A spirited middle and lower order handed India a slender lead to set up a second innings face-off amid conditions providing adequate encouragement for the bowlers. Firstly, it as Laxman and Raina with a combined parnership of 105 runs for the 5th wicket and later what followed was a spirited 64 runs partership between Mithun and Mishra.
Suresh Raina and VVS Laxman shared a fighting stand to help India recover from a poor start to the third day, but Ajantha Mendis and Lasith Malinga struck to tilt the scales. A combination of some attacking bowling and reckless batting gave Sri Lanka a couple of early breakthroughs but Raina batted with determination and helped India rebuild - just as he had in friendlier conditions on his way to a debut century at the SSC. Laxman was on the lookout for scoring opportunities, often opening the face to deliveries flung just outside off and reached his half-century, guiding Malinga past the keeper. Sri Lanka grabbed a spate of wickets in the afternoon session and checked the Indian middle-order's effort to gain control of the final Test. But it was thwarted by some special innings from Mithun and Amit Mishra. This partnership meant that India could over take the score posted by SL.The match is interestingly poised. Sri Lankan's are under pressure for the 1st time in this series and has to now take session by session tomorrow to assess the situation before declaration. There needs to be a controlled agression from Sri Lanka, scoring runs and at the same time not loosing many wickets, since that could mean that they could even loose this test match. They will not declare unless they score 350 runs since Indians have Sehwag, Sachin, Laxman, Raina and Dhoni in its ranks who can chase this score. Remember, the Sehwag/Sachin slaughter in Chennai against England... Unless, Sri Lanka does not loose much wickes, this match is meandering to a draw.
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