Sachin strikes 5th double hundred in Test cricket

Another feather in Tendulkar's cap.

Colombo, July 29: Sachin Tendulkar struck his fifth double ton and raised 256 runs for the fifth wicket with Suresh Raina (120) as India reached 589 for 5 at tea on the fourth day of the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka here today.

Tendulkar was still going strong at 202 and he was given company by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50) at the break as India trailed by 53 runs to Sri Lanka's first innings 642 for 4 declared.

Tendulkar, who is now closing in to his highest Test innings of 248 not out (against Bangladesh in 2004), consumed 343 balls and hit 23 fours and a six.

His 256-run stand with Raina, who made a century on his debut, in 69.5 overs not only saved India from follow on but also took the match towards a draw.

Raina's 120 came in 228 balls and was studded with two sixes and 12 hits to the boundary.

After hitting an Ajantha Mendis delivery through the covers for a boundary, Raina failed to keep down the on drive the same bowler and popped it straight to the waiting Kumar Sangakkara at short mid-wicket.

Dhoni, who came in for Raina, did not take much time to settle down as he pounded on off-spinner Suraj Randiv for two consecutive boundaries.

Towards tea break, he lofted a flighted delivery from Mendis to the mid-off boundary before hitting Dammika Prasad for two consecutive fours.

Dhoni's 50 came from just 56 balls with the help of six hits to the boundary.

Tendulkar, on the other hand, punished Prasad and Dilhara Fernando whenever they erred in line and length.

The Indian maestro showed his class when he hit a 147 kmph Fernando delivery with a silken touch of his blade with the ball finding way to the fine-leg fence.

He then worked the same bowler on the middle and leg boundary for his second consecutive boundary.

Tendulkar was a bit lucky as his paddle-sweep kissed wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene's gloves before the ball raced to the fine-leg boundary.

Prasad also rattled Tendulkar as his short pitch delivery hit his helmet and raced to the boundary.

Just as the post-lunch session began, Tendulkar smashed a boundary off spinner Randiv along the carpet to the cover boundary.

Raina compounded Randiv's anxiety as he hit the tall lanky off-spinner to the long off boundary for the first six of the day.


(PTI)