cricket
Dilshan strokes 112 to share first-wicket stand with Paranavitana and hit 115 for the next with skipper Sangakkara. Sri Lanka 275-3 in reply to India’s 426. Left-arm pace bowler Khan strikes crucial blows for India, but Dravid fails to improve on 177.

AHMEDABAD — Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan stroked his fifth test century of the year for Sri Lanka who reached 275 for three in reply to India’s 426 at the close on the second day of the first test yesterday.
Dilshan hit 112 and shared in a first-wicket stand of 74 with Tharanga Paranavitana (35) and 115 for the next with skipper Kumar Sangakkara (31) to help the tourists make a solid reply on a good batting pitch at the Motera.
Left-arm pace bowler Zaheer Khan struck crucial blows for India when he dismissed Dilshan and Sangakkara in successive overs but Mahela Jayawardene (36 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (45 not out) made sure no more wickets fell with a stand of 81.
Dilshan struck 12 fours and reached his century with a spanking cut for a boundary off Ishant Sharma, but fell to a soft dismissal when he top-edged a slash off Zaheer to be caught by Rahul Dravid running in from gully.
But former captain Jayawardene and Samaraweera batted with patience and poise as Sri Lanka’s steadily built on Dilshan’s magnificent effort.
Sri Lanka, who are ranked second behind South Africa in the official test rankings, are aiming to win a test on Indian soil for the first time.
ENGLAND BEAT SOUTH AFRICA. England defeated a competitive South Africa A by six wickets with 11 balls to spare in a 50-over warmup game yesterday.
 The touring side reached 281-6 thanks to half-centuries from South African-born players Jonathan Trott, Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior, in reply to the South Africa second-string’s 279-9 in 50 overs.