GALLE: Sri Lanka beat India by 10 wickets in the first cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series at Galle International stadium here today.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (68) and Tharanga Paranavitana (23) scored the required 95 runs for the win in 14.1 overs in the final session of the final day.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka: 520 for 8 dec and 96/0 in 14.1 overs (T Dilshan 68 not out, T Paranavitana 23 not out).
India: 276 and 338 (Sachin Tendulkar 84, VVS Laxman batting 69; L Malinga 5/50, M Muralitharan 3/128).
Murali takes 800 wickets
Muttiah Muralitharan on Thursday became the first bowler in the history of Test cricket to take 800 wickets as Sri Lanka inched closer to victory against India in the first cricket Test here.
After being frustrated by determined Indian tail-enders, specially Ishant Sharma, Muralitharan scalped Pragyan Ojha to get to the incredible 800-wicket mark as the Indian edged one to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.
Muralitharan, who is already highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, extended his world record and set a challenging task for the bowlers get past his amazing achievement.
With that historic wicket, Indian second innings folded for 338 and left Sri Lanka to get 95 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The hosts were 63 for no loss at tea break, needing just 32 more runs with a full session at their disposal.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (37) Tharanga Paranavitana (21) were at the crease at the break.
The spin wizard though had to endure dogged persistence of India’s lower-order batsman, who showed a lot of heart and gave it all to stretch the proceedings.
Ishant (31 not out) became only the fourth batsman to face 100 or more balls in a Test innings while batting at number 10 position.
VVS Laxman (69) and Ishant resumed the post lunch session and raised a 68 run stand for the ninth wicket, the best at Galle International stadium. It bettered previous 60-run stand between Rahul Dravid and Venkatesh Prasad.
Laxman’s run out brought relief for the hosts but it left Muralitharan in a situation where only one wicket was on offer and he had to get that to complete his 800-wicket tally.
Laxman’s fighting fifty had five fours and met and unfortunate end as he and Ishant went for a risky run.
In came Pragyan Ojha and with Ishant he frustrated the hosts for another 15 overs.
Ishant survived two furious appeals off Muralitharan and a stump chance off Dilshan in his brave unbeaten innings.
The not out decision by third umpire on that stump chance was cheered by crowd as it could have left Muralitharan stranded on 799 in his farewell Test.
Muralitharan needed exactly eight wickets before this match to claim 800 wickets.(PTI)
