Jayasuriya Steers Lanka Home

Sanath Jayasuriya defied a shoulder injury to fashion Sri Lanka's three-wicket win over India in the opening game of the Indian Oil Cup in Dambulla today. He was named man of the match for his efforts.

Injuring his right shoulder while diving to stop a shot during India's innings, Jayasuriya came in to bat at No. 6, and steadied the shaky Lankan innings.

Fuelled by valuable contributions by the lower middle order, Sri Lanka chased down a target of 206 with ten balls to spare.

The hosts also relied on rookie all-rounder Ferveez Maharoof and Dilhara Lokuhettige to bail them out.

Maharoof, who was the most troublesome bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan, denied the Indians the one final breakthrough they were looking for by combining with Jayasuriya for an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 37 runs to see the hosts home.

Debutant Lokuhettige's contribution with the bat was as crucial as that with the ball, his 20-ball 21 containing three fours and a six,adding 28 vital runs from as many balls for the sixth wicket.

As with the Indian innings, the Lankan lower order was more productive than the top, negating the fine captaincy of Dravid who showed imagination in rotating his bowlers and field placement.

The absence of a fifth specialist bowler then proved to be India's down fall.

India's total of 205 for nine seemed to be a modest one but turned out to be more challenging, an indication of low scoring games to come in the tournament.

Dravid had to nursing an injury-hit line-up after the side had slipped to 64 for five. He top scored with 54 to lead the recovery process through a 58-run sixth partnership with rookie Andhra batsman Y VenugopalaRao.

Rao's steady innings of 38, particularly the way he handled Muralitharan, was a bright note for the Indians after the inept performance of the top order.

Irfan Pathan (21), Harbhajan Singh (20 not out) and Zaheer Khan (20) provided the late spark that propelled the Indian score past the 200-mark which at one time looked improbable.

Muralitharan blew holes in the myth that the Indians are better players of spin bowling as he repeatedly deceived them with his variations.

The off-spinner claimed three for 33 while Maharoof troubled the batsmen with his disconcerting bounce.

Virender Sehwag (14) shot off the blocks as only he can before Maharoof bowled him with a perfect leg-cutter in the third over.

It started a procession of wickets in which Lokuhettige played a key role, getting past the defence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2) and then inducing Yuvraj Singh (12) into an ill-judged pull that stood up in the swirling wind for mid-on.

His first spell of 2 for 24 from eight overs was a dream start to his career.

It only worsened when Mohammad Kaif (8) timed a push sweetly but uppishly to mid-on and then Suresh Raina (0), another debutant, was done in by a Murali "doosra" which he shaped to cut and found it curl back on his back pad.

India began the defence of its total well enough when Pathan won a leg before shout against Kumara Sangakkara (14) in the fifth over.

Marvan Atapattu (29) and Mahela Jayawardene (15) seemed to be running away with the match with a sedate second wicket stand before the brilliance of debutant Raina from square leg opened up the game for India.

Raina darted down from square leg to throw down the striker's stumps with just one wicket to aim at and caught Atapattu short of his crease.

Zaheer then cleaned up Jayawardene and when Harbahjan made a twin strike, Indians smelled an unexpected win for themselves.

Harbhajan won a leg before appeal against Tillekaratne Dilshan (17) and later bowled Russel Arnold (22) to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 112 for five.

Jayasuriya from now on shouldered the innings and even as Pathan and Zaheer chipped in with a wicket each, the hosts were inching closer to their target all the while.

PTI