Dravid's dismissal sparks controversy

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Galle: To Mahela Jayawardene there is no controversy in the Rahul Dravid lbw referral.

Sri Lanka's captain said he wanted the review of the decision late on day three of the second Test here against India on Saturday after Billy Doctrove turned it down as there was a feeling that it was out.

While he feels that the tourists are ahead after another dramatic day's play in what has been an absorbing Test, the question of the referral of the Dravid appeal is justified.

"He (Dravid) was playing a sweep shot to a full ball, and the feeling had been if the umpire had another look at it he would have given it out," is Jayawardene's explanation. "That is what happens with referrals. He (Doctrove) said it pitched outside the off stump. He gave the reason and only then I thought to go for the referral. It was so close to the pad. I wasn't sure whether it was inside or outside," he commented.

"So the referral is all about the obvious mistakes, and the on field umpire tells him to take a look at it. Not that the third umpire takes a decision for himself. There's a conversation between them," the Sri Lanka captain added.

"Understand, the reason behind these referrals is to see whether (or not) the umpire has made a mistake. In the space of the time we have been given I should be able to ask why he said 'not out'.

"I needed to clarify why he said not out. I needed to know whether he had made a mistake. I am clarifying the position. They have said we can't ask from our dressing room, but that it has to be done quickly," Jayawardene said.

"They haven't given us a time frame to ask questions, but with catches the common sense should come into play. They have given us time to ask a few people like the wicketkeeper and the bowlers and at the same time, if it was a caught behind or else I can ask the guys around the bat."

Jayawardene felt that at this stage of the Test, the Indians are slightly in front.

"But our getting those two late wickets was crucial on our part. If they give a decent score we can chase it down.

"Look, ff we had managed to get a lead it would have been brilliant, but frankly Harbhajan bowled very well. He picked up Thilan (Samaraweera) and (Tillekeratne) Dilshan in quick succession and from that moment we were on the backfoot," he admitted. "We were trying to get as close to India's total as we could and then they had their good start. But despite that it's an evenly balanced Test.

"If we can get a few early wickets tomorrow (Sunday) that will be ideal for us."

He felt India were batting too cautiously and attacked only occasionally, while with Murali Sri Lanka tried to get a few early wickets and he bowled with a pretty new ball too.

"That's not ideal for him, but I was also thinking how we can create an opportunity or two and take wickets. You need to understand that when you have a top spinner, the batsman will bat cautiously. Yet these couple of days (the Indians) have probably batted well against us.

"Also, I thought Harbhajan bowled really well to us. He created the pressure and effected the breakthrough. Of the top six, he had five and that tells you how well he bowled and most of the guys got out to good balls."

As for the expected target, Jayawardene is confident that Sri Lanka will get a target of 400 if that is the target India set.

"Or, if they get 500, we go and get 500. That's the attitude we have adopted. Nothing is difficult for us," he said.