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Sri Lanka make strong start in India test

Kumar Sangakkara struck a century as Sri Lanka reached 228 for one at tea on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India at the Galle International Stadium.

Sangakkara was batting on 100 while opening batsman Tharanga Paranavitana was on 95.

After winning the toss on a good batting track that offered little help to bowlers despite heavy rains on Saturday, Sri Lanka’s opening partnership of Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan put up a solid 55.

Paranavitana played patiently waiting for the loose balls, while Dilshan was in an attacking mood hitting six fours in his knock of 25.

Dilshan flashed at balls outside off stump and was lucky not to edge one behind. However, in the first ball after the first drinks break he attempted to hook a short delivery from test debutant Abhimanyu Mithun and gloved a catch to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Kumar Sangakkara joined Paranavitana and took Sri Lanka to lunch without further loss. Paranavitana batted throughout the session to score 35 not out, inclusive of six fours. Sangakkara was 25 not out.

The test marks the final appearance of Sri Lanka off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, who requires eight wickets to become the first bowler to take 800 test wickets.

The following is the scoreboard at lunch on the first day of the first cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium here Sunday.

Sri Lanka:

Tharanga Paranavitana not out 35

Tillekaratne Dilshan c Dhoni b Mithun 25

Kumar Sangakkara not out 25

Extras (lb 4, nb 2) 6

Total (for one wicket in 20 overs) 91

Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Dilshan, 10.1 ov)

Bowling:

Ishant Sharma 5-0-41-0

Abhimanyu Mithun 8-1-31-1

Harbhajan Singh 6-2-9-0

Pragyan Ojha 1-0-6-0

Toss: Sri Lanka, who chose to bat

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Rod Tucker (Australia)

TV umpire: Tyron Wijewardene

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Tillekaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene (wicketkeeper), Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welegedara.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wicketkeeper), Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Rod Tucker (Australia)

TV umpire: Tyron Wijewardene

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)