Sri Lanka break 16-year drought

Sri Lanka's captain Sanath Jayasuriya warned team-mates of an Indian backlash after the tourists crashed to a 10-wicket defeat in the first Test here on Friday. The left-hander, who hit 340 and 199 in consecutive Tests against the Indians in 1997 , took a majestic 111 off his favourite whipping boys here to win the Man-of-the-Match award.

Sri Lanka last beat India at the Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo in 1985, giving them two wins in 21 years against their sub-continent neighbours. But Sri Lanka's Australian coach Dav Whatmore played down the win, saying he will be satisfied only if the hosts repeated this performance in the remaining two Tests.

The Indians, meanwhile, cancelled a scheduled two-day holiday at a beach resort to practice in Kandy where the second Test starts Wednesday. India's two innings here of 187 and 180 were their lowest against Sri Lanka, falling short of the 198 they made in the Colombo Test of 1985. He can, however, take heart from the home series against Australia earlier this year when India fought back after a three-day defeat in the first Test and a 274-run follow-on margin in the second to win 2-1.

The difference here is that India are missing four top players, including batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar, and the captain is struggling to find form with the bat. Ganguly failed to reach double figures on the recent tour of Zimbabwe and was dismissed for 15 and four here, raising speculation that the pressures of captaincy was telling on his batting.

The Sri Lankans needed six to win after India made 180 in their second innings to avoid an innings defeat.