his gloves and hands back when he gathers. He catches it with soft hands and then presses it immediately forward to break the stumps. And a very impressive last-wicket partnership has come to an end. The joint-highest partnership of the innings. Well played Ishant and Zak. 249/10
    Extras
    14 (b 1, lb 8, nb 5)
    TOTAL
    249 all out (80 Overs, RR: 3.11, 325 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Virender Sehwag, 7.2 ov), 2-92 (Rahul Dravid, 18.3 ov), 3-102 (Sachin Tendulkar, 22.1 ov), 4-151 (Sourav Ganguly, 39.5 ov), 5-155 (Gautam Gambhir, 42.1 ov), 6-190 (VVS Laxman, 54.3 ov), 7-195 (Parthiv Patel, 56.1 ov), 8-196 (Anil Kumble, 56.3 ov), 9-198 (Harbhajan Singh, 59.4 ov), 10-249 (Zaheer Khan, 79.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    WPUJC Vaas1214403.6600
    KTGD Prasad1708234.8201
    BAW Mendis2845652.0000
    M Muralidaran2335822.5200
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    16.5 trapped in front by Zaheer. It landed on the off stump line, full in length, moved in to beat the defensive prod. Vandort had placed his front leg across, towards the off stump and couldn't get his bat around it in time. That would have hit the leg stump. 42/2
    5.6 The leg stump has been knocked out. The 139kmph delivery landed short in length, Warnapura shuffled across, took the bottom-hand off the handle and tried to swat it away. He expected more bounce and didn't realise he had exposed the leg stump and the ball crashed into the top of the leg stump. 14/1
    47.3 Harbhajan has managed to take out Vaas, who was being troubled a lot by Kumble from the other end. He tried to break free against Harbhajan and drove a full delivery outside off straight to covers. Very good innings comes to an end. He was so solid in defense against the seamers and against Harbhajan. 137/3
    113.5 Sangakkara walks immediately after nicking it behind. Kumble, the Indian captain, has broken through. It was the slider outside off stump, Sangakkara tried to get forward to defend and stabbed it behind and Patel almost spilled it but managed to hang on. Sangakkara tucked his bat under his armpit and strode off. Great old-fashioned knock from him. Harbhajan had kept bowling wide outside-off line to him for two sessions yesterday but he didn't fall to the temptation and didn't become frustrated. Super innings. Potentially match winning. 324/7
    49.1 Mahela has asked for review of LBW. It landed on the off stump line, turned in to beat the sweep shot and hits the inner half of the front pad in front of middle. That looks out. Decision still pending. And the verdict is OUT. One of the rare occasions when Mahela's decision to review has gone wrong. 141/4
    73.6 swallowed by a lovely delivery that squared him up completely. It kicked up from back of length, around middle and off stump and left him late. Samaraweera was opened up there while shaping to defend and edged it straight to Patel. Harbhajan rushes to Zaheer to celebrate. Samaraweera bangs the bat on his helmet as he walks off. 201/5
    88.3 Dilshan has asked for the Review for the lbw decision. It was the quicker front of the hand delivery and it landed just outside off and skidded towards the middle and off line. Dilshan went forward to defeng but it hit the pad first and the point of impact was inside. That looks out. Decision still pending. Verdict is OUT. Virtual eye suggests it would have hit the off and middle stump. Sri Lanka trail by 5 runs 244/6
    125.5 He falls one short of fifty. But what a valuable hand this has been from Prasanna. It was full and on the legs, he played the pick-up shot, a whip of the wrist but hit it to Harbhajan who took a good catch at deep square leg. He gave such admirable support to Sanga and has put Sri Lanka in the driver's seat, 367/8
    133.5 Stumped by the doosra. Patel whips the bails off in a flash. Dammika Prasad was sucked by the flighted delivery, went for the big off drive but was deserted by the ball leaving him. 396/9
    134.2 Full and straight, lands on the off, skids on towards off and middle, Mendis misses the sweep and is struck in front. Mendis and Murali think about asking for the review, then decide against it and have a laugh about it. 396/10
    not out
    0
    1
    3
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    21 (b 4, lb 14, nb 1, w 2)
    TOTAL
    396 all out (134.2 Overs, RR: 2.94, 585 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Malinda Warnapura, 5.6 ov), 2-42 (Michael Vandort, 16.5 ov), 3-137 (Chaminda Vaas, 47.3 ov), 4-141 (Mahela Jayawardene, 49.1 ov), 5-201 (Thilan Samaraweera, 73.6 ov), 6-244 (Tillakaratne Dilshan, 88.3 ov), 7-324 (Kumar Sangakkara, 113.5 ov), 8-367 (Prasanna Jayawardene, 125.5 ov), 9-396 (Dhammika Prasad, 133.5 ov), 10-396 (Ajantha Mendis, 134.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Z Khan32510533.2801
    I Sharma15.333312.1200
    Harbhajan Singh40.3810432.5620
    A Kumble41.2412332.9700
    V Sehwag20201.0000
    SC Ganguly301103.6600
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    26
    43
    55
    3
    0
    60.46
    12.2 Dammika takes out the off stump. It landed short of length and moved outside off stump and Gambhir went for the pull and got a inside edge to his stumps. Timber! Dammika stops in his followthrough, gets his index finger near his mouth to signal 'shsssh silence!' to the crowd that has exploded. Great scenes here for the hosts. The dashing openers are back to the pavilion. . Gambhir had gone on the front foot and then tried to shift his weight back but too late. Gone! SRT has not come in, Sourav Ganguly has walked out 65/2
    10.4 caught! Huge Huge wicket! Sehwag cuts a good length ball hard from just outside his off stump, he hits it well but the ball flies at catchable height towards Samaraweera who dives to his left at gully and pulls off a sharp catch 62/1
    70.1 flat delivery from round the wicket, pitched on and around the off stump and turning away a touch. Its the perfect length, Dravid is sucked forward into the defensive prod, edge is taken and Jayawardene at first slip takes a sharp catch. That's the end of that. Dravid waited for a few seconds to make sure whether the catch was clean before he walked off. 216/6
    27.4 Ganguly has asked for review for the lbw decision. It landed on the middle stump line and straightened to miss Ganguly's attempted sweep and struck him low in front of the middle. It looks out,even though he had stretched well forward. Decision still pending. And the verdict is OUT. Murali bowled the doosra from over the wicket and it straightened after landing. The virtual eye suggests it would have hit the top of the middle stump. 108/3
    28.1 Mendis has taken out Parthiv Patel. It landed on a length around leg stump line, skidded towards off. Patel intervened in front of middle but with his pad, bat adjacent to the pad. The umpire reckons it would have hit the off stump. Patel has a word with Dravid, they decide against going for the review and he walks off. the virtual eye shows that it would have hit the off stump. Enter Tendulkar. 109/4
    34.5 Tendulkar has asked for the review for the lbw decision. What drama here! He didn't pick the googly. He leaned forward and padded it away! It landed just outside the off stump and hit him in front of off and middle and on the knee roll. That looks out. Decison pending. And the verdict is OUT. The two-fingered googly has done the trick. Mendis has the record for the bowler who has taken most number of wickets in a three-match debut series. Past Alec Bedser. And what''s more this is the first time he has picked Tendulkar's wicket. The middle-finger mystery continues to taunt and tease the Indians. Where is Hercule Poirot? 131/5
    not out
    61
    157
    193
    3
    0
    38.85
    75.5 Kumble has asked for the Review for the lbw decision. It landed on the off stump, turned in to hit the inner half of the front pad before it went to the bat. He was struck in front of off and middle. Looks out, even though he had stretched well forward. Decision still pending. And the verdict is ... OUT. Both teams have exhausted their reviews now. Kumble walks off, shaking his head. Virtual eye suggests it would have taken out the middle and the leg bail. 229/7
    84.6 Swing is king. The inswing has done the job. It landed on a length on the middle stump line, curved in to beat the prod - he was on the back foot - and hit him plumb in front. Vaas who didn't have much to do with the ball so far has struck. 266/8
    86.4 Zaheer is run out. Laxman is being stranded by his partners. He is playing a great fighting knock with a twisted ankle but some one has to stay with him. Zaheer had pushed to mid-off where Samaraweera misfielded and Zaheer didn't respect the old adage -never run on a misfield - and was surprised as Samaraweera recovered quickly to fire in a direct hit at the non-striker's end. 268/9
    87.5 And India end up on 268. Ishant flicks the off break on the middle and leg line to leg gully stationed behind him. Laxman remains not out on 61 and Sri Lanka need 122 to win. 268/10
    Extras
    11 (b 5, lb 3, nb 1, w 2)
    TOTAL
    268 all out (87.5 Overs, RR: 3.05, 345 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-62 (Virender Sehwag, 10.4 ov), 2-65 (Gautam Gambhir, 12.2 ov), 3-108 (Sourav Ganguly, 27.4 ov), 4-109 (Parthiv Patel, 28.1 ov), 5-131 (Sachin Tendulkar, 34.5 ov), 6-216 (Rahul Dravid, 70.1 ov), 7-229 (Anil Kumble, 75.5 ov), 8-266 (Harbhajan Singh, 84.6 ov), 9-268 (Zaheer Khan, 86.4 ov), 10-268 (Ishant Sharma, 87.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    WPUJC Vaas502014.0000
    KTGD Prasad1106025.4521
    M Muralidaran37.549932.6100
    BAW Mendis3478132.3800

Match Details

Toss

India , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 2-1

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10.15am start, Lunch 12.15-12.55pm, Tea 2.55-3.15pm, Close 5.15pm

Match days

8,9,10,11 August 2008 (5-day match)

Test debut

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Close of Play

  • Fri, 8 Aug - day 1 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 14/1 (MG Vandort 3*, WPUJC Vaas 0*, 8 ov)
  • Sat, 9 Aug - day 2 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 251/6 (KC Sangakkara 107*, HAPW Jayawardene 1*, 92 ov)
  • Sun, 10 Aug - day 3 - India 2nd innings 161/5 (R Dravid 46*, VVS Laxman 17*, 45 ov)
  • Mon, 11 Aug - day 4 - Sri Lanka 2nd innings 123/2 (33.1 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

  • Celebrating struggle

    There is extra satisfaction in playing a scratchy knock, in concentrating harder than usual, in pulling yourself back into form

  • India's cracks were everywhere

    The defeat ultimately came down to a batting line-up that couldn't pullits weight

  • Teamwork does the trick for Sri Lanka

    Mahela Jayawardene acknowledged his team-mates' consistency after Sri Lanka won the third Test at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium to clinch their series against India by a 2-1 margin

  • 'We did not play quality cricket' - Kumble

    Left to rummage through the remains of yet another overseas series squandered after a memorable comeback, Anil Kumble, India's captain, had few positives to pick out

  • Clinical Sri Lanka clinch series

    Drip by drip, Sri Lanka made their way to a comprehensive series win, their first over India since 2001

Sri Lanka 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st11MG VandortSM Warnapura
2nd11KC SangakkaraSM Warnapura
3rd101DPMD JayawardeneSM Warnapura