India wilt under pressure, lose series 1-2

COLOMBO: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Malinda Warnapura hammered half centuries to help Sri Lanka thrash India by eight wickets as the visitors wilted under pressure in the third and final cricket Test to clinch the series 2-1.
    
Jayawardene (50 not out) scored the winning runs by hitting Sourav Ganguly for a four and Warnapura remained unbeaten on 54, chasing a paltry 122 for the win with more than a day to spare in the match.
    
There was little doubt about the hosts chasing the target after wiping out the 147-run first inning deficit. The Sri Lankans looked difficult to restrict after Indian batsmen squandered the advantage of winning the toss and got out to poor shots in both innings.
    
The injuries to Sachin Tendulkar and Ishant Sharma also seem to be playing on the Indians' mind as they buckled under pressure to let go an opportunity to make for the 2-1 defeat in Sri Lanka in 2001.
    
Sri Lanka began their run chase in style after an out of form opener Michael Vandort struck two flourishing hits to the fence of seamer Zaheer Khan in the very first over.
    
After pulling the first one to deep backward square leg boundary, the tall left hand then drove the Hyderabad bowler to the long on fence, drawing loud applause from the crowd which was already sensing victory.
    
Vandort was soon bowled out by Harbhajan Singh who was immediately brought in due to the absence of injured Ishant Sharma.