INDIA achieved their biggest victory against Sri Lanka and in the process clinched their 100th Test win on the fourth day of the second Test in Kanpur. India’s previous best against their neighbours was a victory by an innings and 119 runs in 1994 and they bettered that with ease today.

Thilan Samaraweera resisted the inevitable with an assured fifty but it was always just a matter of time before India wrapped up the game.

The only question at the start of the day was how long Sri Lanka would delay defeat. They batted positively, adding 149 runs in the first session, but India kept taking wickets at regular intervals. Samaraweera was involved in two fighting partnerships with Prasanna Jayawardene and Ajantha Mendis, which not only proved that the pitch wasn’t bad for batting but also showed the top order in poor light.

India’s only concern was Zaheer Khan’s no-ball problems (12 in this game and 21 in the series) but he started the day by dismissing Angelo Mathews in his first over. Mathews had hit three consecutive fours, which included a pull, and Zaheer placed a man at deep square-leg and tested Mathews with more bouncers. The first was fended off in an ungainly manner and the next was top-edged to backward point where Rahul Dravid took a lunging catch.

Samaraweera proceeded to stitch together a 61-run partnership with Prasanna who, much like in the first innings, flattered to deceive. He was looking good with his cuts and sweeps but was cleaned up by an off break from round the stumps from Harbhajan Singh. It drifted away and broke back in but Prasanna left a big bat-pad gap and was bowled. Muttiah Muralitharan indulged himself with a typical hit-and-giggle knock filled with slog sweeps but fell, going for yet another big hit.

Samaraweera, who then added 73 runs with a determined Ajantha Mendis to frustrate India, was rarely troubled during his stay, the highlight of which was a whippy on-drive to a delivery on off and middle stump from Sreesanth.

He rarely looked hurried, tackled the spinners and seamers and unfurled several pleasing on drives. The series now moves to Mumbai for the third Test that starts on December 2. (Cricinfo)
INDIA first innings 642, (R. Dravid 144)
Sri Lanka first innings 229
SRI LANKA second innings o/n 57 for 4
N. Paranavitana lbw b Sehwag 20
T. Dilshan c (wkp.) Dhoni b Sreesanth 11
K. Sangakkara b Harbhajan Singh 11
M. Jayawardene run-out 10
T. Samaraweera not out 78
A. Mathews c Dravid b Khan 15
P. Jayawardene b Harbhajan Singh 29
N. Herath lbw b Harbhajan Singh 13
M. Muralitharan b Ojha 29
A. Mendis lbw b Yuvraj Singh 27
U. Welegedara c&b Ojha 4
Extras: (b-7, lb-1, nb-14) 22
Total: all out, 63.5 overss) 269
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-37, 3-54 4-54. 5-79, 6-140 7-154, 8-191, 9-264.
Bowling: Z. Khan 11-0-63-1 (nb-9), S. Sreesanth 11-4-47-1, Harbhajan Singh 22-2-98-3, V. Sehwag 3-0-4-1, P. Ojha 15.3-4-36-2., S. Tendulkar 1-0-6-0, Yuvraj Singh 2-0-7-0.