Laxman's ton sets up Indian win

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

V.V.S Laxman smashed an unbeaten 103 to guide India to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the third Test yesterday to end the three-match series level at 1-1.

India, chasing 257 to win, started the final day on 53-3 and lost the wicket of nightwatchman Ishant Sharma just three overs into the first session when he was caught by Kumar Sangakkara at midwicket off a Suraj Randiv delivery for four.

Tendulkar and Laxman shared 109 runs for the second wicket to tilt the game in India's favour.

Tendulkar was out after lunch for a watchful 54 off 122 balls, including three boundaries. Laxman faced 122 balls and hit three boundaries for his 16th Test century, while struggling with a back spasm which forced him to use a runner.

Laxman shared an unbroken 87-run stand for the sixth wicket with Suresh Raina, who scored the winning runs with a six over deep midwicket off seamer Chanaka Welegedara to finish unbeaten on 41.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that Sri Lanka's spinners had lost the initial turn and bounce once the ball got old.

Easy to score

"We all knew when we absorb the pressure of those initial overs it will be relatively easy to score."

Dhoni praised man-of-the-match Laxman's innings as a special once.

"He paced his innings really well and he struggled with a back spasm. There was pain and there was pressure at the same time. I think it is a very special innings."

Off-spinner Randiv, playing only his second Test, claimed his first five-wicket haul to finish with 5-82.

Tendulkar was dropped on 18 by Tillakaratne Dilshan off Randiv at short-leg in a decisive let-off that probably cost Sri Lanka the match.

"It would have been nice to have had Sachin out," Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara said.

Costly chance

"No one wants to miss a catch ... at this level when you play with so much at stake, the chances that we dropped in this match and in the last proved very costly."

Randiv, who came into the Sri Lanka side for retired Muttiah Muralitharan, took every Indian wicket to fall in the second innings.

He had Virender Sehwag caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene without scoring Friday before bowing Rahul Dravid for seven runs. Murali Vijay was caught at short-leg by Jayawardene for 27, also on Friday.

India were dismissed for 436 runs in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka's 425. The home side were all out for 267 in their second innings after Thilan Samaraweera and tail-ender Ajantha Mendis shared a record 118 runs for the ninth wicket to guide Sri Lanka to a respectable score.

Sri Lanka won the first Test by 10 wickets in Galle.

Sehwag was named Man of the Series for scoring two centuries, a 99 and capturing seven wickets with his part-time off spin.