India on top after Sehwag misses triple ton

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni  struck a spectacular hundred after Virender Sehwag had fallen seven runs short of a third test triple century on the third day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka yesterday.

Dhoni struck 100 not out in India’s record 726 for nine  declared in reply to Sri Lanka’s 393 as they bid for a victory that would secure their spot at the top of the test rankings.

Sri Lanka were 11 for no wicket in their second innings at  the close.

Sehwag, who resumed on 284, was caught and bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan for 293 before Dhoni (100 not out), Sachin Tendulkar (53) and Vangipurappu Laxman (62) helped India record their highest test innings total.

Muralitharan, playing in his final overseas test, finished  with 4-195 while his spin partner Rangana Herath took three for 240 in difficult conditions on a day when Sri Lanka were let  down by poor catching.

Starting the day on 443-1 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first-innings 393, India lost Sehwag in the fourth over, much to  the disappointment of an expectant and packed Brabourne Stadium.

Left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara struck in his first over of the day when he had overnight batsman Rahul Dravid caught behind for 74 to briefly raise Sri Lankan hopes of a revival.

COMPLETE CONTROL

However, Laxman and Tendulkar shared in a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket to pile on the agony before Nuwan Kulasekara broke the stand after lunch when Tendulkar played on.

Muralitharan had Laxman caught at mid-on and a chancy Yuvraj  Singh was caught at mid-off for 23 off Herath.

Dhoni, who lashed three fours and six sixes for his second  century of the series, added 111 with the last three batsmen to  help India take complete control of the test.

The skipper put on 56 for the last wicket with bowler  Pragyan Ojha, who remained not out on five.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni reached his third test century  off 154 deliveries with a fifth six off Herath as India  continued to torment Sri Lanka.

Sehwag, only the third batsman to score two triple centuries  after Australia’s Don Bradman and West Indian Brian Lara, had  shared in double century stands with opener Murali Vijay (87)  and Dravid on the second day to put India in command.

India hold a 1-0 lead in the series after they won the  second test by an innings and 144 runs. The first test ended in a draw.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka first innings 393 (T. Paranavitana 53,  T. Dilshan  109, A. Mathews 99, H. Singh 4-112).

India first innings (443-1 overnight)
M. Vijay lbw b Herath                                                      87
V. Sehwag c+ACY-b Muralitharan                          293
R. Dravid c P. Jayawardene b Welegedara             74
S. Tendulkar b Kulasekara                                             53
V. Laxman c Kulasekara b Muralitharan                 62
Y. Singh c Mathews b Herath                                       23
M. Dhoni not out                                                            100
H. Singh b Muralitharan                                                   1
Z. Khan c Kulasekara b Muralitharan                         7
S. Sreesanth lbw b Herath                                                8
P. Ojha not out                                                                      5
Extras (lb-3, nb-10)                                                         13
Total (nine wkts decl+ADs- 163.3 overs)            726
Fall of wickets: 1-221 2-458 3-487 4-558 5-591 6-610 7-615  12
8-647 9-670
Bowling: Welegedara 30-3-131-1 (nb-6), Kulasekara  20-1-105-1, Herath 53.3-2-240-3, Muralitharan 51-4-195-4 (nb-1),  Mathews 6-0-36-0 (nb-3), Dilshan 3-0-16-0

Sri Lanka second innings
T. Paranavitana not out                                                   8
T. Dilshan not out                                                               3
Total (no loss, 3 overs)                                                  11
To bat: K. Sangakkara, M. Jayawardene, T. Samaraweera, A.  Mathews, P. Jayawardene, N. Kulasekara, R. Herath, M.  Muralitharan, C. Welegedara.
Bowling: Harbhajan 2-0-7-0, Ojha 1-0-4-0.