India - Sri Lanka Test Series Nov'09

[Son_Of]

Anyone else following this? India are 385-6 at stumps on day 1 of the first Test. Dravid 177* and passed both Steve Waugh's career total and 11,000 Test runs today. As well as the most runs he has ever scored in one day and a world record number of 100 partnerships featured in. :clap:

Sachin went cheaply (thank fuck) although I always want him to get one ton in a series even against us.

We (Sri Lanka) had Kula and Thushara unavailable, but the stand-ins Welegedera and Prasad started well, getting India down to 32-4! But then Rahul put on huge partnerships with Yuvi and Mahi.

We left out Mendis for Herath (fair enough on Test form) and Prassana was favoured to having Dilly keep and bringing in another batsman, say Kandamby.

Superb recovery from India after we had 'em reeling and now I'm hoping the tail doesn't wag for too long and our own star batsmen enjoy the conditions themselves. We need a big first innings to keep this competitive. Samaraweera's in imperious form (averaging over 80 this year) and loves it in the subcontinent, racking up the scores both in Sri Lanka and in the terrorism-interrupted series in Pakistan. Mahela's form has improved since Sanga took over the captaincy. And Dilshan as opener has proved to be basically Viru minus a little strength and witha little extra wristiness.

Anyone else following the series?

 

[Son_Of]

i guess not, but i'll give another update in case anyone catches on late. the test match started on a monday which might catch people unawares (my india-fan friend didn't know we were playing until i told him!). have to say a monday-to-friday test match in india is guaranteed not to draw a crowd at the stadium :-(
pity because it's shaping up into an interesting contest and i hope we get 5 uninterrupted days (unless we have a sudden collapse!)

stumps at day 2. india 426 a.o. sri lanka 275-3
we knocked down The Wall before he could add to his overnight 177 and did for the tail fairly quickly. welegedera got 4-87 and murali got 3 wickets (each one a world record ) whcih is pretty good for a spinner in first innings on a flat track.

Dilly got to 112 and then both he and Sanga got out trying to hook Zaheer bouncers. Now TMD is susceptible to this sort of thing, but it's a very unSangalike way to go, especially having just seen Dilshan do it at the other end. Disappointing because he hardly ever gives his wicket away and from 31 should go on to a biggy.

Still we're on our way to a total, Mahela and samaweera have put on about 80 together without giving much of a sniff.

Come on Lanka