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 Colombo : Sri Lanka thrashed India by 8 wickets in the Colombo Test thanks to brilliant half centuries by Mahela Jayawardene (50) and Malinda Warnapura (54). The hosts thus clinched the three match series 2-1.
Jayawardene (50 not out) scored the winning runs by hitting Sourav Ganguly for a four and Warnapura remained unbeaten on 54, chasing a paltry 122 for the win with more than a day to spare in the match.
There was little doubt about the hosts chasing the target after wiping out the 147-run first inning deficit. The Sri Lankans looked difficult to restrict after Indian batsmen squandered the advantage of winning the toss and got out to poor shots in both innings.
The injuries to Sachin Tendulkar and Ishant Sharma also seem to be playing on the Indians` mind as they buckled under pressure to let go an opportunity to make for the 2-1 defeat in Sri Lanka in 2001.
Sri Lanka began their run chase in style after an out of form opener Michael Vandort struck two flourishing hits to the fence of seamer Zaheer Khan in the very first over.
After pulling the first one to deep backward square leg boundary, the tall left hand then drove the Hyderabad bowler to the long on fence, drawing loud applause from the crowd which was already sensing victory.
Vandort was soon bowled out by Harbhajan Singh who was immediately brought in due to the absence of injured Ishant Sharma.
First innings centurian Kumar Sangakkara was the next to follow suit as he popped up a simple catch to Gautam Gambhir for 4 runs. The left-hander failed to check his off drive and to his shock it went to the mid-off for a sitter.
Warnapura, who got his fourth Test fifty off 92 balls aided by 5 boundaries, gained in confidence as he executed a crisp cover drive of Zaheer to the boundary.
Skipper Jayawardene survived a review after Virender Sehwag opted for the third umpire when his appeal for LBW was negatived by the field umpire.
The Sri Lankans hardly looked troubled by Kumble and Harbhajan as they flicked and drove all over the ground.
On one occasion, Warnapura hit Harbhajan for two successive boundaries in one over. He then got a leading edge to a turner from Kumble to the third man boundry.
Earlier, India were dismissed for 268 with the last two batsmen falling without resistance.
Fighting a nagging pain, VVS Laxman remained not out on 61 though it hardly proved sufficient to save India from its second defeat in the series. Laxman completed 6000 runs in 96 matches and 158 innings.
Harbhajan Singh, showing signs of promise began well hammering a fine drive to the backward point of Muttiah Muralitharan. He then drove Ajantha Mendis to the fine leg and extra cover boundary.
The turbanator, however, fell for 26 to a deceptive delivery from Chaminda Vaas, the in swinger from the veteran doing the job.
Zaheer Khan threw away his wicket being run out after Thilan Samaraveera successfully knocked out the stumps, a hobbling Ishant Sharma was caught by Warnapura of Murali for no score
India went in to lunch after losing two valuable batsmen and were struggling at 238 for 7.
The first blow of the day came when the confident Rahul Dravid departed after edging a Ajantha Mendis ball to first slip where skipper Mahela Jayawardene held the catch tight. The two had put on 85 runs in 212 balls.
It was not before the two -- Laxman and Dravid – had managed to smother the odd turners off mystery bowler Mendis and Muttaiah Muralitharan and were poised to put a reasonable fighting total on board.
Despite in pain, the limping Laxman showed perseverance while pushing the odd ones to the boundary though he was lucky to survive twice.
The Hyderbad batsman was dropped by Thilan Samaraveera at short mid-on after he pushed a turning off-break of Murali.
Dravid, on the other end, was applauded even by the Sri Lankan players as he got to his half century style, punching a Mendis delivery on his back foot to the covers.
Both Laxman and Dravid chose to be circumspect in the initial overs as Jayawardene kept on shuffling his bowlers with little success.
Dravid, anxious to fight his poor form, opted to lean forward to defend down the track denying any further success for Mendis and Murali.
Laxman got a second life when Malinda Warnapura could not hold on to a catch at short leg of the bowling of Mendis.
Mendis, adjudged man-of-the series, took 26 wickets, Murali captured 21 wickets in the series.
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