Cricket story by Boris Webb, Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:04:00 GMT


NEW DELHI, India - Anil Kumble spun a web of magic around the Sri Lankan batsmen as he walked away with 10 of their wickets for 157 runs in the second test at the Ferozshah Kotla here today. India won the match handsomely by 188 runs just 40 minutes after lunch on the fifth day.

Sri Lanka began the day at 123-5, needing to bat out for at least 90 overs to ensure that the match was drawn. Overnight batsman Mahela Jayawardene was accompanied by Jehan Mubarak since the Lankans had lost Thilan Samaraweera off what turned out to be the last ball of the day. Ajit Agarkar quickly got rid off the unfortunate Mubarak, who failed to get out of the way of a vicious inswinger and was given lbw by umpire Nadeem Ghauri.

In walked Tilakratne Dilshan and in the company of Jayawardene managed to keep the Indians at bay before Anil Kumble knocked back his middle stump of another lovely flipper. After that it was a procession to the pavilion as off-spinner Harbhajan Singh managed to get Jayawardene to nick one to Gautam Gambhir at short leg and Vass tried to pull one only to find Harbhajan off Kumble. Jayawardene offered some resistance with a spirited 67, but otherwise the Lankan batting struggled throughout. Last man Muralitharan skied one of his opposite number Harbhajan to give Dhoni a simple catch and India a fine win.

The match will be remembered for Sachin Tendulkar's 35th test hundred as he stormed past Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 hundreds and Anil Kumble's fine spell in which he got his 30th five-wicket haul to join Murali, Warne and Richard Hadlee in this club.

Match Summary
India 290 all out: Tendulkar 109, Ganguly 40, Murali 7-100
Sri Lanka 230 all out: Attapattu 88, Kumble 6-72
India 375-6 declared: Pathan 93, Yuvraj 77 not out
Sri Lanka 247 all out: Attapattu 67, Kumble 4-85

Result India won by 188 runs
Man of the Match: Anil Kumble

Umpires, Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan) and Simon Taufel (Australia)

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