Laxman ton gives India inspiration

VVS Laxman's unbeaten century helped India win the third Test against Sri Lanka by five wickets and level the series at 1-1.

Laxman's effort was a fine end to a closely-fought contest in Colombo. Laxman's 103 not out off 149 balls, and his vital partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar (54 off 122 balls) and Suresh Raina (41 off 45 balls) contributed to India's remarkable comeback on day five after the visitors had grabbed the momentum in the final session yesterday.

Sri Lanka's bowlers - with the exception of off-spinner Suraj Randiv, who returned with match figures of nine for 162 - failed to apply any pressure on the Indian middle-order batsmen, who held their nerve on a turning fifth-day track to go past the 257-run second-inning target.

The visitors cruised home losing just one wicket, though they could not stop Randiv from getting his first five-wicket haul as he added to his four for 80 in the first innings.

Resuming on 53 for three and needing 204 more runs for a win, India lost the wicket of Sharma (four) early after the fast bowler flicked a Randiv delivery straight to Kumar Sangakkara at short mid-wicket.

Tendulkar was given a massive reprieve on 18 when Tillakaratne Dilshan dropped a bat-and-pad catch off Randiv at short-leg. Tendulkar and Laxman took India past the 100-run mark soon after, and the swelling fifth-wicket partnership started causing headaches for the Sri Lanka bowlers.

Tendulkar, playing in his record 169th Test, brought up his 56th Test fifty in the last over before lunch, and Laxman reached the milestone immediately after the break and continued to play more freely on both front and back foot. However, India were dealt a huge blow when Randiv got into the act again and forced free-stroking Tendulkar (54 off 122 balls with three boundaries) to attempt a sweep, only to glove the ball back to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

The fifth-wicket partnership, however, had added 109 runs and took the visitors to within 85 runs of the winning target, with still five wickets in hand. Suresh Raina started off dangerously, edging Malinga over Mahela at slips to the third-man boundary, but Laxman at the other end carried on, though with the help of a runner after suffering a sore back.

Raina continued taking chances and stepped out to spinners regularly. He brought the target below the 50-run mark after lofting Dilshan over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Laxman brought up his 16th Test century in style, cracking two back-to-back boundaries off Mendis, bringing cheers in the India dressing room.Raina finished the match soon after, smashing Chanaka Welegedara over mid-wicket for a massive six.

Sri Lanka had made 267 in the second innings, leaving India, who notched up 436 runs (Virender Sehwag 109, Laxman 56, Raina 62 ) in their first innings, with a target of 257 runs to win the Test.