Former captain Mahela Jayawardene hit a fluent double century as Sri Lanka took a sizable lead yesterday against India on the third day of the first Test.
Jayawardene was batting on a resolute 204 while wicketkeeper-batsman Prasanna Jayawardene also compiled an impressive unbeaten 84 with Sri Lanka finishing the day on a commanding 591-5.
It gave Sri Lanka a lead of 165 runs after India were dismissed for 426 in their first innings.
PHOTO: AFP
The two Jayawardenes compiled Sri Lanka’s record sixth wicket stand of 216 as Indian bowlers fruitlessly toiled in the last two sessions to try to separate them.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni even called up part-time bowler Sachin Tendulkar to bowl seven overs of leg spin in the last session, but both Jayawardenes batted solidly and denied India any success.
Mahela was in sublime form on a wicket that still looks good for batting, guiding Sri Lanka to a strong position after starting the day on 275-3.
He hit Zaheer Khan for three successive boundaries in one over with the new ball and also hit offspinner Harbhajan Singh for a straight six.
Mahela raised his 27th Test century — but first in India — in the afternoon session when he cut leg-spinner Amit Mishra for a boundary and then hit a single to reach three figures off 150 balls.
The elegant Mahela — who stepped aside as captain after series against Pakistan in March _ continued to wait for loose deliveries despite both spinners opting to bowl round the wicket in the last session.
He completed his second Test double century this year when he took a quick single late in the afternoon. Mahela, who started the day on 36, batted the entire third day and faced 339 balls, hitting 17 fours and a six.
Prasanna gave ideal support to his former captain and rotated the strike frequently, hitting just four boundaries in his patient unbeaten 84 off 186 deliveries.
Earlier, in the first session paceman Ishant Sharma provided the much-needed breakthrough with the second new ball when Yuvraj Singh took a splendid catch at short square leg to dismiss Thilan Samaraweera.
Yuvraj timed his leap perfectly and held onto a superb catch as Samaraweera tried to pull a short pitched delivery.
Harbhajan gave India another breakthrough in the last over before lunch when he had Angelo Matthews (17) caught close to the wicket on the on-side by a leaping Gautam Gambhir.
However, that was all the Indian bowlers had to celebrate as the Jayawardenes dominated the bowling for the rest of the two sessions and were hardly bothered by either pace or spin.
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