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Sat, 05 August 2017
2nd Test: Sri Lanka end Day 3 at 209 for 2
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17:14 Opener Karunaratne still batting on 92
This has been a good fight back by Sri Lanka as they end Day 3 at 209 for 2 at stumps.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (92 batting) and night-watchman Malinda Pushpakumara (2 batting) are at the crease at close.
They scored 91 runs and lost 1 wicket in the last session of play.
Lanka dominate play post lunch and gave India no chance of getting back into the game. Thanks to centurion Kusal Mendis and opener Karunaratne, Lanka have crawled their way back into this Test.
Jadeja bowls the last over to Pushpakumara who looks a little uneasy facing the spinner.
There is turn and bounce and there are lots of fielders around the bat.
Ashwin bowls short and Karunaratne cuts it for a boundary through point.
Jadeja continues and the ball is doing a few things now.
It's bouncing, turning and Pushpakumara is challenged.
Ashwin continues and the pressure is now back on Sri Lanka to play out the last four overs without losing any more wickets.
Pushpakumara opens his account with 2.
Jadeja continues.
Karunaratne reverse sweeps and is foxed but gets a lucky boundary past leg slip.
Sri Lanka have sent in the night-watchman in Pushpakumara.
16:55 Pandya gets his first Test wicket
Just when it looked like Mendis was going on to make a big score, he finds the inside edge, the ball ballooning and keeper Saha takes a stunning diving catch to send the batsman back after a massive partnership of 191.
Mendis out after making an entertaining 110 off 135 balls.
Mendis and Karunaratne making most of the loose deliveries coming their way.
Pandya has now bowled two no balls in the last two overs.
The all-rounder has hardly troubled the batsmen, who have stayed in the zone and batted freely.
16:29 Lanka continue to put their head down and work
Pandya continues and he bowls a rare wide. The batsmen play him with ease as Karunaratne gets to 80.
Ashwin brought back into the attack at the other end and Karunaratne spanks the ball for a boundary through covers.
Hardik Pandya brought into the attack for the first time in the innings and he starts with giving away just one run.
Mendis gets to a well-deserved 100 as he once again sweeps Jadeja to get to the landmark.
His fighting knock gets Kohli applauding as well.
16:01 Kohli clueless
Sri Lanka trail by 273 runs while Mendis reaches his century.
So 11 overs after tea, Shami gets the ball in the hope of a wicket that India are desperately seeking and he gets some reverse swing first up.
He beats Karunaratne.
Kohli adopts spin at both ends as Jadeja comes into the attack.
But the Lankan batsmen are set and they are timing the ball sweetly all around the ground and are using the sweep shot a lot to counter the spinners.
15:28 Kohli, bowlers frustrated
Sri Lanka's Mendis and Karunaratne continue from where they left off before tea.
In five overs since taking the field after the break the hosts have raced to 140-1, scoring 22 runs in the last five overs.
They are finding the boundaries at will and Kohli is cutting a frustrated figure here.
14:45 Lanka fightback
Tea is called as Lanka fightback to stay alive in the contest.
This has been a fruitful session for the Lankans as Mendis and Karunaratne have played sensibly. They have taken on Ashwin and Jadeja and stitched up a 2nd wicket partnership of a 111 runs.
Bowling the last over before tea, Ashwin gives no run but that is a good session for Lanka.
Ashwin continues and he is bowling short here, allowing the batsmen to take easy runs.
Mendis plays on the up and through the covers for a boundary.
The batsmen have played Ashwin and Jadeja with ease, forcing Kohli to bring on Umesh Yadav.
Mendis and Karunaratne complete their half-centuries and bring up the 100-run partnership in the 25th over.
If Sri Lanka have to make a match of this both these batsmen will need to stay at the crease for a lot longer and make some big runs.
14:14
Mendis and Karunaratne are batting in cruise mode now and are closing in on their respective fifties as drinks are called.
Ashwin and Jadeja have not bowled with the same venom as they did in the first session and that has allowed Lankan players to settle down.
The batsmen are playing with more ease and control than in their first innings.
13:43 Yadv gets early breakthrough
This is turning into an interesting session as the Lankans are beginning to get into the flow.
There is the odd turn that Ashwin and Jadeja are getting but the batsmen are doing well to see them through.
Jadeja comes into to bowl replacing Ashwin.
Karunaratne sweeps and gets a boundary through backward point.
Shami continues and Karunaratne plays it in the gap through mid-wicket for a nicely run three.
Shami comes around the wicket to Mendis but the batsmen seemed to have found their feet.
Mendis takes on Ashwin and gets a four on the on side.
The batsman then plays a four down to the third man region to take 13 runs off that Ashwin over.
Mendis and Karunatne being probed by the bowlers here. They are getting the odd boundary but they don't look too comfortable.
13:04 Sri Lanka come back to bat after being asked to follow on
Ashwin overpitches and Karunaratne times the ball to perfection for a boundary on the on side.
Another horrifying start for the hosts.
Umesh Yadav has made the first breakthrough and Upul Tharanga is out for 2.
Tharanga fails to read the length of the ball as it moves in late and is bowled all ends up.
12:56 Trail India by 439 runs
Ashwin opens the bowling at the other end and he is getting some turn.
Sri Lanka get off to a good start after being asked to follow on.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne gets off the mark with a four off Umesh Yadav in the opening over.
12:11 Ashwin gets another 5-wicket haul
Sri Lanka are bowled out for 183 right at lunch as Ashwin gets another 5-wicket haul here. He bowls Pradeep all ends up to bring an end to the Sri Lankan innings.
Lanka trail by 439 runs and India have enforced the follow-on.
Lunch delayed by half-an-hour but Pushpakumara goes big against Jadeja.
He launches into the bowler and gets a six straight down.
Pushpakumara repeats the shot, he is not quite in control of it. Umesh Yadav drops the catch and ball rolls to the boundary line for another 4 in the over.
Ashwin back in the attack and has Perera bowled for 25 and Sri Lanka lose their 9th wicket.
Last man Nuwan Pradeep comes in to take the crease despite his injury and he plays out 4 dot balls.
With ten minutes to go for lunch Perera and Pushpakumara happy to just rotate the strike.
Perera is going after Jadeja and gets a four through mid-wicket.
Shami continues and he gives away just one run.
Jadeja putting the pressure on Perera bur the batsman uses the pace to sweep the ball for a four on the on side.
Perera cuts the ball through point for consecutive boundaries to bring out some signs of frustration from Jadeja.
11:38 Lanka lose their 8th
Herath replaces Dickwella at the crease and is immediately off the mark with a couple on the off side.
Herath yorked and he loses his stumps to give Shami his 2nd wicket of the over.
Shami replaces Ashwin and gets the breakthrough.
Dickwella plays a premeditated shot, he tries to sweep Shami but gets a little too far wide off the off stump line and ends up playing the ball on to his stumps.
Dickwella gone for 51.
Lanka get to 150 as Dickwella takes a single. The hosts have got 100 runs in the session at a quick rate -- scoring at over five runs an over but have lost 4 wickets since the morning.
Dickwella gets to his half-century with a single on the on side off Ashwin with a well controlled sweep. He has hit 7 fours and a six to get to the landmark.
Jadeja getting turn and challenging Perera.
While the wickets fall at the other end Dickwella is going about things with business as usual.
He is taking on Ashwin, using his feet well and sweeping the spinner around the park. No Dilruwan Perera has taken a leaf out of Dickwella's book and comes down the track to smash Ashwin and end the over with a six.
11:10 De Silva out for golden duck
Dhanamjaya de Silva out for a golden duck. Jadeja gets some turn and bounce and the ball goes through to hit the off stump bails and send de Silva packing.
After playing a good cameo, Mathews is gone for 26 off 33 balls and it takes a good catch by Pujara at leg slip to send the batsmen back.
Ashwin pushes in a quicker one and he gets some turn. Mathews tries to play it off his pads, gets the edge and Pujara does well to get his hands underneath the ball as it dips on him at leg slip.
Mathews not sparing Jadeja here. The bowler bowls a fuller delivery and Mathews dispatches him straight over for the second six of the over and Lanka take 14 runs off that over.
The batsmen are dealing in fours and sixes now and Mathews brings up the Lankan 100 with a six off Jadeja over long on.
The batsmen playing like they have nothing to lose and that is a good approach to have.
Dickwella and Mathews have upped the pace of the scoring here. They are getting the odd boundaries and running the singles and twos.
Just when one thought that Lanka were further losing their grip on the match they have begun to show some fight.
10:31 Yadav strikes this time to send Mendis back
Jadeja getting something from the pitch here, lots of bounce that makes Mathews smile as he is taken by surprise.
Mathews then lobs Jadeja over the deep mid-wicket boundary to end the over with a four.
Dickwella gets off the mark with a well-timed boundary through covers off the last ball of the over.
Sri Lanka digging themselves into a hole here as Umesh Yadav strikes now.
Kusal Mendis gets into a mess, tries to flick it but the ball doesn't get the middle of the bat. The ball balloons over mid-on and after Kohli completes a good catch running behind to send Mendis back for 24.
10:22 Lanka captain Chandimal gone for 10
Kohli puts down new man Angelo Mathews at slips before the batsmen gets off the mark with a four down to fine leg.
Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal gone for 10.
He sweeps it straight to Hardik Pandya at backward square leg and Ravindra Jadeja gets the first breakthrough of the day in just his 3rd over.
Jadeja has been worrying the batsman and he finally strikes. Nice field placing.
10:06 Jadeja opens bowling on Day 3
Ravindra Jadeja starts the proceedings as Lanka captain Chandimal takes strike.
India have kept a host of close-in fielders as turn and bounce is expected on this Day 3 pitch.
And that went through Gully. Mendis gets a lucky four through that cordon.
Seven runs come off that opening over of the day.
India start Day 3 with an upper hand over hosts Sri Lanka in the 2nd Test in Colombo.
Lanka still trail India by a massive 572 runs with Chandimal and Mendis at the crease and it will be an interesting day ahead as the hosts bat to save the match.
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