Sri Lanka flattered to deceive in second Test too!

By A.C. de Silva

CRICKET: For Sri Lanka, its second venture into a Test match, was no different than the first. On both occasions, the first against England and then against Pakistan, the ebullient cricketers from the Emerald Isle flattered to deceive.

A few days before the Test was to begin in Karachi, came the 'storm' that clean swept the complacent Pakistan cricket officialdom off its feet, Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Zaher Abbas, Wasim Bari, Sarfraz Nawaz, Wasim Rajah, Sikkander Bakht, and Muddaser Nazar - well, almost the entire Pakistan side came out with a press statement that they were unwilling to play under the leadership of Javid Miandad. The real reason behind this strange and controversial decision was unclear.

The Pakistan Cricket Board took a hard stand against the 'rebel-eight' and said that they would not be considered for the Test against Sri Lanka and then picked a team that was at best a bunch of raw but enthusiastic cricketers.

There was enough reason to cause panic among the rebel ranks and four of them - Qasim, Raja, Bakht and Bari relented. But only the first two were picked for the match.

Pakistan recovers

For a long time on the opening day, after Miandad had won the toss and decided to bat, it did appear as if Pakistan would feel the absence of its stars in a big way. Some spirited bowling by paceman Asantha de Mel and by spinner Somachandra de Silva left the Pakistan innings tottering at 126 for 6 wickets. But comeback man Haroon Rashid and Takir Naqqash produced a seventh wicket partnership of 105 runs to steer Pakistan to safety.

Haroon Rashid (153) and Rashid Khan (59) added 127 runs for the ninth wicket, after which Haroon Rashid was run out. In scoring that century, Rashid put his name in the record books as the first player in the Test annals to hit a three-figure knock against Sri Lanka.

Haroon recalled to Test Cricket, also passed one more land mark - completing 1,000 runs in Tests.

Finally, Pakistan reached a good enough total 396. And certainly it was good enough and Pakistan finally won the match by 204 runs! Sri Lanka's leg-break bowler Somachandra de Silva had the best figures of 4 for 102 while Asantha de Mel the medium paceman had 3 for 124.

Dias and Wettimuny entertain

Sri Lanka started their innings well enough after the early dismissal of Bandula Warnapura for 13, the first wicket falling for 24. Sidath Wettimuny (71) and Roy Dias (53) took a heavy toll of the inexperienced Pakistani bowlers. Playing entertaining cricket, Dias and Wettimuny plundered 96 runs in a fine second-wicket partnership that had the scoreboard reaching 120 for 2 wickets.

Later after Duleep Mendis had made a sparkling 54, Pakistan managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 344 and thereby get a first innings lead of 52 runs.

For Pakistan, Tahir Naqqash had the best figures of 3 for 83 while Rashid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Tauseef Ahmed had two wickets each.

Came day number four and it belonged entirely to the young debutant Salim Malik and skipper Miandad to build on a good partnership from where they could go for victory. Miandad who was 92 not out overnight, lost his wicket without adding a run on the final morning while Salim Malik, the 18-year-old, completed his century and he was well rewarded as he got the man-of-the-match award later.

He became the youngest batsman (18 years and 388 days) in Test cricket to record a century on his maiden appearance. He emulated the feat of Javid Miandad who was 19 years and 119 days when he hit a century (163) against New Zealand at Lahore in 1976-77.

Big task

Now, Sri Lanka had a big task on their hands - to get 354 to win and at that stage it was thought that the best that the Sri Lankans could hope was a draw.

But Pakistan's paceman Naqqash and Rashid Khan reduced Sri Lanka to 41 for 3 wickets at lunch and it would have taken some really resoulate late order batting to have forced a draw.

The resistance never came and Sri Lanka lost seven of its second innings wickets for 81 runs and provided Miandad with a morale boosting victory.

There was, however, a young cricketer in Arjuna Ranatunga who showed nerves of steel and defied the Pakistan attack for a well made 33. Iqbal Qasim had the best bowling figures of 4 for 27 and Naqqash and Wasim Raja had two wickets each. Sri Lanka were out in the second innings for 149. It certainly was disappointing for the Sri Lankans who made 344 in their first innings.

Pakistan - 1st Innings
Mansoor Akhthar c Gunatilleke b De Mel		  6
Rizwan-uz-Zaman c Gunatilleke b Ratnayake	 42
Salim Malik b D. S. de Silva	 		 12
Javed Miandad c Gunatilleke b De Mel	  	  4
Wasim Raja c Dias b De Mel	 		 31
Haron Rashid run out				153
Salim Yousuf c Gunatilleke b D. S. de Silva	  4
Tahir Naqqash c Mendis b D. S. de Silva		 57
Iqbal Qasim lbw b D. S. de Silva	 	  1
Rashid Khan c Madugalle b A. de Silva		 59
Tauseef Ahmed not out 	 			  5
EXTRAS	 					 22
TOTAL						396

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6, 2-46, 3-53, 4-72, 5-113, 6-126, 7-231, 8-232, 9-359.

BOWLING: A. de Mel 28-08-124-3, 
	 R. Ratnayake 16-3-49-1, 
	 D. S. de Silva 38-8-102-4, 
	 A. de Silva 17.2-8-69-1, 
	 B. Warnapura 2-0-9-0, 
	 S. Wettimuny 2-0-21-0.

Sri Lanka - 1st Innings

B. Warnapura lbw b T. Naqqash	 		13
S. Wettimuny c Mansur b Rashid	 		71	
R. Dias lbw b I. Qasim	 			53
R. S. Madugalle c S. Yousuf b Rashid		29
R. Ratnayake c Rizwan b I. Qasim	 	24
D. Mendis c Rashid b T. Naqqash	 		54
A. Ranatunga st Yousuf b Tauseef		13
D. S. de Silva b Tauseef		        26
M. Gunatilleke c S. Yousuf b T. Naqqash	 	14
A. de Mel run out	  			 9
A. de Silva not out	 			10
EXTRAS	 					28
TOTAL					       344

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-24, 2-120, 3-152, 4-199, 5-221, 6-242, 7-285, 8-308, 9-322.

BOWLING: Tahir Naqqash 32-11-83-3, 
	 Rashid Khan 36-7-53-2, 
	 Iqbal Qasim 28-7-88-2, 
	 Tauseef Ahmed 21.4-2-64-2,
	 Wasim Raja 5-1-28-0.

Pakistan - 2nd Innings

Mansoor Akthar c Mendis b D. S. de Silva 	 23
Rizwan-uz-Zaman c Gunatilleke b De Mel	 	 10
Salim Mallik not out 				100
Javed Miandad st Gunatilleke b D. S. de Silva	 92
Wasim Raja not out				 12
Iqbal Qasim c (sub) b D. S. de Silva		 56
EXTRAS	  				          8
TOTAL (for 4 wkts dec)				301

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16, 2-53, 3-107, 4-268.

BOWLING: A. de Mel 23.2-3-100-1, 
	 R. Ratnayake 5.4-2-20-0, 
	 D. S. de Silva 26-3-99-3, 
	 A. de Silva 35-5-74-0.

Sri Lanka - 2nd Innings

B. Warnapura b T. Naqqash	  		 0
S. Wettimuny c Yousuf b Rashid	 		14
R. Dias lbw b T. Naqqash	 		19
R. S. Madugalle c Tauseef b Qasim		18
R. Ratnayake c Mallik b Raja  	  		 0
D. Mendis c Yousuf b Tauseef			15
A. Ranatunga c Yousuf b Tauseef	 		33
D. S. de Silva st Yousuf b Qasim		12
M. Gunatilleke c Haroon b Raja			13
A. de Mel c Miandad b Qasim	 		 2
A. de Silva not out 	 			 0
EXTRAS	 					23
TOTAL					       149

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1, 2-27, 3-41, 4-68, 5-91, 6-121, 7-125, 8-139, 9-149.

BOWLING: Tahir Naqqash 9-1-34-2, 
	 Rashid Khan 8-3-25-1, 
	 Iqbal Qasim 15.1-8-27-4, 
	 Tauseef Ahmed 12-1-39-1, 
	 Wasim Raja 3-2-1-2.