Wickets tumble on fourth morning
2nd Test - Day 4 - Cricket Web XI vs Sri Lanka - P. Saravanamuttu Stadium
Cricket Web XI started day four with an eye on one of the greatest comebacks in Test history, and with Will Kerr and Alex Blackman at the crease, half-centuries each on the board. The atmosphere was primed for a dramatic morning session and the Sri Lankan seamers started off with fire in their eyes. They struck twice quickly to remove the overnight batsmen with little addition to their scores, and both well short of deserved hundreds.
For all his joy with the ball, it was a quivering Dave Richards who arrived at the crease. In his previous three innings in the series he had been worked over and embarrassed by the Sri Lanka spinners, and faced the pacers with a big effort needed. Mike Wilson had already received a life on 13 and intent on making the best of it, with aggressive intent. But Mendis and Muralitharan were quickly invited into the attack and the former tempted Wilson into a fatal error. The Webber allrounder saw a bit of flight and tried to clear long-on to relieve the pressure, and instead picked out Vaas in the deep.
Greater pressure fell on Richards, but as he had done with the ball the day before, he responded in a positive fashion. His next five scoring shots reached the boundary, as he breeched double figures for the first time in the series. But just when he looked to be making his effort count, he was outfoxed by Mendis again and out to the mystery bowler for the third time in four innings. Out for 30, Richards kicked the turf as he walked off with 28 still needed by his team.
Mendis wrapped up a second 5-wicket haul of the season and left David Kennett and his captain, Neil Pickup, as the last remaining hopes. The consummate tailender, Pickup was tested early and beaten twice by Mendis. When he hit the ball, however, it flew down past slip and away to the boundary. But he settled his nerves soon after and slapped a short ball from the spinner past cover point and for an authentic boundary. At lunch David Kennett had 20 balls in the bank and no runs to show for it, but Pickup, on 10, has pulled his team to within 10 runs of a famous win.
Sri Lanka 1st Innings 222 ao (83.3 overs)
BSM Warnapura 85, TM Dilshan 43, TT Samaraweera 24
NA Borcich 5-57, DM Kennett 4-69
Cricket Web XI 1st Innings 70 ao (30 overs)
AP Cloete 33, AJ Blackman 7
M Muralitharan 3-2, WPUJ Vaas 3-21
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings 191 ao (65.1 overs)
KC Sangakkara 52, MG Vandort 43, M Muralitharan 28*
DP Richards 5-62, NA Borcich 3-47
Cricket Web XI 2nd Innings 334-9 (112 overs)
WA Kerr 85, AJ Blackman 79, H Mørk 39
BAW Mendis 5-74
Cricket Web XI require 10 runs with 1 second innings wicket in hand.