Close India 304 all out (Tendulkar 113, Mongia 48) beat Sri Lanka 241 all out (Sangakkara 66, Atapattu 53, Harbhajan 4-46) by 63 runs
scorecard

In the end, 304 turned out to be a big enough total to defend comfortably, as India ran away victors by a handy 63 run-margin in the last league match of the NatWest Series – a morale-boosting win before Saturday's final. The match itself might have been inconsequential, but there was action aplenty for the largely Indian crowd at Bristol as Sachin Tendulkar powered India to a 300-plus score after Sourav Ganguly won the toss on a shirtfront. It was India's second score of over 300 and Tendulkar's second century in two matches at this venue.

Then, India's new-ball bowlers felt the heat again as Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara blazed away to a 85-run partnership for the second wicket. At 95 for 1 in 12 overs, and with Sangakkara on 66 from 46 balls, Sri Lanka were in the game, and perhaps even had a slight edge.

Sangakkara was a revelation. He had a poor Test series, but seemed to be coming into form with his 70 in the previous match. Here, he came in to bat in the second over – after Jayasuriya was trapped in front by Zaheer Khan for 5 (11 for 1) – and got stuck into the Indian bowlers straightaway. The third ball he faced was cover-driven with silken timing for four, and it kept getting better from there.

Ashish Nehra tightened up after his initial waywardness, but Zaheer was tonked for 32 in his first three, and Ganguly promptly replaced him with Tinu Yohannan. It was just what Sangakkara had been waiting for. Yohannan's third ball disappeared over long-on for six, his fifth was slammed to the point fence, and in his next over, Sangakkara traipsed down the pitch and crashed him over mid-off for two fours.

With the seamers disappearing all over the park, Ganguly turned to Harbhajan Singh, and he needed just five balls to strike, beating Sangakkara and having him stumped by Dravid (96 for 2). Sangakkara's 66 had taken just 47 balls, and included 12 fours and the six off Yohannan.

Mahela Jayawardene and Atapattu continued serenely though, keeping the asking rate below six with clever nudges for ones and twos, and the occasional boundary. It was going according to plan for Sri Lanka, till Jayawardene went for an injudicious reverse-sweep off Yuvraj Singh. The miscue gave Ashish Nehra at short third man an easy catch, and India a foothold into the match (160 for 3).

They never let go after that, as Sri Lanka lost their last eight wickets for 81 runs. Atapattu left five runs later for 53, run-out as Yuvraj effected a direct hit from point.

Nuwan Zoysa was sent in as pinch-hitter at No. 5 – a move which showed Sri Lanka's desperation – but the move never looked likely to work. He hoicked one out of the ground off Ganguly, then tried to repeat the heroics and holed out to Dinesh Mongia at long-on for 8 (171 for 5).

It was all downhill for Sri Lanka after, as Harbhajan snared three wickets to boost his chances of making it to Lord's for the finals, and Mohammad Kaif effected a splendid, diving run-out to scuttle the dangerous Russel Arnold.

India's batting effort centred around Tendulkar, and his two partnerships with Mongia and Kaif. Both openers threw it away on an easy-paced pitch. First, Ganguly took on the arm of Chamara Silva at deep square leg, attempting a second run which was never on. He was out for 9 (32 for 1), continuing a dismal run with the bat – just 89 runs in six outings. Then, Virender Sehwag committed cricketing suicide, attempting a run when Mongia had dropped the ball on the off side. Bowler Fernando picked up and threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end, leaving Sehwag stranded (73 for 2).

Then came the first of the two partnerships that set India up. Mongia and Tendulkar both got off the mark with exquisite cover-drives, and kept the runs gushing throughout their run-a-ball partnership of 99. Mongia started off with spanking fours off the seamers – a straight-drive off Vaas and a back-foot cover-drive off Dilhara Fernando oozed class. Tendulkar's century at Chester-le-Street had begun in subdued fashion, but there was nothing circumspect about his batting today. The footwork was precise, the timing was impeccable, and on a strip of even pace and bounce, there was little the Sri Lankan bowlers could do. They didn't help their cause though by serving generous doses of half-volleys. Zoysa was the worst culprit, going for 49 in his first seven overs.

Sanath Jayasuriya was forced to turn to spin, and Thilan Samaraweera turned out to be the most impressive of the crop. Mongia had progressed to a polished 48 when Samaraweera flummoxed him with one that pitched on middle, turned a shade, and took off stump (172 for 3).

Dravid and Yuvraj departed in quick succession, and at 210 for 5 in the 36th over, India were wobbling. But Tendulkar found an able ally in Kaif and the two put together 74 runs in 11 overs. Tendulkar reached his 33rd one-day-international century with a drive to long-off from Vaas, and celebrated with a lofted square-drive off Zoysa. However, he fell soon after, attempting an uncharacteristic slog off Vaas and slicing the ball high in the air to Upul Chandana at point (284 for 6).

The late-order failed to provide the flourish at the end, but a total of 304 proved to be enough.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com in India.

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