July 27, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 23, 1429

COLOMBO, July 26: Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis made a mockery of India’s strong batting reputation as Sri Lanka won the opening Test by a record innings and 239 runs here on Saturday.

Maverick off-spinner Muralitharan finished the match with 11 wickets as India were shot out for 138 in their second innings after conceding a lead of 377 on the fourth day.

He was brilliantly supported by debutant Mendis, an unorthodox spinner with plenty of variation, who took eight wickets in the match to also play a crucial role in his team’s victory with a day to spare.

It was Sri Lanka’s biggest win over India in 27 Tests, the previous being by an innings and 77 runs at the same venue in 2001.

“We probably played a perfect game,” said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene. “We put pressure on the Indians by scoring 600 runs. It was not a bad wicket to bat on, but Murali and Mendis bowled brilliantly. It is a good feeling that four of our top seven batsmen got hundreds.”

The Indian batsmen, always considered better against spin than pace, looked clueless against the Sri Lankan spin duo, who kept striking at regular intervals even on an easy-paced track.

The tourists lost 14 wickets against spin in the day, including four in the first innings.

None of the Indian batsmen could read the spin duo as the tourists’ second innings lasted just 45 overs, with the undisputed Man-of-the-Match Muralitharan grabbing 6-26 and Mendis 4-60 during their almost unplayable spells.

India were earlier bowled out for 223 in their first innings in reply to the hosts’ massive 600-6 declared.

Indian opener Virender Sehwag (13), star batsman Sachin Tendulkar (12) and Rahul Dravid (10) were initially given not out by umpires Mark Benson of England and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies.

But the Sri Lankan captain requested the officials to review the decisions under a new experimental rule and they changed their decisions after consulting TV umpire Rudi Koertzen of South Africa.

“The review system is still an experiment. It has to be reviewed at the end of the [three-Test] series,” said India captain Anil Kumble. “It was tough for us to draw the match after they scored 600. The spells by their spinners were great. Mendis is a find for Sri Lanka and you cannot take Murali out of the picture.”

Sehwag was trapped leg-before by Muralitharan, while Tendulkar was brilliantly caught by a diving Tillekeratne Dilshan at leg-slip off the same bowler after TV replays showed the ball hit pad and bat.

Dravid was caught bat-pad by close-in fielder Malinda Warnapura off Mendis.

India failed to cope with spin for a second successive time in the match, with opener Gautam Gambhir top-scoring with 43.

Vangipurappu Laxman, promoted in the batting order following his first-innings 56, contributed 21 this time before being trapped leg-before by Mendis, while Gambhir was stumped off Muralitharan after being beaten in the flight.

Muralitharan earlier took 5-84 in the first innings and Mendis

4-72.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 600-6 declared (D.P.M.D. Jayawardene 136, T.T. Samaraweera 127, T.M. Dilshan 125 not out, B.S.M. Warnapura 115).

INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 159-6):

G. Gambhir c Samaraweera b Murali 39

V. Sehwag c Warnapura b Kulasekara 25

R. Dravid b Mendis 14

S.R. Tendulkar b Murali 27

S.C. Ganguly c Kulasekara b Murali 23

V.V.S. Laxman b Mendis 56

K.D. Karthik c and b Murali 9

A. Kumble lbw b Mendis 1

Harbhajan Singh c Warnapura b Murali 9

Zaheer Khan lbw b Mendis 5

I. Sharma not out 13

EXTRAS (LB-2) 2

TOTAL (all out, 72.5 overs) 223

FALL OF WKTS: 1-36, 2-79, 3-79, 4-123, 5-138, 6-147, 7-170, 8-181, 9-188.

BOWLING: Vaas 5-0-23-0; Kulasekara 11-2-42-1; Mendis 27.5-5-72-4; Muralitharan 29-4-84-5.

INDIA (2nd Innings, following-on):

G. Gambhir st P. Jayawardene b Murali 43

V. Sehwag lbw b Murali 13

V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Mendis 21

S.R. Tendulkar c Dilshan b Murali 12

R. Dravid c Warnapura b Mendis 10

S.C. Ganguly c Dilshan b Murali 4

K.D. Karthik c M. Jayawardene b Murali 0

A. Kumble b Murali 12

Harbhajan Singh b Mendis 15

Zaheer Khan b Mendis 3

I. Sharma not out 5

EXTRAS 0

TOTAL (all out, 45 overs) 138

FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-53, 3-82, 4-95, 5-103, 6-103, 7-103), 8-120, 9-133.

BOWLING: Vaas 5-0-27-0; Kulasekara 9-3-25-0; Mendis 18-3-60-4; Muralitharan 13-3-26-6.

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by an innings and 239 runs.

UMPIRES: M.R. Benson (England) and B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: A.G. Hurst (Australia)

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Muttiah Muralitharan.

SECOND TEST: Galle, July 31-Aug 4.

THIRD TEST: Colombo (P. Sara Stadium), Aug 8-12.—AFP