Dhruv Jural celebrates his second Test hundred, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel shared a seventh wicket stand of 112, Rishabh Pant copped several blows to his body during his innings of 63
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka, already one-down in the two-match Test series had a battle on their hands to save the second cricket Test at the SSC grounds yesterday after India had piled up 503-9 declared and then grabbed two cheap wickets for eight runs to have the hosts on the back foot.
Sri Lanka’s first task is to get to 304 to avoid being asked to bat again on a pitch that is offering the spinners more in terms of turn and bounce.
India closed their innings after crossing the 500-run mark giving themselves a few overs at the Lankan batters, but the light deteriorated after just two balls from Mohamed Siraj. Following a delay, play eventually resumed and Sri Lanka lost Lahiru Udara for one and Prabath Jayasuriya sent in as night watchman for two before the umpires deemed the light was bad enough to continue.
This was the 11th time that a team had posted 400-plus in the first innings of a Test at the SSC. Of the previous 10, six had resulted in wins while four others ended in draws.
Sri Lanka’s problem of not getting a decent start to their innings not only in the series, but this year has affected them badly. Their opening stands so far has been 8, 2, 2, 15, 13, 0 and 1. Total of 41 runs in seven innings at an average of 5.85.
India started the day on 300-5, but lost Saransh Jain early. That was the only blip in an otherwise excellent day. Rishabh Pant, who hurt his wrist on the first day joined Dhruv Jurel, and the pair quickly added a 112-run stand, bringing up their respective fifties in the process. Pant departed off the first ball after lunch for 63, scored off 89 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes), but Jurel carried on and with the help of Manav Suthar and Siraj, to bring up his second Test hundred off 171 balls (9 fours). A break for rain between those two partnerships, not only delayed Jurel reaching his hundred but also India’s declaration.
India were 419-6 at the lunch break, and they managed to add some more runs to their tally before rain brought forward the tea break with India on 475-8. Suthar (18) chipped in with some useful runs after lunch, but Jurel was the dominant scorer. Jurel was five runs short of his century at the break, while Asitha Fernando was one wicket away from a well-deserved five-wicket haul.
The morning session was all India as they added 119 for the loss of one wicket and slowly seized control over the Test. They lost Saransh Jain early in the session, but Pant resuming his innings braved blows from Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara. He didn’t flinch but took the attack back to the opponents. It was quite a subdued innings by his normal standard, but he stuck to his task and got India past the 400-run mark. At the other end Jurel batted fluently combining solid defence with attractive shots. The Lankan pacers bowled with a lot of heart, but the spinners were ineffective, despite the pitch starting to offer them some help.
Fernando was the pick of the Lankan bowlers finishing with 4/106, while the two spinners shared four wickets. Sri Lanka will have their task cut out when play resumes 15 minutes early tomorrow.
Asitha, Jaiswal fined 25% of match fee by ICC
- Inappropriate player physical contact
Sri Lanka seam bowler Asitha Fernando and India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal have each been fined 25%of their match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first day of the second Test at the SSC on Sunday.
Both players were found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).”
In addition to this, one demerit point each has been added to the disciplinary records of Fernando and Jaiswal, both of whom did not have any previous offences in the preceding 24-month period.
The players were involved in a confrontation after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal in the 17th over of India’s first innings. Jaiswal walked towards Fernando and the two exchanged words, following which Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. In response, Jaiswal leant in, resulting in their heads making contact.
Both players admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for formal hearings.On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Prageeth Rambukwella levelled the charge. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
SCOREBOARD
INDIA 1ST INNINGS
(300-5 continued)
Y Jaiswal b Fernando 45
L Rahul c Dickwella b Kumara 18
D Padikkal b Nuwantha 117
S Gill c Dickwella b Fernando 50
R Pant c Udara b Nuwantha 63
R Jadeja b Fernando 43
D Jurel not out 115
S Jain c Mishara b Fernando 6
M Suthar c Dickwella b Jayasuriya 18
M Siraj lbw b Jayasuriya 3
P Krishna not out 4
Extras (b-8, lb-3, nb-3, w-7) 21
Total (9 wickets decl.) 503
Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Rahul), 2-66 (Jaiswal), 3-186 (Gill), 4-281 (Padikkal), 5-296 (Jadeja)m, 6-307 (Jain), 7-419 (Pant), 8-458 (Suthar), 9-489 (Siraj).
Bowling: Fernando 29-5-106-4 (1nb, 1w), Kumara 20-4-68-1 (1w), Jayasuriya 42-7-132-2 (4w), Nuwantha 38-3-154-2 (2nb, 1w), Dinusha 3-0-8-0, De Silva 2-0-8-0, Mishara 4-0-16-0.
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
L Udara c Jaiswal b Krishna 1
K Mishara not out 5
P Jayasuriya lbw b Suthar 2
Extras 0
Total (2 wickets at close) 8
Fall of wicket: 1-1 (Udara), 2-8 (Jayasuriya).
To bat: P Sooriyabandara, K Mendis, D de Silva, S Dinusha, N Dickwella, K Nuwantha, L Kumara, A Fernando
Bowling: Siraj 1-0-1-0, Krishna 1-0-1-1, Suthar 1-0-6-1.
