Indians, powered by the big four, landed up in Sri Lanka after the debacle of the youth in the Asia cup final. The mission was to conquer Ajantha Mendis and Murali. Sri lanka wanted to show their supremacy at home. Game on. The first battle went to Sri Lanka when M&M annihilated the visitors. Round two to India as they galloped on Sehwag's fury to overcome the hosts. The finale has been won convincingly by Sri Lanka. The fab four have struggled barring for a odd contribution here and there. Ajantha Mendis has already made little boys in Sri Lanka and India bend their middle fingers. He has been finger-licking good. So has been Sri Lanka.

Hang on for quotes from post-match ceremony.

Kumble: It was important to get a good first-innings total but we faltered. The batters were not consistent throughout the series. They let us down. We had a chance to make up in the second innings but again we didn't score.Well played Sri Lanka. They deserve this victory. Mendis was the key bowler for SL, supported by Murali." Asked what is the one thing he would like to change this series, Kumble deadpans, "The result."

Man of the Match Sangakkara : "It was a case of getting as many runs as possible and stretch the lead. The innings was set up by Vaas and later supported later by Prasanna and Dammika. The special thing for me is the entry of the youngsters - Ajantha Mendis, Warnapura, Prasanna. I was bit lucky in the 40s, the key thing is to capitalize and go on to score runs. A hundred is a hundred but this was one of the tougher ones, especially considering how this series has gone.

Man-of-the-Series Ajantha Mendis. Sanga translates for him.

"He didn't think too much and get confused. He just did what he knew. The basics. He got support from his team-mates and the crowd. He says that his family is extremely support of him and more importantly, he feels the whole of Sri Lanka supports him."

Arjuna Ranatunga gives him another trophy for taking the most number of wickets in a debut three-match series.

Mahela :"The guys showed lots of character especially after the Galle Test. Amazing effort. Sanga capped it off. We have been consistent in the last 2-3 years away from home as well. Our game is coming together. The younger players are taking responsibitly and the senior players pushed themselves. Murali still picked up 20 wickets and Vaas did very well. Both Murali and Mendis bowled very well and kept the pressure on the good Indian batting line up. we knew we wanted some extra pace and Dammika has a big heart. We have seen in the nets and that's what he did there. He didn't show much nerves. Excellent debut."

That's all from us. This is Sriram Veera, signing off on behalf of the scorers Binoy George and Srinivas Raju. Thanks for logging on. Good bye and good luck.

33.1

Ganguly to Mahela Jayawardene, FOUR runs

A You tube moment. A fierce square cut and Sri Lanka have clinched the series win. Mahela gets his fifty with a lovely square cut. The batsmen hug each other, Kumble shakes hands with Mahela before the Indian players congratulate the Sri Lankan captain and Warnapura.

Ganguly to bowl. And he is very carefully setting his field. Will Mahela get his fifty?

end of over 334 runs

SL: 119/2CRR: 3.60

Malinda Warnapura54 (99b 5x4)

Mahela Jayawardene46 (84b 2x4)

Virender Sehwag 3-0-12-0

Anil Kumble 10-2-34-0

32.6

Sehwag to Warnapura, 2 runs

another falling paddle help-around-the-corner shot. Just three more for a grand series win for Sri Lanka.

Selvam: "I think rather Kumble should "Review" his bowling and the Fab 4's position after this series. "

32.5

•

Sehwag to Warnapura, no run

flighted around the off and middle stump line, leans forward to defend

32.4

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run

flighted off break on the middle and leg, wristed away to deep midwicket

32.3

•

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, no run

leans forward to push the flighted off break back to the bowler

32.2

Sehwag to Warnapura, 1 run

gets down on his knee to play a paddle shot around the corner. Just 6 more runs to win.

32.1

•

Sehwag to Warnapura, no run

stays back to force a off break to covers

end of over 3210 runs

SL: 115/2CRR: 3.59

Mahela Jayawardene45 (82b 2x4)

Malinda Warnapura51 (95b 5x4)

Anil Kumble 10-2-34-0

Virender Sehwag 2-0-8-0

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31.6

Kumble to Mahela Jayawardene, 4 byes

seam-up short-pitched delivery from Kumble but going down the leg side. Neither Mahela or Patel manage to get any thing on it.

31.5

Kumble to Mahela Jayawardene, FOUR runs

Mahela indulges himself. He went for the reverse sweep and lofted the flighted delivery from the leg stump line over backward point. And he has a laugh

31.4

Kumble to Warnapura, 1 run

retreats inside the crease, allows the ball to turn to his pads before clipping it to long leg

31.3

•

Kumble to Warnapura, no run

loopy full delivery on the middle and leg, worked to short midwicket

31.2

•

Kumble to Warnapura, no run

gets forward to turn the legbreak to midwicket

31.1

Kumble to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run

from round the stumps, lands it back of length outside leg, turns in a touch, Mahela goes back to wrist it behind square leg

end of over 317 runs

SL: 105/2CRR: 3.38

Malinda Warnapura50 (92b 5x4)

Mahela Jayawardene40 (79b 1x4)

Virender Sehwag 2-0-8-0

Anil Kumble 9-2-28-0

30.6

Sehwag to Warnapura, 2 runs

reaches his fifty with a paddle sweep around the corner. Mahela gets across to shake his hand and pat him on the helmet. Well played Warnapura. he has handled the pressure of a chase well

30.5

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run

off break into the middle and leg line, worked through midwicket

30.4

•

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, no run

goes back to defend the off break

30.3

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, 2 runs

spins in from outside the off stump, a touch short in length, Mahela goes back to play a deft little latecut

30.2

•

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, no run

Indians have gone for the Review for the lbw decision. It landed outside off stump, turned in to beat the waft across the line and struck him low, just below the knee roll in the front of middle stump. Looks like it might hit the leg stump. Decision pending. Verdict is Not Out. Virtual eye shows it would hit the leg stump

30.1

Sehwag to Mahela Jayawardene, 2 runs

floated on the off stump line, Mahela brings up the 100 with a neat little paddle sweep

Nilesh Fernando: "And there's also Vaas, who made more than the so-called 'Fab 4' combined in the first innings!"

end of over 303 runs

SL: 98/2CRR: 3.26

Mahela Jayawardene35 (74b 1x4)

Malinda Warnapura48 (91b 5x4)

Anil Kumble 9-2-28-0

Harbhajan Singh 14-2-44-1

29.6

Kumble to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run

gets forward to work a flighted delivery to deep midwicket.

Read full commentary

Best performances - batters

Spike Graph

Wagon Zone

KC Sangakkara

144 runs (288)

14 fours0 six

Productive shot

off side drive on front foot

45 runs

4 fours0 six

Control

91%

G Gambhir

IND

72 runs (128)

10 fours0 six

Productive shot

leg glance

29 runs

4 fours0 six

Control

88%

Best performances - bowlers

BAW Mendis

ECO

BAW Mendis

ECO

2.38

View more stats

Match details

P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo
Toss	India, elected to bat first
Series	India tour of Sri Lanka
Season	2008
Player Of The Match	Kumar Sangakkara
Player Of The Series	Ajantha Mendis
Series result	Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 2-1
Match number	Test no. 1886
Hours of play (local time)	10.15am start, Lunch 12.15-12.55pm, Tea 2.55-3.15pm, Close 5.15pm
Match days	8,9,10,11 August 2008 - day (5-day match)
Test debut	Dhammika Prasad
Umpires	Mark Benson Rudi Koertzen
TV Umpire	Billy Doctrove
Reserve Umpire	Sagara Gallage
Match Referee	Alan Hurst