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Karunaratne hits defiant half century to keep India waiting
Dimuth Karunaratne stood firm for Sri Lanka with a defiant unbeaten half century but India continued to chip away at Sri Lanka\'s second innings on the fourth day of the first test on Saturday after setting the hosts 550 runs for victory.
GALLE, Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne stood firm for Sri Lanka with a defiant unbeaten half century but India continued to chip away at Sri Lanka's second innings on the fourth day of the first test on Saturday after setting the hosts 550 runs for victory.
Sri Lanka, already a batsman short after Asela Gunaratne fractured his thumb and was ruled out of the series, reached 192 for four at tea, still facing a Herculean task to avoid going 1-0 down in the three-match series.
Opening batsman Karunaratne was on 85 with Niroshan Dickwella 48 not out at the break, the duo having already added 76 for the fifth wicket.
India, the world's top-ranked test side, declared their second innings closed on 240 for three after captain Virat Kohli completed his 17th test hundred.
The right-handed batsman, who resumed the day on 76, remained unbeaten on 103 after reaching the milestone with a single off spinner Dilruwan Perera.
The century ended a poor run in tests for Kohli, who hit five boundaries and one six in his 136-ball knock, with the 28-year-old totalling a meagre 49 runs in his last six innings.
Burdened with an improbable target, Sri Lanka needed a solid opening stand but their hopes were dashed when Mohammed Shami castled Upul Tharanga for 10, a relief for Kohli who had dropped the batsman at second slip in the same over.
Debutant Danushka Gunathilaka did not last long either and was out for two, hitting Umesh Yadav straight into the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at square leg.
Sri Lanka were 29-2 at that stage and needed a solid 79-run stand between Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis to settle things down.
India came back strongly after lunch with two quick wickets from left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, ranked number in the world in the longest format.
Mendis, who made 36, was given not out on a caught behind appeal but India successfully overturned the umpire's decision on review. Former captain Angelo Mathews fell soon afterwards, mishitting Jadeja to get caught by Hardik Pandya.
Mathews' dismissal brought Karunaratne and Dickwella together and the duo saw Sri Lanka through to the tea break without further damage.
