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| Sri Lanka vs India, 1st Test, Galle, Day 1 |
| Paranavitana and Sangakkara hit centuries |
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| Date: 18 July, 2010(Sunday) |
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Cricdb staff writer
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Print Version  |
India were left chasing leather at Galle on their first day of the Sri Lanka tour as left-handers Tharanga Paranavitana and Kumar Sangakkara struck centuries before darkening skies ended proceedings early. At 256 for 2 with Paranavitana still at the crease on a maiden century, Sri Lanka had the best of this day's play.
India may argue that the toss plays a big part, but the simplicity and efficiency with which Sri Lanka tormented an undercooked bowling attack has become a hallmark of their cricket. Strangely enough, it was the debutant fast bowler, Abhimanyu Mithun, who was India's most threatening and restrictive bowler. The young seamer showed a discipline and nerve missing in his counterparts, and soon had a maiden wicket when Tillekeratne Dilshan top-edged a bouncer to MS Dhoni.
By then, though, Dilshan had fired off six boundaries in a typically shot-filled 25, putting on 55 in just ten overs with Paranavitana. The young left-hander wasn't always convincing--early on he fended loosely several times past gully--but he also drove beautifully and cut neatly off the spinners. Ishant Sharma, making an India comeback, did occasionally force a mistake, but mixed in plenty of poor balls and was dispatched for 41 in his first five overs.
Sangakkara was typically positive, flaying through the off-side and pulling the spinners powerfully over midwicket. It was the latter shot with which he welcomed Pragyan Ojha, with which he raced past fifty in just 79 balls, and also to fell he eventually fell, but not before adding 181 at a brace with Paranavitana. He didn't let the Indian spinners dominate, sweeping and driving Ojha for successive on-side boundaries while Paranavitana settled in for the long haul. Once the young opener had reached the landmark, though, he celebrated by tearing well past the length of the pitch and whooping in joy.
Sangakkara raced to his century in just 136 balls, even beating his partner, but fell pulling a Virender Sehwag long-hop to deep midwicket. He had hit 12 boundaries off 145 balls, while his young charge struck as many off 229 balls, but the late breakthrough and the early interval may give India some vestige of momentum and a welcome opportunity to regroup.
© Cricdb
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| Pos |
Team |
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| 1 |
India |
| 2 |
South Africa |
| 3 |
Australia |
| 4 |
Sri Lanka |
| 5 |
England |
| 6 |
Pakistan |
| 7 |
New Zealand |
| 8 |
West Indies |
| 9 |
Bangladesh |
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| Pos |
Team |
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| 1 |
Australia |
| 2 |
India |
| 3 |
South Africa |
| 4 |
New Zealand |
| 5 |
England |
| 6 |
Pakistan |
| 7 |
Sri Lanka |
| 8 |
West Indies |
| 9 |
Bangladesh |
| 10 |
Zimbabwe |
| 11 |
Ireland |
| 12 |
Kenya |
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