da betsson： A dramatic West Indies batting collapse inspired by spin wizard MuttiahMuralitharan pulled Sri Lanka back into the first Test in Galle onWednesday, to leave the match evenly poised after the second day
Charlie Austin14-Nov-2001A dramatic West Indies batting collapse inspired by spin wizard MuttiahMuralitharan pulled Sri Lanka back into the first Test in Galle onWednesday, to leave the match evenly poised after the second day.West Indies, who started the day well placed on 316-3, extended their scoreto 409-4 at lunch, before collapsing in a heap during a frenetic hour afterlunch, in which six wickets fell for 69.Sri Lanka, replying to 448 and thus first needing 248 to avoid the followon, started like they wanted a first innings lead by lunch the next day,racing to 37 off the first five overs.They slowed after the fall of Jayasuriya (25 off 19 balls), who was caughtat backward point trying to hit his fifth boundary, but lost no furtherwickets before bad light stopped play, finishing on 103-1.Opener Marvan Atapattu unbeaten on 46 from 107 balls and wicket-keeperbatsman Kumar Sangakkara on 27 from 85 balls.Muralitharan had toiled away for 40 overs on the first day without his usualsuccess, taking just one wicket. On the second morning, he was not useduntil the second hour, but in his third over of the day he deceived CarlHooper (69 from 120 balls) in air to end a stylish innings from the captain.It also brought to a close a West Indies record 153 run fourth wicketpartnership against Sri Lanka that had threatened to overwhelm the hometeam.Still, with Lara at the wicket at lunch, Sri Lanka looked in deep trouble.Muralitharan then swapped ends and soon captured the prize scalp of Lara(178 from 293 balls), who gloved a sweep and was smartly caught by an alertSangakkara diving forward, to leave the West Indies 423-5.The tourists then capitulated. Chaminda Vaas, probing away diligently fromthe Fort End, joined in the action with Muralitharan, and the pair pluckedout the remaining five wickets for 14 runs.Marlon Samuels foolishly tried to drive a flighted off-break against thespin and was bowled through the gate for 16. Ridley Jacobs nibbled anoutswinger from Vaas and Mervyn Dillion flashed a snick to first slip.Three balls later Muralitharan finished off the innings as DinanathRamnarine was picked up at silly point and Colin Stuart was bowled firstball.Muralitharan had finished with 6-125, the 29th time he had taken fivewickets in an innings (only Richard Hadlee has taken more). Moreimpressively, he had taken 5-21 in the day from 13.3 overs.Speaking afterwards, with a Cheshire cat-like grin, he said: “During thefirst day my rhythm was not quite there, but today it was coming out reallynicely.”We always thought that if we could get Lara out we get all the otherwickets quickly, as they had some inexperienced batsmen to come and it iseasy for me to take the wickets of tailenders,” he said.Sri Lanka, instead of facing a total in excess of 500, that had seemedprobable, they were left with a manageable total on the best batting pitchseen at Galle in its seven Test history.All three results remain possible. In 1998 England scored 445 at the Ovalagainst Sri Lanka and believed they had safeguarded the game only to see theopposition rattle up 591, before Muralitharan grabbed nine wickets in theEnglish second innings to win the game.Muralitharan was upbeat about the team’s chances: “Unfortunately, Lara got abig one, but this is a batting wicket and still we can get a result if wescore around 500. By the fourth and fifth day it is going to spin a longway.”The West Indies will believe that any lead will be useful on a turningpitch, which this is sure to be by the fourth and fifth day. Sri Lanka arestill a not inconsiderable 345 runs adrift.Both Atapattu and Sangakkara played well. Atapattu drove fluently straightdown the ground for two boundaries and square cut McGarrell for another,whilst Sangakkara played himself in carefully, before hitting four fours inthe final hour.The tourists look like they will depend heavily upon Mervyn Dillion, whobowled a testing ten over spell with the new ball, and leg-spinner DinanathRamanarine, who came on in the 23rd over of the innings.Dillion’s new partner, Colin Stuart, who looked impressive in Matara beforehe retired with leg cramps, lacked rhythm and was wayward, conceding 22 runsin his first three overs.Neil McGarrell, playing his first game of the two-week long tour, lookedrusty and failed to trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen unduly with his flattrajectory.