Sehwag and Sachin rescue India

India were 180/2, with Sachin on 40 and Sehwag on 97, in reply to Sri Lank's 425.

Ojha took 4wickets and Ishant 3 and SL were all out for 425. India can still retain the No 1 position.

Sehwag was dropped at 52 by Angelo Mathews and this lapse may prove costly. Sachin survived a scare when he edged Ranadiv just past slip.In Fortress Lanka, Lanka scoring 425 is a bit low by SL standards. India can still pull the match out of the Lankan hands ! Let us watch and see tomorrow. 3 runs more and Sehwag will complete yet another century and where is Sachin headed to ?

When the SL bowlers found swing and was threatening the Indian batsmen, Sehwag cut loose with three consecutive fours of Welegedara, the man who had dismissed him in the Galle Test twice. The SL bowlers tried to trap Sehwag with short pitched deliveries but the Indian opener was too smart for that. He slammed Welegedara over midwicket and square leg and runs flowed off his bat. Mathews also had tried to trap Sehwag but couldnt find success, as the Indian powerhouse was at his belligerent best !

Sehwag targeted Welegdera and blasted him for nine fours. Demon fast bolwer Malinga tried to keep Sehwag quiet with some bouncers but Sehwag hit him for a glorious punched backfoot drive past the umpire ! Malinga did bowl a fiery spell and tried to trap Sehwag with the slower delivery but to no avail !

The host had their successes when they dismissed M Vijay and Dravid cheap. If Mathews had held on to that catch, India would have been in dire straits. Now the Indian morale is up, with Sehwag on 97 no and Sachin on 40 no !