CUTTACK 21-Dec-2009 113
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 96 and a four-wicket haul by Ravindra Jadeja enabled India crush Sri Lanka by seven-wicket in the third one-dayer and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series at Barabati Stadium here today. With this win India avenged the 36-run defeat they at the hands of Sri Lanka when the two sides met here for the first time, 19 years ago.
Chasing a competitive target of 240, India lost captain skipper Virender Sehwag (44 off 28 balls, 9x4) in the last ball of the seventh over with 55 runs on the board. Tendulkar played a highly responsible innings at this juncture to help the home side clinch the emphatic victory with 7.2 overs to spare. His presence at one end also made other batsmen play sensibly.
It would have been a befitting reward if Tendulkar had scored four more runs to notch what would have been his 46th ODI century. He added 72 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir (32) and 73 runs for the unfinished fourth wicket with Dinesh Karthik (36 not out) to make the chase comfortable for India.
While Tendulkar capped the victory, all-rounder Jadeja did the spadework with his career best haul of four for 32. With his nagging left-arm spin bowling, 21-year-old destroyed the opposition innings, which earlier assumed a threatening shape with first 100 runs coming in 11.5 overs. But after a rollicking start, the visitors lost nine wickets for 74 runs to be squander a good opportunity to win the game and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Electing to bat on a batting-friendly wicket, Sri Lanka set the picturesque stadium on fire by galloping to 65 in 6.2 overs, thanks to swashbuckling knock of 41 by Dilshan.
India stumper Dinesh Karthik got a golden opportunity to run out dangerman Dilshan, but wasted it by a misdirected throw. Dilshan, however, failed to cash in on the reprieve as he departed six runs later, offering an easy catch to Karthik off Ashish Nehra. The Lankan opener tried to be too aggressive and paid the price. But before his exit, Dilshan, who scored a centry in each of the first two ODIs, gave his team an electrifying start, hitting 41 of only 18 balls. All except one of his scoring strokes fetched him boundaries.
Playing in place of regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Karthing looked rusty and often fumbled in gathering the ball properly. He and almost gave a life to opposition captain Kumar Sangakkara before stumping him on second attempt.
Introduction of Nehera, who came into the playing eleven in place of Praveen Kumar, brought the much needed relief for India as the left-arm speedster also checked the easy flow of runs with a disciplined spell of five overs, 21 runs and one wicket.
Second opener Upul Tharanga consolidated the innings, compiling 100 runs for the second wicket with skipper Kumar Sangakkara. But Jadeja turned the tide in favour of India his excellent bowling, which fetched the man of the match award. He forced opposition batsmen commit mistakes by generating both turn and bounce. He too maintained good line and length through out his 10 over performance.
Tharanga top scored for the visitors with an 81-ball 73, which was studded with six hits to the rope and one over it. Coming back to the one-day side, speedster Ishant Sharma put India in trouble by conceding 31 runs in his first two overs and 46 runs in three overs. He, however, compensated his extravagant bowling by picking up two wickets later in the innings. But spinners did a fine job for India with Harbhajan Singh and skipper Virender Sehwag contributing one wicket each.
Tendulkar and Orissa speedster Debasis Mohanty were felicitated at the presentation ceremony for completing 30,000 Test runs and 300 first class wickets respectively.
BRIEF SCORE: Sri Lanka 239/10 in 44.2 overs (U Tharanga 73, K Sangakkara 46, T Dilshan 41, S Kandamby 22; R Jadeja 4/32, A Nehra 2/32, I Sharma 2/63) lost to India 243/3 in 42.3 overs (S Tendulkar 96 n.o, V Sehwag 44, D Karthik 32 n.o, G Gambhir 32, Yuvraj Singh 23; U Welegedara 2/35) by 7 wkts.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Sachin Tendulkar in action at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Dec 21, 2009.
