Most sensible commentators interpreted Sourav Ganguly’s pre-matchclaims that “morale was good” and that “there was no reason to bedown” as a valiant but forlorn attempt to save an injury ravaged teamfrom total combustion

Charlie Austin22-Aug-2001Most sensible commentators interpreted Sourav Ganguly’s pre-matchclaims that “morale was good” and that “there was no reason to bedown” as a valiant but forlorn attempt to save an injury ravaged teamfrom total combustion. India had been soundly beaten on a grassy pitchin Galle and now faced a cocksure Sri Lankan unit, without theirpremier strike bowler, on an even livelier looking surface at AsgiriyaInternational Stadium.The Indian captain, however, proved as good as his word. The tourists,perhaps boosted by the good fortune promised by Lord Ganesh’s Pooja,played themselves back into this three-match series as they grabbedthe initiative in this crucial second Test by reducing the home sideto 274 for nine at the close. There is still a very long way to go andSri Lanka’s total is already competitive, but their day stillsurpassed the modest expectations of many.Sri Lanka, though, will feel a tinge of relief as they reflect on thefirst day’s play. The Kandy hoodoo (six defeats in eleven games) hasbeen lurking at the back of their minds this week and at one stagethey looked to be in dire trouble having slipped 101 for four and then138 for five.Like he did in against England last March in similar circumstancesMahela Jayawardene fought back with a sublime century, full ofeffortless pulls and languid cover drives. He scored 104 from 149balls and compiled crucial middle order partnerships with HashanTillakaratne, Suresh Perera, and Chaminda Vaas of 37, 51 and 43respectively.Even after the fall of Jayawardene, caught behind as he poked at anoutswinger from Venkatesh Prasad, Sri Lanka continued to frustrateIndia with a 29 run ninth wicket partnership, full of forthrightstroke play from Chaminda Vaas, who ended up the second highest runscorer with an unbeaten 42 off 61 balls.Sri Lanka had made the worst possible start this morning when starbatsman Sanath Jaysuriya was run out in the fifth over of the day.Jayasuriya had glanced to leg and immediately sensed the possibilityof two runs. Marvan Atapattu, however, failed to notice his partner’surgency and settled for one. The Sri Lankan captain, running to thedanger end, was left stranded.Kumar Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu responded positively. Indian coach John Wright keeps reminding us that 70 per cent of bowling is about “getting the ball in the right areas,” but for the next hour the Indian bowlers appeared confused, with 70 per cent of the bowling being utter rubbish. They made the pitch look like a featherbed ­ which it wasn’t ­ and rattled on to 58 for oneafter the first 70 minutes.A timely downpour gave them an opportunity to regroup and when theyreturned, the bowling improved and the run scoring slowed. Then, justbefore the luncheon interval, Sourav Ganguly made an inspired bowlingchange: he brought himself on.He bowled gun barrel straight­ – he also ran straight down the wicketand was warned twice by umpire Steve Bucknor – and wobbled the ball inthe air. His first over was a maiden and in his second he struck avital blow, as Sangakkara edged an attempted cover drive, havingscored 31 from 51 balls, and Sadogoppan Ramesh held onto to anexcellent catch in the gully.In the next over, the last before the interval, Zaheer Khan returnedfor a second spell. Atapattu’s batting had had a pre-destined airabout it, as if fate had already informed him that his incrediblesuccess in Kandy was to continue (He averages 85 here and has alreadyscored two double centuries), but Khan created a moment of indecisionand the ball cannoned into his stumps as he tried to leave the ball atthe last minute. Atapattu had scored 39 from 79 balls and Sri Lankawere 82 for three.India continued with Ganguly and Khan after lunch and so well did theybowl that Harbhajan Singh was not required until the 47th over of theinnings. Suddenly the ball was darting off the pitch and swingingthrough the air. Russel Arnold was dismissed for five as he edged agood length delivery to first slip and, when Prasad replaced Khan,Hashan Tillakaratne belied his reputation for studious accumulationwith a reckless cut to be caught behind. Sri Lanka were 138 for five.Jayawardene, who’s first scoring stroke was a minimalist straightdrive to the boundary, had played himself in carefully, but sensed thetime had come to raise the tempo, or face a slow painful demise.Seeing the ball like a jackfruit he was merciless on the loose ball,waiting until the last millisecond before he caressed it into a vacantgap.Speaking afterwards Jayawardene claimed the innings to be: “One of mybest Test knocks if you take into account the conditions, whichfavoured the fast bowlers, and the fact that they bowled well.”Tomorrow we will find out just how important it was.