Dilshan hits ton as Lanka stage recovery

S S Ramaswamy
Mumbai, Dec 2 (PTI) Tillakaratne Dilshan cracked a fluent
109 as Sri Lanka recovered from three quick top-order jolts to
leave the crucial third and final cricket Test against India
evenly poised at the end of the opening day.

Electing to bat, Dilshan stole the limelight with his
11th Test century as the visitors recovered from a jittery 188
for four to reach a comfortable 366 for eight at close on the
opening day at the Brabourne stadium which saw Test cricket
returning to the venue after 36 years.
The Indians had themselves to blame for allowing the
Lankans off the hook as the bowling lacked consistency to put
pressure on the batsmen who managed to score at a brisk pace
right through the day on a testing Brabourne track.
The Lankans got off to a good start but slipped to 188
for four from a comfortable 128 for one with captain Kumar
Sangakkara (18), Mahela Jayawardene (29) and Thilan
Samaraweera (1) returning to the pavilion in quick succession.
Angelo Mathews (86) and Muthiah Muralitharan (0) were at
the crease at stumps on an eventful day which saw the Indians
bowling well only in patches.
The 33-year-old Dilshan again tormented the Indians with
his second century in the series and his sixth this year while
Tharanga Paranavitana (53) and Prasanna Jayawardene (43) were
the other notable contributors. More PTI SSR
MYR


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