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Mubarak, Thushara lift Lanka

S. Ram Mahesh

Indian bowlers strike early blows

Colombo: A terrific late surge by Jehan Mubarak (47 n.o., 55b, 3x4) and Thilan Thushara (54 n.o., 46b, 6x4) helped Sri Lanka, 133 for six at one stage, post 227 for six in 50 overs in the fifth ODI at the Premadasa Stadium here on Friday.

Mahela Jayawardene won his first toss of the series — “Finally!” he exclaimed — and did what M.S. Dhoni had done in the two previous games here.

The decision to bat was a no-brainer, although Jayawardene may not have contended with the discipline Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan exhibited in the early stages.

Playing for pride

Sri Lanka was playing for pride, having lost the series in four games.

“It definitely hurts,” said Jayawardene. “We’ve had opportunities all series, but haven’t taken them. It’s important for us to get things right in this match. The young guys have an opportunity, this is our future, and we must get it right.”

India had returned to five bowlers — four seamers and Pragyan Ojha — which precluded S. Badrinath from the playing eleven; Harbhajan Singh was given the day off, while R.P. Singh replaced Praveen Kumar.

The atmosphere was flat as the match got underway, understandably so, for there was little invested in this, the series already sealed. But Munaf and Zaheer brought the intensity early.

Standout performer

Zaheer has been the standout performer of the series thus far, but his remarkable figures do not fully illustrate how well he has bowled.

On Friday, the left-armer got a wicket off one of his least threatening deliveries of the series. Sanath Jayasuriya flashed at a wide one to be caught at third-man, leaving Sri Lanka on one for one.

With Munaf finding movement from his tight stump-to-stump line — his shift inwards on the delivery stride ensuring his bowling arm was whipping down in front of the umpire’s nose — runs were hard to find.

But Mahela Udawatte — one of three changes for Sri Lanka, with Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Tillakaratne Dilshan sitting out — formed a left-handed alliance with opener Malinda Warnapura, and soon Sri Lanka was motoring along.

Udawatte — who stands upright, bat dangling, as opposed to Warnapura’s round-shouldered open stance — chanced his arm, throwing bat at anything outside the off-stump. Warnapura meanwhile hit around the ball, mowing to leg a similar line.

The pair put on 77 in 95 balls before Irfan Pathan’s double strike in the space of four balls during the 18th over broke Sri Lanka’s momentum.

Warnapura was the first to leave, attempting to fetch a short delivery from outside off-stump, only to top-edge the pull to the off-side.

Gautam Gambhir took a well-judged catch, with the ball dropping over his shoulder.

Udawatte received a genuine wicket-taking delivery. The ball cut back into him from Pathan’s lefty angle — his lack of footwork had him straddling the crease, and playing across his body.

Kumar Sangakkara has had a wretched run with the bat in the one-dayers after his century in the third Test, and R.P. Singh accounted for him on Friday. The ball was wide, and hinted further away. The left-hander followed it, bending on one knee to play a stroke between a cut and a drive. He ended up wafting it to slip.

Sangakkara’s five innings this series have realised just 37 runs — India’s success in keeping this excellent player down has contributed greatly to the series win.

Ojha shines

Pragyan Ojha turned in a fine spell of left-arm orthodox, bowling with flight, drift, dip and turn. His dismissal of Jayawardene was one of those rare moments where the batsman is sucked in completely. The ball sank on Jayawardene, breaking after it hit turf: consequently it struck the bat high and off-centre, transforming the drive to a lob.

Ojha also had Chamara Kapugedera caught in the deep to reduce Sri Lanka to 133 for six.

But Mubarak, who made a half-century in the practice game ahead of the series, and Thushara, who may well turn into the all-rounder Sri Lanka desperately needs, batted with skill, sense and fortune.

Both left-handers took advantage of some ordinary bowling (Pathan’s final three overs going for 30), to help themselves to well-deserved runs.

India in trouble

Chasing a revised target of 216 in 44 overs, after a rain interruption, India was 84 for five in 19 overs. Skipper M.S. Dhoni (1) and Irfan Pathan (5) were at the crease. Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma were the batsmen out.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka: S. Jayasuriya c Ojha b Zaheer 1, M. Warnapura c Gambhir b Pathan 30, M. Udawatte lbw b Pathan 43, K. Sangakkara c Gambhir b R.P. Singh 1, M. Jayawardene c Yuvraj b Ojha 12, C. Kapugedera c R.P. Singh b Ojha 26, J. Mubarak (not out) 47, T. Thushara (not out) 54; Extras (lb-6, nb-1, w-6): 13. Total (for six wickets in 50 overs): 227.

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Jayasuriya), 2-78 (Warnapura), 3-80 (Udawatte), 4-82 (Sangakkara), 5-104 (Jayawardene), 6-133 (Kapugedera).

PP1 (1-10): 28/1; PP2 (11-15): 39/0; PP3 (16-20): 16/3.

India bowling: Munaf 7-1-20-0, Zaheer 10-1-49-1, R.P. Singh 8-0-54-1, Pathan 10-0-52-2, Ojha 10-4-28-2, Rohit 2-0-7-0, Yuvraj 3-0-11-0.

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