Not even in their wildest dreams could Sri Lanka have hoped for abetter day in the second Test than the one they had in Galle today,where they brushed aside the India lower order inside the first hourand then stroked themselves confidently into a position of utter supremacy.
Prior to the second new ball being taken in fading light lastevening, India were 155 for three and competing on level terms. Sixteenovers later the innings had closed after a breathtaking and quitelethal spell of fast bowling by Dilhara Fernando.
Fernando, bowling with an intensity and pace not seen by a Sri Lankanbowler in their 20-year Test history, added three wickets to the twohe snaffled last night and also forced strike bowler Javagal Srinathto retire hurt. India lost their last six wickets for 32 runs and werebowled out for 187.
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Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya then scored a typicallyentertaining century off just 105 balls, his third against India andthe eighth of his 60-match career, as Sri Lanka finished the day 77runs ahead having scored 264 for three.
The Sri Lankan batsmen were only able to take control of the gamebecause of Fernando's second new ball burst, which left him withcareer best figures of five for 42, his second five wicket haul in hisseven Test career.
Fernando's emergence is of great significance to Sri Lankan cricket.He has added an extra dimension to the attack and removes some of theoverbearing responsibility placed on Chaminda Vaas's and MuttiahMuralitharan's shoulders. Finally, there is a new match winner.
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The key to his success today and his promise for the future lies inthe natural pace that is generated by his broad shoulders. Yes, thepitch offered some extra bounce, but it was essentially slow in paceand a good batting track. Fernando though produced deliveries thatspat from the dry surface and whistled through to Kumar Sangakkarabehind the wicket, who frequently resembled a goal keeper in a penaltyshoot out.
The crucial wicket was that of Sourav Ganguly (15), who was adjudgedto have gloved a short ball, as he took evasive action. Televisionreplays proved inconclusive, but Ganguly certainly felt aggrieved,believing that ball had only flicked his shoulder.
Ganguly's wicket left a long tail exposed. Srinath waspainfully hit on his left hand by Fernando and wisely decided that itwas in the interests of the team for their main strike bowler not tobe maimed. He retired hurt.
Sameer Dighe (9) committed the cardinal sin of ducking under abouncer, but leaving his bat in the air like a periscope andSangakkara took another acrobatic catch. Harbhajan Singh (4), clearlyanxious, flailed one boundary through the covers, but was eventuallybowled off his pads as he backed away to leg. Ventakesh Prasad (0) waspromptly cleaned up by Muralitharan's straighter ball.
When Sri Lanka batted, they breezed along at four runs per over, asIndia's opening bowlers offered Jayasuriya generous width in hisfavourite areas. He duly accepted the offerings and carved the bowlersthrough the off side (79 of his 111 runs were scored on the off side).Prasad was flogged for three fours in one over and Srinath was cloutedfor 17 during one over in his second spell.
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The Sri Lankan captain added 101 runs with his opening partner MarvanAtapattu (33), who played patiently and correctly with perpendicularfront elbow, before he was caught at bat-pad off Harbhajan Singh.
Indeed, were it not for a marathon bowling spell from Harbhajan Singh,India would have been batted out of the game. All the batsmenstruggled to score off him. Jayasuriya was able to cut him and, laterin the day, Russel Arnold swept him, but otherwise he could only beworked with great care.
Kumar Sangakkara batted at number three and answered his critics witha battling unbeaten 54 in three hours. He was reprieved at slip whenhe had scored just eight and contributed only 14 runs to a 70-runpartnership for the second wicket with Jayasuriya, but he kept his cooland accumulated steadily.
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After Jayasuriya was finally dismissed, caught at slip by Rahul Dravidoff a well directed short delivery from Zaheer Khan, MahelaJayawardene batted confidently, scoring 28 from 42 balls, before hewas caught behind in Srinath's third spell.
Arnold joined Sangakkara and the pair rounded off a fine day for SriLanka with an unbeaten 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
