Live Updates of 3rd Test Match, Jaypee Cup, being played at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Sri Lanka are looking to gain some momentum and form before the T20 and ODI series against India on the current tour. India have very good chances to reach at the top of ICC test rankings by winning this match and the series by 2-0. If Srilanka wins this match, series will be leveled at 1-1 and India wont get to number 1 spot, same will be the case if the match is drawn.

Toss – Sangakkara has won the toss and has chosen to bat. “There is a bit of moisture in there, the first hour and half has to be played carefully. Hopefully it will take spin from day 3 4 and 5. We have the quality, we need to get the performances come together. Kulasekara in for Ajantha Mendis.”

Dhoni: “I would have batted first but there is a bit of moisture in the track and it would assist the seamers. If we can get wickets it might not be a bad toss to lose. The preparation has been excellent. Just one change: Instead of Gautam Gambhir, we will have Murali Vijay who would be opening.”

Pitch report by Sunil Gavaskar on Neo Cricket: “Bat-first pitch. The surface is dry underneath the shaved-off grass. It might help the spinners later on and it’s a bat-first pitch.”

Srilanka 1st Innings

• Srilanka 5-0 after 1st Over
• Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 9.2 overs (58 balls), Extras 3
• 1st Wicket: 50 runs in 58 balls (NT Paranavitana 32, TM Dilshan 17, Ex 3)
• Sreesanth went for 14 runs Sri Lanka 56-0
• Drinks: Sri Lanka – 65/0 in 12.0 overs (NT Paranavitana 41, TM Dilshan 21)
• NT Paranavitana: 50 off 69 balls (7 x 4)
• WICKET! Bhajji strikes, enticing Paranavitana into the lavish drive with some full length and feathering the edge with some belated rip off the track. Dravid hangs on at first slip and off goes the half-centurion. He really has missed out here and a lack of patience has robbed him of a potential maiden Test ton. Next in is Sangakkara, who could do with a century to warrant his place as a batsman beyond his role as a skipper.
• Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 22.5 overs (139 balls), Extras 3
• TM Dilshan: 50 off 57 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
• Lunch: Sri Lanka – 117/1 in 27.0 overs (TM Dilshan 51, KC Sangakkara 10)
• Sri Lanka loses their 2nd Wicket. KC Sangakkara c Dhoni b Ojha 18 (35b 2×4 0×6) SR: 51.42
• Too short and too much width from the bowler, as Sangakkara welcomes his first boundary of the day with a confident cut. Dhoni now has a leg gully, a solitary slip and a short-leg in place but none of ‘em come into play as Sangakkara times superbly through mid-on. WICKET! That’s his last scoring shot though, as Ojha claims the prized scalp. Dhoni and the spinner combine to snapple the visiting captain down the leg-side, whose attempted glance merely finds the faintest of edges. Sharp work from the wicketkeeper, who read the turn quickly and promptly repositioned his feet and gloves. Next in is former captain Jayawardene, who on Tuesday stated Sri Lanka will be “going all out” to win this match. Time will tell.
• Sri Lanka: 150 runs in 36.5 overs (223 balls), Extras 3
• 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 68 balls (TM Dilshan 23, DPMD Jayawardene 27, Ex 0)
• Drinks: Sri Lanka – 179/2 in 44.0 overs (TM Dilshan 77, DPMD Jayawardene 28)
• Sri Lanka loses their 3rd Wicket. Mahela Jayawardene c Sehwag b Sreesanth 29 (63b 4×4 0×6) SR: 46.03
• WICKET! Jayawardene hardly ever throws away good start but he has done exactly that today. Failing to get on top of a mundane bouncer, he pulls one straight down the throat of the man on the fine-leg fence. Sreesanth’s penchant for sporadic short deliveries has finally paid off and in comes Samaraweera, who knows a thing or two about scoring big runs on the sub-continent. He watches from the non-striker’s end as Dilshan almost falls too, almost feathering an edge to a cracking line and length, which catches the batsman in two minds about whether or not to play off the front foot.
• Sri Lanka loses their 4th Wicket. Thilan Samaraweera c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh 1 (2b 0×4 0×6) SR: 50.00
• WICKET! Dhoni’s choice to end Ojha’s 16-over spell works a treat as Bhajji strikes from a new end. Not yet sure of the track’s bounce and turn, Samaraweera lunges forward in error. His forward defences tickles an inside edge onto his pad, which in turn spills into the hands of the man at short-leg. Off he goes and in comes all-rounder Mathews, in need of a rearguard knock to lift his team out of trouble. The entertainment continues as Mathews offers leg slip a slight chance before Dilshan almost chops onto his stumps while cutting a delivery far too close to his body to do so.
• Sri Lanka 188/4
• Sri Lanka: 200 runs in 52.3 overs (318 balls), Extras 5
• Tea: Sri Lanka – 213/4 in 56.0 overs (TM Dilshan 99, AD Mathews
• Tilakratne Dilshan: 100 off 139 balls (10 x 4, 2 x 6)
• 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 66 balls (TM Dilshan 21, AD Mathews 28, Ex 2)
• Sri Lanka: 250 runs in 61.6 overs (375 balls), Extras 5
• Sri Lanka loses their 5th Wicket. Tilakratne Dilshan c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh 109 (160b 10×4 2×6) SR: 68.12
• Mathews takes a couple with by sweeping towards deep square leg and then one more towards the same area. WICKET! Ooh, very unlucky for Dilshan. He lunges forward for the defensive shot and the ball bounces off his pad and the man at short leg takes the catch. The Indians appeal and the umpire says yes but that’s really not out. This could be match changing. So unfortunate. Dilshan is not pleased and it shows.
• Sri Lanka 262/5
• AD Mathews: 50 off 60 balls (9 x 4)
• Drinks: Sri Lanka – 292/5 in 70.0 overs (Angelo Mathews 56, Prasanna Jayawardene 17)
• Sri Lanka: 300 runs in 73.2 overs (445 balls), Extras 9
• 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 71 balls (Angelo Mathews 15, Prasanna Jayawardene 31, Ex 4)
• Sri Lanka loses their 6th Wicket. Prasanna Jayawardene c Harbhajan Singh b Pragyan Ojha 43 (47b 6×4 1×6) SR: 91.48
• Ojha to Prasanna Jayawardene, OUT, moves down the track but is beaten in flight and hits it straight to mid-on. Ojha shouts out few words at the departing batsman.
• New Ball Taken: Sri Lanka 329/6 after 80.1 overs (Angelo Mathews 67, Nuwan Kulasekara 0)
• Sri Lanka: 350 runs in 82.2 overs (500 balls), Extras 14
• Sri Lanka loses their 7th Wicket. Nuwan Kulasekara c Dhoni b Khan 12 (15b 3×4 0×6) SR: 80.00
• Sri Lanka 359/7 (84.6 ov)
• Mathews takes a single towards cover point before Khan strikes for the first time in this innings. WICKET! Full delivery and Kulasekara is tempted into the drive, the thin edge goes through to the keeper and Dhoni makes no mistake.
• Sri Lanka loses their 8th Wicket. Rangana Herath c Dravid b Harbhajan Singh 1 (12b 0×4 0×6) SR: 8.33
• Harbhajan Singh to Herath, OUT, one more down as the shadows lengthen. It was around the off stump line, Rangana goes for the sweep and it goes off the toe end of the bat to first slip where Dravid takes a good tumbling catch
• Sri Lanka 362/8 (88 ov)
• End of The Day’s Play – Sri Lanka 366/8 (89  ov)