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India too good for Sri Lanka again
S. Ram Mahesh
BACK WITH A BANG: Yuvraj Singh, whose poor form was a cause of worry, was at his blazing best at Rajkot.
Rajkot: In a series where daunting targets have been chased down with the insouciance normally exhibited by those who unexpectedly come into a large inheritance, India pre-empted the event by popping off the moneyed and metaphorical relative, restricting Sri Lanka to 196 in the sixth ODI on Wednesday.
Left-arm paceman R.P. Singh highlighted the virtue of landing it on a good line and length, winning the man of the match award in only his third ODI with figures of four for 35 at the Madhavrao Scindia ground here. "My game is to keep it stump to stump," he said. "In India there isn't much in the track and I bowl a fuller length."
In the chase, Yuvraj Singh — in the company of old comrade Mohammad Kaif — rediscovered his batting soul and powered India to a seven-wicket win with 15.1 overs remaining, making it 5-1. In the previous match, the Punjab left-hander had scratched discordant notes, his feet uncertain, his bat feeble.
Conviction
On Wednesday, he started with greater conviction after India's top three failed to substantiate the starts they made. Yuvraj chose to play down the ground, his bat-swing virile. Kaif, who twitched and stretched in between deliveries, found gaps and eased himself back into international cricket. The pair's unbeaten 112-ball partnership of 105 — dominated by Yuvraj (79 not out, 67b, 9x4, 3x6) — ensured India wrested back any momentum they might have lost in Ahmedabad.
Earlier, a flu kept Ajit Agarkar out, and a hamstring strain did the same to Muttiah Muralitharan. The change in captain didn't change India's luck with the toss in the series so far (three out of five) and Sanath Jayasuriya, hoping some luck would come his way, walked out with new partner Upul Tharanga.
In the only phase a Sri Lankan batting partnership controlled the match, the left-handed openers apportioned punishment — Jayasuriya carving Sreesanth and Tharanga stroking Pathan, as 44 came in 7.3. Sreesanth then switched angle and speared in a fast, full delivery that made the merest of contact with the inner edge of Jayasuriya's bat.
Sangakkara's mistake
Number three Kumara Sangakkara conceived a pull to a full Pathan delivery — his second such mistake in the series. The left-hander has a terrific eye, and both dismissals seem a consequence more of cockiness than of error in picking length.
There were two balls in the innings that did exactly as their creators willed, following the ideal to the minutest. The first was a rip-snorter from R.P. Singh; the second an insidious floater from Murali Kartik. Both found their way into M.S. Dhoni's orange mitts — one a snick, the other a stumping.
The first managed to lift off a length and jagged back at unfortunate recipient Tharanga. The second misinformed Mahela Jayawardene of its intentions. It started off all innocence — `Hit me, I'm a half volley' — before curling into the right-hander in the air, dipping and breaking away on contact with turf. Jayawardene had stepped towards where he expected the ball to land and in doing so, had dragged his foot.
Dilshan's batting
Tillakaratne Dilshan surveyed the situation, shrugged shoulders and began. To the spinners, he either stretched forward and swept — flat to square-leg and fine behind the keeper — or stepped back, shortening length, and cut. For a lark, Dilshan advanced down the track and slogged.
His partner-in-crime from the last match, Russel Arnold fell to what's now become the signature of `Gen Next' - swoop, pick-up, throw. Yuvraj then repeated Kaif's dose, picked a different end, and Dilshan (59, 63b, 9x4) left. Upul Chandana resisted as Sehwag tried different options to terminate the tail. The Indians had cleaned up their act — just three wides compared to last match's 13 — and bowled admirably on a good pitch.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Dhoni b R.P. Singh 28, S. Jayasuriya c Dhoni b Sreesanth 19, K. Sangakkara c Tendulkar b Pathan 9, M. Jayawardene st Dhoni b Kartik 14, M. Atapattu c Sehwag b R.P. Singh 9, T. Dilshan (run out) 59, R. Arnold (run out) 8, C. Vaas b Kartik 9, U. Chandana b R.P. Singh 30, F. Maharoof (sub) c Kaif b R.P. Singh 4, D. Fernando (not out) 4; Extras (w-3) 3; Total (in 42.5 overs) 196.
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-56, 3-57, 4-79, 5-83, 6-118, 7-132, 8-161, 9-182.
India bowling: Pathan 7-0-31-1, Sreesanth 8-0-50-1, R.P. Singh 8.5-2-35-4, Kartik 10-1-42-2, Harbhajan 9-1-38-0.
Power Play 1: 1 to 10 overs, Power Play 2: 11 to 15 overs, Power Play 3: 16 to 20 overs.
Super Subs: Suresh Raina (for Murali Kartik after 36 overs), Farveez Maharoof (for Nuwan Zoysa at the fall of eighth wicket)
India: G. Gambhir b Fernando 28, S. Tendulkar c Maharoof b Fernando 19, V. Sehwag c Dilshan b Chandana 22, M. Kaif (not out) 38, Y. Singh (not out) 79; Extras (nb-8, w-3) 11; Total (for three wickets in 34.5 overs) 197.
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-57, 3-92.
Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 7-0-38-0, Fernando 10-1-58-2, Maharoof 4-0-24-0, Jayasuriya 3.5-0-22-0, Chandana 5-0-32-1, Dilshan 5-0-23-0.
Power Play 1: 1 to 10 overs, Power Play 2: 11 to 15 overs, Power Play 3: 18 to 22 overs.
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