— Photos: S. Subramanium

GOING, GOING, GONE: Tillekaratne Dilshan takes a brilliant catch off Dilhara Fernando to end Sourav Ganguly's short stay at the crease on Tuesday.

Chennai: It was an indication of what could have been and an augury of what might still be. Eight Indian wickets fell for 77 in 40.5 overs, suggesting a little more time squeezed in could have contrived a result.

Mahela Jayawardene then showed just why he was considered the world's best young batsman by Sunil Gavaskar, no less, seven years ago.

As the rain-curtailed first Videocon Cup Test between India and Sri Lanka meandered to a close on Tuesday here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, the islanders managed to sneak a brownie point, finishing at 168 for four — a one-run lead; the Indians might want to ruminate a tad as the two teams travel to Delhi for the second Test from December 10.

Lowest against Lankans

Resuming at 90 for two, the home team folded for its lowest score against Sri Lanka — 13 short of the previous mark at Galle in 2001 — sixteen minutes after lunch. Wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, who had stepped up to the wicket to Chaminda Vaas on Monday, shook away any early grogginess with a miss.

Sachin Tendulkar, in pursuit of his 35th, flashed at Vaas and the nick clanged in and out of Sangakkara's green and yellows. Perhaps the gloveman was guilty of watching the shot, but he made amends when he accepted Rahul Dravid's poke.

India crawls

V.V.S. Laxman did the done things at least as per conventional wisdom, putting his head down and biding his time. But with Vaas landing it on a dime at a pesky pace and reeling off 11 successive maidens, India crawled.

Tendulkar got one that turned, beat bat face and crashed into pad. The ball looked like it would have slid past the leg stump, but umpire Mark Benson disagreed. Enter Sourav Ganguly, and enter he did with the weight of a few worlds bearing down. Muralitharan turned him inside out like a mouldy sock, while Dilhara Fernando, immediately brought on, pitched it up.

In between, Laxman and Ganguly re-enacted Bulawayo: the Hyderabadi played to mid-wicket and set off, Ganguly took a few stuttering steps and said no. Laxman took a while turning — the late call had cost him two steps and he didn't beat the throw in.

He trudged off and the debutant finally got his moment. M.S. Dhoni has had the wettest start for a wicketkeeper in Test cricket since Mark Boucher, and he stepped on the field during the fifth day.

Ganguly looked for the short ball, which for tactical reasons never came, and carved a half-volley to Tillakaratne Dilshan at a peculiarly square and short gully. Dilshan rolled over after diving forward. He threw the ball in the air even as he was coming out of his roll and Ganguly left immediately. Dhoni — trying to shepherd the tail — cleared the infield as he did with such success in the ODIs, but gave leg-spinner Malinga Bandara his first Test wicket in seven years.

An early wicket and an injury-forced Atapattu demotion ensured that Jayawardene briskly strode in at three. No stroke seemed beyond his ken, as he leant on half volleys and turned off his toes. A hoik to square leg was the solitary concession to crassness he made in an innings full of élan. By the time he left for an 80-ball 71 (14x4, 1x6) to another dodgy decision, he had served notice.

The Indian bowling barring the combative Anil Kumble was insipid. Half-volleys were doled out on a wicket that had slowed enough to allow the batsman to react to anything untoward. There is little that can be inferred from a Test lasting 116.2 overs, but clearly India needs to tighten up to maintain its enviable home record against Sri Lanka.

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