Kumar stands firm
Kumar Sangakkara led Sri Lanka's reply in his farewell match, guiding the hosts to 65-1 in their first innings at tea on day two of the second Test against India.
|||Colombo - Kumar Sangakkara, as he has often done in his career, led Sri Lanka's reply in his farewell match, guiding the hosts to 65-1 in their first innings at tea on day two of the second Test against India on Friday.
In reply to India's first innings total of 393, Sri Lanka lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne early but Sangakkara (29) and Kaushal Silva (30) added 64 runs for the still-flourishing second wicket to steady the hosts.
Paceman Umesh Yadav struck with his first ball, trapping Karunaratne in the second over of the innings and Sangakkara received a guard-of-honour from the Indian fielders and umpires when he walked out to bat in his 134th and final Test at the P Sara Oval.
The first ball Sangakkara faced, however, was a vicious inswinging yorker from Yadav which the left-hander barely managed to dig out.
He got a reprieve on 24 when Ajinkya Rahane failed to take a catch at slip after Sangakkara had attempted a cut shot off Ravichandran Ashwin.
Silva was also lucky, caught behind off Stuart Binny but it turned out to be a no-ball.
Earlier, Wriddhiman Saha (56) capitalised on a charmed life to hit his second successive Test fifty as India inched closer to the 400-mark before being all out three overs after lunch.
Resuming on 319 for six, India lost Ashwin early but Saha added 46 runs with Amit Mishra (24) to frustrate the hosts.
Sri Lanka bowled without luck in the morning session, illustrated best in the second over of the day when Dhammika Prasad's delivery brushed Saha's off-stump but did not disturb the bails.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed the last two Indian wickets to finish with figures of 4-81. – Reuters