Triple Triple Eludes Sehwag But India Dominate

Sri Lanka 393 (Dilshan 109) & 11-0 v India 726-9 dec. (Sehwag 293, Dhoni 100no).

Virender Sehwag fell seven runs short of becoming the first man to record three triple-centuries in Test cricket but his dismissal did not prevent India establishing a lead of 322 runs by stumps on the third day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Sehwag fell for 293 when he was caught and bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan but India, thanks to an unbeaten century from Mahendra Singh Dhoni and half-centuries from Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, established a new national record score of 726 for nine declared in reply to Sri Lanka's 393.

Sri Lanka survived three overs late in the day to reach 11 without loss as they began a long fight to save the game.

Sehwag resumed unbeaten on 284 but could only add nine more runs to his score before he was dismissed by Muralitharan, who would finish with four for 195. His innings spanned 254 deliveries and he hit 40 fours and seven sixes and he set the stage for India to go on and bat Sri Lanka to a desperate position.

Dravid, unbeaten overnight on 62, made 74 before he was caught by wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene off Chanaka Welagedara but half-centuries from Tendulkar (53) and Laxman (62) mantained India's charge. Tendulkar faced 103 balls and Laxman 91 and while they could not go on and reach three figures, Dhoni could and most of his runs came when batting with the tail following the dismissal of Yuvraj Singh for 23, the left-hander failing to make the most of a missed stumping chance by Jayawardene.

Dhoni thumped three fours and six sixes, the last of which soared out of the ground and ended the innings, taking him from 94 to 100 and giving India three overs to bowl at Sri Lanka, which the tourists negotiated with Tillakaratne Dilshan unbeaten on eight and Tharanga Paranavitana on three.

Sri Lanka were bowled out on day two for 393, Dilshan hitting 109 and Angelo Mathews 99. After the opening match in Ahmedabad was drawn, India won in Kanpur by an innings and 144 runs to take a 1-0 lead.