Mon, Jul 19 10 04:23 PM
T V Sriram Galle (Sri Lanka), Jul 19 (PTI) Unrelenting rain played spoilsport as the second day of the first cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka was called off without a single ball being bowled here today. Sri Lanka remained on their overnight score of 256 for two and the washout has now greatly diminished the prospects of a result in Muttiah Muralitharan''s swansong Test. The outfield was already wet due to overnight showers and things only got worse due to more rain this morning. The brief appearance made by the sun in the afternoon, which prompted the ground staff to take off the covers, turned out to be a false dawn as it started pouring soon after, leaving the match officials with no choice but to call off the day''s proceedings at about 1500 hrs (local Time). It is monsoon season in Sri Lanka right now and the weatherman has predicted overcast conditions for all five days of the match. The Test has risen in profile as veteran Sri Lankan off-spinner Muralitharan is set to bid adieu to his 18-year-old career at the end of it but rains gods are threatening to play spoilsport. The Lankans have dominated whatever little play has been possible so far. Captain Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga Paranavitana struck centuries on the opening day as Sri Lanka laid the foundation for a mammoth first innings against a lacklustre India. Sangakkara (103) notched up his 22nd century while Paranavitana (110 batting) scored his maiden ton, exposing India''s bowling failities to pile up 256 for two on a rain-truncated first day. Electing to bat, the Sri Lankan batsmen capitalised on easy batting conditions at the Galle International Stadium to take control of the match. It has been a miserable outing so far for the Indians with a depleted bowling attack struggling to make any impact on the Sri Lankan batsmen who scored at a brisk pace under overcast conditions. India removed Sangakkara early in the final session, when he holed out to Sachin Tendulkar off part-timer Virender Sehwag. Tillakaratne Dilshan (25) was the only other Sri Lankan batsman to lose his wicket when he was dismissed by Abhimanyu Mithun. Sangaakkara''s 103 came from 145 balls with the help of 12 fours and it was his fourth century against India. He also went past West Indian Gordon Greenidge and Englishman Colin Cowdrey to become the 23rd most prolific batsman. The Indian attack without strike bowler Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth due to injuries, was at the receiving end of a solid Sri Lankan batting display and went wicketless in the whole of the extended second session.
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