Mahela century helps Sri Lanka take lead at tea

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AHMEDABAD - Former captain Mahela Jayawardene scored a classy century as Sri Lanka opened up a 57-run first innings lead against India at tea on the third day of the first cricket Test here Wednesday.

At the break, Sri Lanka were cruising at 486 for five, in reply to India’s 426, with Mahela batting on 142 and Prasanna Jayawardene 43 at Motera’s Sardar Patel Stadium here.

It was Mahela’s 27th Test century, his fifth against India. He inspired Thilan Samaraweera (70) and Prasanna to stitch two century partnerships and see Sri Lanka briskly accumulate 211 runs in the first two session after resuming at 275 for three.

Jaywardene and Samaraweera dominated the first session with a 138-run stand for the fourth wicket. And Mahela added 108 runs with Prasanna in the second session as India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni ran out of ideas.

India picked up the wickets of Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews in the first session as the Lankans added 100 runs in 27 overs.

Dhoni started the proceedings with spinners, but both Jayawardene and Samaraweera hardly had any difficulty milking off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and leggie Amit Mishra for easy runs.

India took the new ball in the 10th over of the day. Ishant Sharma struck soon to remove Samaraweera, who mistimed his pull. Yuvraj took a good catch leaping to his right at square-leg. Samaraweera hit nine fours in his 145-ball innings.

Indians were lucky to get Mathews just before lunch, adjudged caught bat-pad, but the television replays showed the ball brushing the flap of the pad on its way to Gautam Gambhir at short-leg.

In the post lunch session, Mahela continued to bat fluently and was severe on leg-spinner Mishra. He got to his century with a four and a single off Mishra. It was second century in the innings for the visitors, after opener Tillekaratne Dilshan scored 112 on the second day.