3rd Match: India v Sri Lanka at The Oval, 30 Jun 2002 CricInfo Live Report

3rd Match: India v Sri Lanka at The Oval, 30 Jun 2002
Stephen Lamb

Sri Lanka innings: 25 overs, end of innings ,
India innings: 25 overs,
Pre-game: Toss,

TENDULKAR STEERS INDIA TOWARDS VICTORY
Sri Lanka have a lot of work to do if they are to pull off an unlikely win in the third match of the NatWest triangular series at the AMP Oval. Chasing 203 for victory, India were 108 for three at the half-way stage of their reply, with Sachin Tendulkar on 39 not out.

Ganguly got India under way fortuitously, with an inside edge for four off Vaas in the first over. Sehwag began much as he left off at Lord's, with pulls to mid-wicket off both Vaas and Zoysa. But it was Vaas who made the much-needed breakthrough, winning an lbw call against Ganguly from a ball that had pitched just outside his off stump.

The dismissal took the pace off India's progress, as Mongia played himself in cautiously. When Sehwag was caught at cover driving at Vaas India were 26 for two, and Sri Lanka sensed that they just might be back in business. Enter Tendulkar, who also started quietly before opening his account with a cover drive of typically immaculate timing. After being beaten by Zoysa with some late movement, he glanced another boundary when offered room on his pads.

When Vaas made way for Fernando, Mongia missed an attempted cut before finding the fence with another. As Zoysa dropped short, Mongia hooked him imperiously for six to hoist India's 50. On the "anything you can do, I can do better" basis, Tendulkar then hooked Fernando out of the ground. When Buddika replaced Zoysa, Mongia took four more to mid-wicket and India were firmly back on course. A misfield by Arnold at extra cover gifted Mongia two more as events took on a certain air of inevitability.

After just two overs from Buddika, Chandana's off-spin was introduced at the Vauxhall end but that too was punished, Mongia driving straight for four. But the left-hander perished in the next over, hooking once to often at Fernando to see Vaas running round from long leg, judging a steepler to perfection. There was a delay when a square cut from Tendulkar hit a pigeon on the outfield. The unfortunate bird, which looked badly injured, was removed from the arena.

INDIA IN CHARGE AS SRI LANKA LOSE THEIR WAY
India are favourites to pull off their second victory in two days in the NatWest triangular series after they restricted Sri Lanka to just 202 for eight in their fifty overs at The AMP Oval. A burst of three wickets from Ajit Agarkar took the wind out of Sri Lanka's sails after they chose to bat on an excellent wicket.

The hundred eventually came up off 158 balls - a measure of India's success in applying the brakes after the rollicking start to Sri Lanka's innings. With boundaries scarce, Jayawardene exchanged ones and twos with Chandana until the former, given width outside the off stump by Ganguly, drove him sweetly to the rope at cover. Chandana then applied the long handle to Kumble, taking a boundary to midwicket.

Nehra's return gave India the additional breakthrough they wanted, as Chandana tried to pull a short ball from outside his off stump, got a leading edge and Kaif took a fine catch, scooping the ball up as he dived forward at extra cover.

Agarkar's return was expensive, as Jayawardene showed his class with a straight-driven boundary, and reached his fifty in less orthodox manner, edging four more to third man. Vaas played sensibly, constantly looking for singles and sweeping Kumble for four behind square.

Jayawardene's patient but invaluable knock ended tamely when he pushed indecisively at Khan to present an easy return catch. Zoysa, having got off the mark first ball with an edged boundary, played an injudicious swish to be caught at square leg. Although Vaas managed a meaty boundary to mid-wicket off Sehwag in the last over, Sri Lanka's total of 202 for eight looked far from adequate.

SRI LANKA DEEP IN TROUBLE AT THE OVAL
Ajit Agarkar took three wickets to pull up Sri Lanka in the third match of the NatWest triangular series. Agarkar's seven-over spell put India in charge of the match, with Sri Lanka perilously poised at 98 for five after 25 overs.

Sri Lanka, and Jayasuriya in particular on his 33rd birthday, raised expectations at the start of a batting carnival. Zaheer Khan went for 13 in his first over, six of them cut over third man by Jayasuriya - a remarkable stroke. Kaluwitharana picked up the celebratory mood, with a spanking off drive off Khan before he was missed behind the stumps by Dravid off Nehra.

Airborne strokes flowed regularly from Jayasuriya's bat, two going for four off Khan into the crowd beneath the gasometer. It was a surprise when Agarkar's first ball was edged by Kaluwitharana, and this time Dravid made no mistake.

Sri Lanka's fifty came up off 56 balls, but the carnival then came to an abrupt halt. First Jayasuriya, on 36, edged an attempted cut to be well caught by Dravid, two-handed at full stretch to his left. Without addition to the total Khan, switched from the Vauxhall to the pavilion end, found a way through Atapattu's defences via inside edge and pad, hitting his off stump. Arnold, sporting the revolutionary new Woodworm bat, looked confident as he hooked Agarkar for four, but was then caught behind sparring at the same bowler. Sri Lanka, on a blameless pitch, were 78 for four.

In the circumstances Jayawardene and Nawaz were forced to play themselves in cautiously, with the inevitable result of a drop in the scoring rate to just four an over. Nawaz, after a streaky boundary to third man off Ganguly, was caught at slip next ball attempting to steer the ball in the same direction, reducing Sri lanka to 97 for five.

SRI LANKA WIN TOSS AND BAT AT THE OVAL
Sri Lanka have won the toss and chosen to bat against India in the third match of the NatWest triangular series at The Oval. India, fresh from their triumph over England at Lord's yesterday, have made one change, Ashish Nehra coming in for Harbhajan Singh. Sri Lanka, defeated by England in their one game of the tournament so far, replace batsman Kumar Sangakkara with bowler Charitha Buddika.

The Oval pitch looks perfect for batting and the weather is much as it was at Lord's yesterday - fine, with high cloud and occasional sunshine.

India team: *SC Ganguly, V Sehwag, D Mongia, SR Tendulkar, +R Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, Z Khan, A Kumble, AB Agarkar, A Nehra.

Sri Lanka team: *ST Jayasuriya, +RS Kaluwitharana, MS Atapattu, DPMD Jayawardene, RP Arnold, UDU Chandana, MN Nawaz, WPUJC Vaas, DNT Zoysa, CRD Fernando, TCB Fernando.