The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Colombo

Malinda Warnapura and captain Mahela Jayawardene scored half-centuries Monday to propel Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win against India in the third test and a 2-1 series win.

Chasing a modest target of 122 runs for victory, Sri Lanka initially struggled against some disciplined Indian bowling to reach 45-2 at tea.

However, the two batsmen held the innings together with a 101-run partnership and Jayawardene hit Sourav Ganguly for a boundary to reach his 50 and take Sri Lanka to its second successive home series win against India - with a day to spare.

Sri Lanka won the last home series 2-1 seven years ago.

Spinner Ajantha Mendis, who picked up 26 wickets to overhaul a 62-year world record for the most wickets in a debut series, was named man of the series.

"When I got a lot of wickets in the first two matches I thought I had a chance to have the record," Mendis said. "I learnt from this series that you have to be disciplined bowling at good players."

India captain Anil Kumble said his batsmen's consistent failure cost his team the series.

"People got starts, if they had converted them (into big scores) it would have been a different story," Kumble said. "Overall we did not play quality cricket to win the series."

After winning the toss and batting first on a good wicket, India was bundled out for 249 runs in the first innings.

Sri Lanka rode on Kumar Sangakkara's seven-hour 144 to score 396 runs and dismissed India for 268 in the second innings.

Michael Vandort continued his poor form this series when he was bowled by offspinner Harbhajan Singh, who was forced to open the bowling in place of injured paceman Ishant Sharma in the second innings.

Sharma, who was injured after a fall on Saturday, sat out the whole of Sunday and came to bat with a runner in India's second innings Monday only to be dismissed without scoring.

Vandort survived a close lbw appeal in the first ball of the innings from seamer Zaheer Khan, but failed to take advantage. He scored a total of just 39 runs in his five outings this series.

Sangakkara was out cheaply in the second innings caught by Gautam Gambhir off Khan for four.

India's problems worsened when three key players - batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S Laxman and fast bowler Sharma - were all injured on Saturday and were unable to play a significant role for their side.

"I have rarely seen so many injuries on a single day but it's part of the game," Kumble said.

Jayawardene praised his players for having come back and won the series after losing the second test in Galle.

"The guys showed a lot of character after the second test. We fought well and never gave up," Jayawardene said.

"Both Mendis and Murali bowled very well and and kept pressure on a good Indian batting lineup."

Resuming the fourth day on 161-5 India ended the first session at 238-7 with spinner Ajantha Mendis ending a threatening 85-run partnership between the tourist's last recognized batting pair of Rahul Dravid and Laxman.

Dravid, who had looked out-of-touch, scored 68 for his first half-century this series in a patient 166-ball knock that included six boundaries. He was caught at slip by Jayawardene.

A 37-run partnership between Laxman and Harbhajan ended when seamer Chaminda Vaas trapped Harbhajan lbw for 26 runs.