With a resolute half century, Angelo Mathews kept Indians at bay in the first session of the last day of the deciding Test here at the SSC. However, with only five wickets in their hands, it would be difficult for the hosts to win or even draw the match.

 

Needing seven wickets to clinch their first series in Sri Lanka after 22 years, Umesh Yadav struck in the fourth over of the morning by dismissing opener Kaushal Silva. The latter had executed a brace of powerful pull shots on Monday, but miscue another pull. This time Yadav hurried him and the top edge that ensued was grabbed by Cheteshwar Pujara at square leg.

 

However, India were kept waiting for their next breakthrough, as Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne made them toil for 89 minutes. The skipper was fluent through and drove Stuart Binny twice through long on, and did not waste any chance to find the ropes. Thirimanne, on the other hand, was jumpy. and frequently played and missed ball outside the off-stump.

 

Both Ishant and Umesh served out short-of-length balls in fifth-stump line and Thirimanne was dilemma-ridden to play it or not. So the angled ball from over the stumps beat his outside edge numerous times. But somehow he survived and both batsmen played out the Indian pacers. India should have had dismissed Mathews too, but if only Ravichandran Ashwin’s throw was any accurate.

 

Finally, Ashwin ended their 33-run resistance in the first over of his second spell, inducing a leading edge off Thirimanne, which was smartly was smartly pouched by KL Rahul at short leg. But Mathews batted on in his usual fashion, and completed his 50 in 118 balls in the company of first-innings hero Kusal Perera.

 

The hosts, who are at 134 for five at lunch, would want their last recognised batting pair to bat as long as possible to not lose their consecutive series at home.

(The New Indian Express)