Kolkata: Chasing India's first innings total of 172 all out, Sri Lanka were 165 for loss of 4 wickets, trailing by 7 runs, when bad light forced the field um-piers to call off the play for the 3rd day of the 1st Test match at Eden Gardens here today.
Wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella was batting at 14 and skipper Dinesh Chandimal was on 13 at the end of 45.4 overs when um-piers Nigel Llong and Joel Wilson took out the bells from the wickets after watching light meters around 1604 hours.
Chasing India's moderate total of 172 runs Sri Lanka picked up 165 runs for loss of four wickets in two sessions - post lunch and post tea - and trailed by seven runs with
six batsmen in hand. Angelo Mathews ( 52) and Lahiru Thirimanne (51) both have half century each and their 99 on 3rd wicket partnership took the visitors well onto the mark to surpass India's first innings.
Pacers Bhubaneswar Kumar and Umesh Yadav took two wickets each for 49 and 50 runs respectively in in post lunch and post tea sessions.Left handed batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, who survived at 27 runs after Shikhar Dawan dropped an easy catch at first slip off Umesh Yadav, made his sixth half century in 29 Tests and veteran Angelo Mathews reached his 29th half century in 71 Tests.
Dimuth Karunaratne ( 8) was adjudged leg before wicket (lbw) from Bhubaneswar Kumar delivery while allowing an incoming ball into his right pad.
His review call for DRS went in vain.
Another opener Sadeera Samarawickrama, who was a bit aggressive and taking a-run-a ball, was out at 23 when he edged to behind and wicket keeper Wriddiman Saha had no difficulty to hold ball into his gloves off B Kumar.Sadeera hit three boundaries in 22 balls. Earlier 57-run 7th wicket partnership between Wriddhiman Saha (29) and Ravindra Jadeja (22) and the 16th half-century by Cheteswar Pujara ( 52) helped beleaguered India to score 172 all out in 59.3 overs just before lunch of the day.(UNI)