Laxman ton secures India a series-levelling win

VVS Laxman overcame back spasms to hit an unbeaten 103.

[© AFP]

VVS Laxman overcame back spasms to hit an unbeaten 103.[© AFP]

Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with 54 and Suresh Raina made 41 not out.

[© AFP]

Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with 54 and Suresh Raina made 41 not out.[© AFP]

Laxman and Tendulkar shared a match-winning partnership of 109 runs.

[© AFP]

Laxman and Tendulkar shared a match-winning partnership of 109 runs.[© AFP]

VVS Laxman overcame back spasms to hit an unbeaten 103 as India defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in the final Test to draw the three-match series 1-1.

Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with 54 and Suresh Raina made 41 not out to help India surpass a challenging victory target of 257 just before tea on the fifth day at the P. Sara Oval.

Raina smashed seamer Chanaka Welegedera over mid-on for a six to signal the series-levelling win after Sri Lanka had taken the opening Test by 10 wickets, while the second was drawn.

Laxman, aged 35, and Tendulkar, 37, shared a match-winning partnership of 109 runs for the fifth wicket in what was probably the last Test innings for the two veterans on Sri Lankan soil.

Laxman was on 60 when he developed back spasms and called for a runner in Virender Sehwag after being treated by team physiotherapist Nitin Patel on the field.

The stylish Hyderabadi followed his 56 in the first innings with his 16th Test century that was studded with 12 boundaries.

Raina, playing only his second Test, hit four fours and a six during an unbroken stand of 87 for the sixth wicket with Laxman.

Laxman's exquisite strokeplay inspired the Indians to ward off the threat of the Sri Lankan spinners exploiting the bounce and turn on a fifth-day wicket.

Off-spinner Suraj Randiv, brought in to replace world bowling record-holder Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired after the first Test, claimed all five Indian wickets to fall.

But Randiv had little support at the other end as sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga went for 0-49 from 12 overs and unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis conceded 65 runs in 14 wicketless overs.

Tendulkar, the world's leading run-getter, marked his record 169th Test appearance with a dour half-century during a three-hour vigil at the crease.

Sri Lanka should have got rid of Tendulkar when he was on 18, but Tillakratne Dilshan floored a simple catch at forward short-leg off Randiv.

Tendulkar fell in the fifth over after lunch, with 86 still needed, when he gloved a sweep off Randiv and was taken smartly down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Earlier, India added just nine runs to their overnight score of 53-3 when nightwatchman Ishant Sharma was dismissed for four, caught at short mid-wicket off Randiv.

It was the off-spinner's fourth wicket in the innings, having removed Sehwag, Murali Vijay and Rahul Dravid in the final hour on Friday.

But Laxman settled in to drive Mendis through the covers and play a fluent on-drive in the same over to bring up the 50-run partnership with Tendulkar.

He continued in the same vein despite the pain, pulling Malinga and Randiv for boundaries.

India and Sri Lanka will now be joined by New Zealand for a limited-overs tri-series that opens in Dambulla on August 10.

Laxman's century helps India draw series

India 436 (Sehwag 109, Raina 62, Randiv 4-80) and 258 for 5 (Laxman 103*, Tendulkar 54, Randiv 5-82) beat Sri Lanka 425 (Samaraweera 137*, Sangakkara 75, Ojha 4-115) and 267 (Samaraweera 83, Mendis 78) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	VVS Laxman anchored India's chase on a tense final day © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: VVS Laxman | Sachin Tendulkar Matches: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (PSS) Series/Tournaments: India tour of Sri Lanka Teams: India | Sri Lanka

The final day of the Test series lived up to its billing with India emerging victorious in a gripping contest to level the series and confound those who had doubted their depleted line-up. VVS Laxman battled the pressure as well as an injured back and, with support from Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina, countered the probing Suraj Randiv to reach his 16th century and seal a memorable win - India's fourth-highest successful chase in Tests.

India needed a recovery each time Laxman stepped out to bat this series, and he delivered once again: his most valuable innings coming in a situation that was the most challenging. The nerves of a tough chase were more evident in his partners, who offered chances and survived moments of edginess, as opposed to Laxman, around whose solidity India's hopes centered.

Laxman seemed to have more time than the rest to play his shots, and he picked gaps in the spread-out fields with comfort during a constant search for singles and twos. The wrist worked its charm early in his innings with a couple of delightful drives off Ajantha Mendis on either side of the pitch, and he latched on anything short, pulling Lasith Malinga for two boundaries behind square. Randiv's extra bounce was neutralised with a quick adaptation to varying lengths and the use of soft hands. Mendis' googlies were read early, and Malinga's slightly wayward line was dominated with flicks, glances and pulls, along with a safe negotiation of his intermittent yorkers.

Laxman suffered back spasms shortly before he lost Tendulkar, and relied on Virender Sehwag as runner. As India approached the target, Laxman moved towards his century with sublime timing, easing the spinners through covers, and brought up the landmark with a tickle to fine leg.

Randiv was the most threatening of Sri Lanka's bowlers and assumed the role of lead spinner in just his second Test. He delivered the ball quick from a high angle and was potent on a track generating bounce. Randiv's three wickets on the fourth day had put Sri Lanka ahead and they would have been on top had an initially patchy Tendulkar not been dropped at forward short leg. He attacked from round the wicket, targeted the rough and got the ball to spit from a middle-and-off line. India's approach throughout the day had been positive and Tendulkar's hunt for runs, though reflecting his determination to keep India on track, kept Randiv interested. Tendulkar closed the face often, used the paddle, made room to cut Randiv from the stumps and even stepped out of his crease. He inside-edged Randiv to one that spun in but Tillakaratne Dilshan failed to hold on to a straightforward chance, a moment Tendulkar shrugged off with a lovely off-drive next ball.

The feature of the Tendulkar-Laxman partnership was the ease with which they took singles, 48 of them in a 109-run stand. The fielders at mid-on and mid-off were placed deep enough for the batsmen to steal a run, and Kumar Sangakkara also had a deep point, who was kept busy. The steady flow of fours tempered Sri Lanka's plan of attack, and the vacant areas were exploited through a series of nudges, cuts and dabs. One such attempt, however, brought about Tendulkar's downfall as he gloved a sweep to the wicketkeeper to give Randiv his maiden five-for. But a counter-attack by Raina in a stand that dealt mainly in boundaries crushed Sri Lanka's hopes.

Raina's previous two Test innings had an assuredness unusual for a debutant but he batted more like one at the start of his knock today. Raina tried to attack from the outset, an approach that could have triggered another twist to a topsy-turvy Test. He edged a wide delivery from Malinga that scraped the hands of slip and charged down the track the next ball to swing and miss. Those lapses prompted more caution and he opted for aggression only when the field came in. Raina launched the spinners twice over mid-on, smashed Mendis down the ground and ended the game before the tea break by dispatching Chanaka Welegedara into the stands at midwicket.

Laxman's performances in both innings were crucial but the game was set up in two decisive phases by Sehwag. His blistering century set a tempo to the Indian first innings that enabled them to scale down a formidable Sri Lankan total in quick time. And his dismissals of the Sri Lankan openers, Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, on the third day deprived the hosts of the strong start they needed to post an intimidating target. All this on a competitive pitch, which gave India's bowlers enough assistance to grab 20 wickets despite the absence of their most experienced bowler and the unavailability of a first-choice seam attac