Zaheer fiver floors Lanka; India set 231 for victory

Margao, Feb 14 (UNI) Zaheer Khan's first five-wicket haul helped India restrict Sri Lanka to 230 for eight in the third one-dayer at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Fatorda, here today.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Lankans were reduced to six for three by Zaheer but fine rearguard action by Russel Arnold (66 not out), Marvan Atapattu (42) and T Dilshan (42) saw they put up a competitive score on the board at a venue where the average first innings score has been 211.

Zaheer produced a lethal opening spell to put the Lankans on the backfoot as he reduced them to three wickets for six runs.

The first to go was Sanath Jayasuriya in the third over of the day when he tried to hook a short delivery from Zaheer but the ball hit the bat high up and Sourav Ganguly, running back from square leg, took a superb catch.

Two balls later, Zaheer removed the other opener Upul Tharanga when he got the ball cut back in to trap the Lankan in front of the wicket for just one run to leave the visitors tottering at five for two.

There was more to come from the left arm seamer who was returning after missing the second ODI at Rajkot due to a sore shoulder as Lankan mainstay Kumar Sangakkara played onto his stumps without opening his account as Sri Lanka further sank to six for three.

Marvan Atapattu then joined captain Mahela Jayawardene and the two slowly began rebuilding the innings with Atapattu looking in good touch as he played some pleasing cover drives and flicks off his toes to get the scoreboard moving.

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