Tillakaratne Dilshan’s defiant 65 helped Sri Lanka recover from two early shocks on Tuesday to avert the follow-on in the third and final Test match against India.
Dilshan saw the departure of overnight partner Jehan Mubarak (13) and Farveez Maharoof (4) as Sri Lanka slumped to 155 for seven before Malinga Bhandara (28 not out) provided the support that helped the tourists avoid the embarrassment of being asked to bat again.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 206 at lunch on the third day, conceding a 192-run lead after India posted 398 in its first innings.
Hitting eight boundaries off 109 deliveries during his two-round knock, Dilshan was the eighth man out when Sri Lanka required just one run to avoid the follow-on.
Dilshan and Bhandara shared a 43-run stand for the eighth wicket, thwarting India’s rampant off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, whose haul of seven for 62 was the 17th time he had claimed five or more wickets in an innings from 50 Tests.
Singh’s figures were his best in a Test match against Sri Lanka.
Resuming at the overnight total of 131 for five, Sri Lanka suffered two early jolts as leg-spinner Anil Kumble (2-87) clean bowled Mubarak with a sharp flipper and Singh snapped a return catch from Maharoof.
Dilshan was thrown a lifeline on 52 when wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni muffed a stumping chance off Singh with Sri Lanka’s total on 180.
Dilshan fell to a catch by Mohammad Kaif at forward short-leg off Singh, but he had already done his job.
Muttiah Muralitharan (3) just needed to score one run to make India bat against in the final Test of the series, which the home team leads 1-0 after winning the second test in New Delhi by 188 runs.
Muralitharan was stumped by Dhoni off Kumble and last man Lasith Malinga (0) was caught by Virender Sehwag in Singh’s leg-side trap, leaving Bhandara unbeaten after an hour at the crease.
Bhandara’s knock contained two sixes and two boundaries from 44 balls. – Sapa-AP