Date-stamped : 12 Feb94 - 14:25 Sri Lanka v India, Test 3, Ahmedabad, 8-13 Feb 93 (Rest 11 Feb) ====> Day 1, 8 Feb 94 Kapil Dev - after the record breaking feat AHMEDABAD, India, Feb 8 - Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev broke Sir Richard Hadlee's record on Tuesday to become test cricket's highest wicket-taker, and then said he was setting his sights on the 450-mark. A 6,000-strong crowd popped balloons and erupted in delirous cheering when Kapil forced Sri Lanka's Hashan Tillekeratne to edge a catch to Sanjay Manjrekar at forward short leg an hour after play began in their third and final test. The dismissal took 35-year-old Kapil to 432 test wick- ets, and he told Indian television after breaking New Zea- lander Hadlee's record of 431 that he would try to reach 450 and then perhaps take a further 25 wickets before retiring. Asked how long he would continue to play, Kapil replied: "As long as I am fit and enjoy the game...and I can put 100 percent into the game." Contributed by Nilay.Banker (bankerns@Xenon.Stanford.EDU) ====> Day 1, MORE Kapil's world record breaking wicket was his only one of the day and the Indian spinners did most of the damage. Rajesh Chauhan and Venkatapathy Raju conceding just 46 runs as the Sri lankans were all out well before tea. Off spinner Chauhan claimed opener Duleep Samaraweera before lunch and Martin Attapattu and Ruwan Kalpage later on. Raju dismissed Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Rana- tunga and Aravinda De Silva before mopping up the tail to finish five for 38 in just 23.5 overs. Pramodaya Wickramsinghe, who made 22 off 57 balls with two fours and one over the fence, top scored for the visitors. (Source: Agence France Presse) Contributed by Pranav.Shah (shah@*umd.umich.edu) ====> Day 1, MORE Indian left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju spun Sri lanka out cheaply on the opening day of the third Test tuesday after team- mate Kapil dev had become the Test cricket's highest wicket- taker. Raju took five for 38 in Sri lankan's first innings 119 at tea with spinners taking all but one of the wickets to fall. Earlier Kapil Dev delighted the 6,000-strong crowd when he had Hashan Tillekeratne caught at forward short leg by Sanjay manjrekar for five. The wicket took 35-year-old kapil past New Zealander Richard hadlee's record of 431 Test victims. Raju, who trapped Aravinda de silva leg before wicket before luch for seven, accounted for captain Arjuna ranatunga (15) after the break and then swiftly wound up the innings. The only resistance was offered by Pramodya Wickremasinghe (22) who was finally lured out of the crease by Raju to give wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia an easy stumping. (Reuter) (Source: Press Association Newsfile) Contributed by Pranav.Shah (shah@*umd.umich.edu) ====> Day 2, 9 Feb 94 Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin led from the front with a dashing century as they piled up 329-8 on the second day against Sri Lanka. The tourists used four spinners on a crumbling pitch but could not upset Azharuddin who struck a six and 15 fours in an unbeaten 134. India began the day on 90-1 and Vinod Kambli hammered a rapid 57 before Azharuddin took centre stage for his 14th Test hundred. They lead by 210 and Sri Lanka are facing a 3-0 series whitewash. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 2, MORE it stumps on the second day of the third and final test, India reached 329 for 8 wickets. From 123 for 4, with Azharuddin's captain's innings India passed 300 in the third session. From India Harsha Bhogle reported that "... in Sri Lanka's point of view it is a pretty hopeless situation...." However, on the second day India scored only 239 runs; out of that Azhar scored 134. The rest (including extras) managed a total of only 105 runs. Sri Lankans, for the first time, kept India under control (<500 score). Although Sri Lankans have not proved them to be there, with couple of long innings and a better bowling in the fourth innings Sri Lankans could force India to "defend". Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu) ====> Day 2, MORE India are in a strong position at the end of the second day's play in the 3rd test match against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad. Har- sha Bhogle reports " Due to a magnificent innings of 134* by their captain Mohammed Azharuddin, India are in a position of strength in the third test match against Sri Lanka. Earlier in the day, India was in some trouble at 123-4. However, several partnerships down the order enabled India to finish the day at 329-8. The lead is now 210 and with the wicket playing as nastily as ever, it does not look too good from the Sri Lankan standpoint." Contributed by M.Rangaswamy (mrangasw@cat.syr.edu) ====> Day 3, 10 Feb 94 India captain Mohammad Azharuddin followed up on his 152 as he took two superb catches to push Sri Lanka to the brink of defeat. At close of play on the third day Sri Lanka could manage only 154-5 in the second innings and need 85 more runs to make India bat again. Azharrudin clung on to difficult chances to dismiss Aravinda de Silva and Hashan Tillekeratne when both looked in good form. The Sri Lankans were mounting a gutsy fightback until Azharuddin turned the match in India's favour. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 3, MORE India look set to complete a 3-0 series sweep at the end of the third day's play in the 3rd test match against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad. Harsha Bhogle reports on the BBC: "India look set to get their third successive test win in under four days at Ahmedabad. After being bowled out for 358, India re- duced Sri Lanka to 154/5 at stumps on the third day. Sri Lanka are in a hopless situation, requiring a further 85 runs to make India bat again and are headed for certain defeat on the fourth day. The Sri Lankans were going well at 149/2 until disaster struck about half an hour before close of play when 3 wickets fell for the addition of just 5 runs. It appears that a fine in- nings of 63 from Mahanama is inadequate to stave off defeat for Sri Lanka." Contributed by M.Rangaswamy (mrangasw@cat.syr.edu) ====> Day 3, MORE Sri Lanka faces another innings defeat in the third test match against being played at the Sardar Vallabhai Gujarat stadi- um. After being squashed in the first two tests by a massive in- nings margin, the Sri Lankan batsman were in trouble again against the India spinners. Sri Lankans still require 85 runs to make India bat again and save themselves from an embarrasing 3-0 innings whitewash at the hands of Indians. Facing a deficit of 239 runs after being skittled out for 119 in the first in- nings, Sri lanka managed 154 for five in their second innings at close of the third day's play. It seemed that for the first time the Sri lankan batsman were getting comfortable against the spin attack of Indians and were sitting pretty at 149/2 on this turning wicket at tea. But in the last thirty minutes the Raju and chauhan broke through the heart of the Sri Lankan batting lineup taking three wickets in 4 runs to leave Sri Lanka on the brink of a defeat. Roshan Mahana- ma and Samaraweera put on 70 for the opening wicket partner- ship before Samaraweera was run out on a hit by Vi- nod kambli . Mahanama was later trapped leg-before by a delivery from raju for 63. Indian captain Azharrudin, who earlier played a played a captain's knock of 152, showed his brilliance in fielding in the sri Lankan second innnings. Hashan Tillekratne and Aravinda De Silva added on 51 for the third wicked before they both fell to diving catches at silly point by Azhar. At stumps, Ranatunga was batting at five and Ruwan Kalpage had yet to open his account. Earlier India were bowled out for 358 after adding 29 to their overnight total of 329/8. Muralidharan got the last two wick- ets by bowling out Azhar and Chauhan (9). Contributed by Pranav.Shah (shah@umdsun2.umd.umich.edu) ====> Day 3, MORE Sri Lanka, struggling in the third and final test to avert a 3-0 whitewash in the series, say they still have fight left in them to salvage some pride on the turning wicket. But the cream of Sri Lankan batting is back in the pavillion and only Captain Arjuna Ranatunga is left of the established batsmen in the bid to stave off defeat when the team on Saturday resumes the innings after the rest day on 154 for five. "We still have some fight left in us," insisted Ranatunga, who is not out on five, with Ruwan Kalpage, who is yet to score. Rana- tunga will be seeking to emulate the leadership qualities of his opposite number, Mohammad Azharuddin. Azharuddin, who had domi- nated the match with a brilliant 152 and two breathtaking catches, is expected to turn to the spinners to exploit the dete- riorating pitch and quickly wrap up the match a day before its scheduled end. He will not need to call on all rounder Kapil Dev, pressed into service for long spells of medium pace bowling in the last test at Bangalore and on the first day of the Ahmedabad test to help him quickly break Sir Richard Hadlee's record. Kapil, 35, overtook New Zealander Hadlee's haul of 431 wickets, test cricket's highest, on the opening day of the Ahmedabad test. But it was the spinners who crushed Sri Lanka in the two earlier tests, both of which ended with a day to spare. The Sri Lankans have blamed the losses on poor umpiring, while India say all that was needed was application by the batsmen. On Thursday, the Sri Lankans, beginning their second innings 239 runs behind, appeared to have learnt from Azharuddin's flawless batting, taking their time to play the spinners. But Azharuddin turned the match around, clinging to hard chances at silly point at either ends of the pitch to dismiss Aravinda de Silva and Hashan Tillekeratne at a time when they appeared to be pulling Sri Lanka out of trouble. But the dismissals of de Silva, Tillekeratne and Maravan Attapattu in 17 balls saw them crumble from 149-2 to 153-5. On Friday, the Indians were celebrating Kapil's record. Indian team manager Ajit Wadekar, taking time off the celebrations, ad- mitted that the Sri Lankans had at last managed to put up a good fight in the third test. But he added: "It is merely a matter of time before we complete a clean sweep." (Thanks: Reuter) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu) ====> Day 4, 12 Feb 94 Spinner Venkatapathy Raju picked up six wickets as India beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 17 runs to complete a 3-0 series whi- tewash. Raju who has had to play second fiddle so far to Anil Kumble grabbed the limelight with 6/87 and match figures of 11-125. Skipper Mohammad Azharuddin said: We must make the most of the high we are in. It was a wonderful effort by the whole team. Sri Lanka never looked like surviving after they had resumed at 154/5. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 4, MORE Venkatapathy Raju fininshed with a career best 6-87 in the second innings and a best match figures of 11-125 as Sri lanka was scorched by another innings defeat. This was Sri lanka third consecutive innings defeat which gave India a 3-0 series whi- tewash. Starting at 154-5 on the fourth day and needing 85 more runs to make India bat again, the Sri lankans were all out 30 minutes before lunch for 222. India didn't have to wait very long to get a wicket as Kalpage who was playing quite boldly handed a simple catch to Azhar at silly point of Chauhan. Ranatunga, for a captain played a careless inning as he tried to go for a six off Raju and pooped up a catch to Navjot Sidhu. Only wicket- keeper Dassanayake provided any kind of resistance and made 21 not out. All the tailenders, Anurasiri, Muralirathan, and Wickremasinghe fell to the spin of Raju who turned the ball vi- ciously. Contributed by Pranav.Shah (shah@umdsun2.umd.umich.edu)