Thumping win for India

Yuvraj Singh celebrates the dismissal of Ajantha Mendis with captain MS Dhoni en route to India's innings and 144-run win

India secured a crushing innings-and-144-run victory over Sri Lanka with four sessions to spare in the second Test at Kanpur to take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

Following on, Sri Lanka - bowled out for 229 in their first innings in reply to India’s total of 642 - were skittled for 269, handing the home side their biggest triumph over Sri Lanka and the 100th Test win in their history.

India’s previous best margin of victory was by an innings and 119 runs, achieved in 1994.

Thilan Samaraweera fought bravely but India’s spinners achieved the victory in the afternoon session to leave the middle-order batsman stranded on 78.

Sri Lanka, who resumed on 57 for four - still 356 behind India’s total, began in careless fashion in the morning, although runs came quite easily right through the first session.

India started with pace and Zaheer Khan struck in his first over - the second of the day - by removing Angelo Mathews for 15.

Mathews had smashed Zaheer for three consecutive boundaries off the first three deliveries of the over but perished while attempting a fourth off the next delivery.

Mathews attempted to pull a short delivery but only managed a top edge which Rahul Dravid smartly grasped at gully.

Samaraweera had stuck to a more diligent and patient approach and one more befitting a player attempting to save a Test.

He showed there were runs to be had as well, as he drove crisply, showed excellent shot selection and used his feet nicely against the spinners.

He eventually found an able ally in Prasanna Jayawardene, and the wicketkeeper-batsman looked good until he was undone by a classic off-break delivery from Harbhajan Singh.

Jayawardene attempted to drive, but the ball spun past the inside edge of the bat, sped through the gap between bat and pad and crashed into the stumps.

Sri Lanka’s tail then fell away as Rangana Herath was trapped in front by Harbhajan - his second victim of the day - and Muttiah Muralitharan, who hit 29 off just 11 deliveries, was bowled by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Samaraweera, who reached his half-century with a cut through point off Ojha, then forged another partnership with Ajantha Mendis, the eighth wicket duo batting steadfastly for much of the afternoon session.

The pair put on 73 together when Yuvraj Singh bowled Mendis with his left-arm spin, the ball going straight on as the batsman attempted to defend off the front foot.

Ojha then caught and bowled last man Chanaka Welegedara, the wicket sparking wild celebrations. Harbhajan finished with 3-98, while Ojha claimed 2-36.