COLOMBO: : With a resolute century, Angelo Mathews kept Indians at bay of the last day of the deciding Test here at the SSC. In the company of wicketkeeper batsman Kusal Perera (70), with whom he added 135 runs, he took Sri Lanka to a position where can draw the match. But Perera’s dismissal on the stroke of tea jolted them again. At tea, they were 249 for 6.
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.
SCOREBOARD: Colombo Test: Day 5, Scoreboard at Tea
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 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 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. And they did a manful job in denying the Indians. While Mathews was more restrained, Perera took calculated risks. Indian spinners played into his hands by bowling short and wide, which he cut with immaculate ease. Perera completed his half century in 89 balls before they bought up their 100-run partnership in 186 balls.
Mathews cut Binny to bring up his second century of the series. However, he was lucky a few balls ago. Amit Mishra’s googly had him plump in front, only for umpire Nigel Llong to disapprove. Earlier, he was caught off a no ball and survived a couple of close run out chances.
But against the run of play, Perera played an impetuous reverse sweep straight to Rohit Sharma at point. With the new ball round the corner, India would hope to mop off the lower order. Only Mathews stands between them and a series win.