Confusion and Sangakkara misses double ton:

Lankans set to make Pakistan follow on

By Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle

Galle June 23 - Sri Lanka ended the second day of the First of Three Tests at the GalIe International Cricket Stadium in a position of strength and set to make Pakistan follow on. After making 472, the homesters hit back strongly to have Pakistan on 48 for 5 at the close today. Pakistanis still require a further 225 runs to avoid the ignominy of a follow-on. Off Spinner Suraj Randiv struck with two wickets in two balls that of Mohamed Hafeez 20 and Saeed Ajmal no score and Herath had Asad Shafiq during the closing stages.

When play begins on the third day on Sunday and with the wicket showing signs of being spin friendly, spinners Ragana Herath and Suraj Randiv have a job in hand and they have it in them, to bowl their team to victory. A stylishly carved out 199 from Kumar Sangakkara took Sri Lanka to a formidable 472 all out, new ball bowler Nuwan Kulesekera struck two telling blows to have the Pakistanis groggy on 17 for 2.Kulesekera who is playing because of the injury to Chanaka

Welegedera made the best use of the opportunity to have Taufeeq Umar LBW for 9 at 17 and Azar Ali caught behind without troubling the scorer at the same score in the second and third balls of his third over.

Unfortunate

Kumar Sangakkara was unfortunate to miss a richly deserved double hundred. The scoreboard on the ground had him on 194 and going on that he lofted Ajmal’s fifth ball over mid wicket for six and celebrated what would have been his 9th double ton and pushed the next ball.

But the fact was that he was on193 in the official scorer’s book. When it was brought his notice it was too late and with the second ball of the next over Hafeez bowled Nuwan Pradeep and it was a disappointed Sangakkara who left the field stranded on 199.

After lunch the pattern continued with the batsmen in no undue hurry to step on it and push the score along. In the post lunch session 73 runs were added for the loss of Prasanna Jayawardena 48, Suraj Radiv 8 and Nuwan Kuleskera no score.

Left hander Sangakkara took his lunch time score of 139 to 170. He was keeping his end up and picking the correct balls to obtain his runs. He was all discipline and concentration and no bowler worried him.

More aggressive

Wicket keeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardena played the more aggressive innings in both sessions. He drove to mid wicket and on the off with good timing and footwork and was unlucky to miss a fifty. He tried to drive Hafeez got a nick and his opposite number Akmal took the catch. Wicket keepers inhumanity to wks.

Suraj Randiv went for 8 and Kulesekera looked surprised when he was given out caught by Ayub at short leg bat and pad off Hafeez. At tea Sri Lanka were 439 for 8.

After tea Sri Lanka lost the wickets of Rangana Herath run out no score and Nuwn Pradeep bowled by Hafeez also without scoring and Sangakkara was stranded on 199. Sri Lanka were all out for 472 in 153.2 overs.

Off spinner Saeed Ajmal had 5 for146 in 46 overs and Mohammed Hafeez 3 for 55 in 19.2 overs.

Morning session

The morning session belonged to the Pakistanis as they bowled and fielded better than on the first day. In the first session they allowed the Lankans only 66 runs, compared to the 94 on the first morning and capturing three wickets.

When play began on the second day, the overnight not out batsmen Kumar Sangakkara 111 and Mahela Jaywardena 55 and Sri Lanka in a position of strength at 300 for 2 were expected to consolidate.

The Lankans would have been looking to push it and score at a brisk pace, not taking undue risks and getting around 400 to 450, putting the Pakistanis in and not wanting to bat a second time.

But as it turned out, the Pakistanis seem to have learnt from their mistakes on the first day and the bowlers Umar Gul, Mohammed Junaid and Abdur Rehman led by off spinner Saeed Ajmal had the batsmen on a tight leash.

Good line and length

The bowlers bowled a good line and length and did not let the usually free scoring Sangakkara and Jayawardena to cut loose. After adding 15 runs Jayawardena attempted to break loose and in trying to pull Ajmal missed and was bowled for 62. The next man in Thilan Samaraweera was not allowed to settle in and did not last long. He was peppered with a few bouncers by Gul and after making 6 was lured by a Ajmal doosra and stumped by Adnan Akmal.

Next ball Ajmal held one back and Angelo Mathews who pulverized the Pakistani attack in making 80 not out in the final one-dayer and taking Sri Lanka to a fantastic victory, played too early and the bowler gulped the return catch. Matthews no score. It was the bowlers 6th, 5 wicket haul in Tests. It was good reward for his persistence. Ajmal who captured those two wickets in the 5thand 6th balls of his fifth over of the morning was on a hat-trick. But Sangakkara prevented it. Prasanna Jayawadena and Sangakkara took Sri Lanka to lunch without further loss. 366 for 5. Sangakkar on 139 and Jayawarden on 14.

			SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS(overnight 300-2)
T. Paranavitana st Akmal b Ajmal 			24
T. Dilshan lbw b Ajmal				       101
K. Sangakkara not out 				       199
M. Jayawardene b Ajmal 					62
T. Samaraweera st Akmal b Ajmal 			06
A. Mathews c and b Ajmal 				00
P. Jayawardene c Akmal b Hafeez 			48
S. Randiv c and  b Rehman  				08
N. Kulasekara c Ayub b Hafeez  				00
R. Herath run out  					00
N. Pradeep b Hafeez         				00
Extras (b10, lb7, nb2, w5)  				24
Total (all out, 153.2 overs) 			       472

Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Paranavitana), 2-187 (Dilshan)
		 3-315 (M. Jayawardene), 4-335 (Samaraweera)
		 5-335 (Mathews), 6-415 (P. Jayawardene)
		 7-438 (Randiv), 8-439 (Kulasekara)
		 9-455 (Herath), 10-472 (Pradeep)
Bowling: Gul 27-8-76-0 (nb2, w5)
	 Junaid 18-5-52-0
	 Hafeez 19.2-3-55-3
	 Ajmal 46-9-146-5
	 Rehman 43-7-126-1

PAKISTAN - 1ST INNINGS
Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Randiv				20
Taufeeq Umar lbw b Kulasekara 				09
Azhar Ali c P.J'dene b Kulasekara 			00
Younis Khan not out 					15
Saeed Ajmal c Paranavitana b Randiv 			00
Asad Shafiq c P. Jayawardene b Herath 			00
Mohammad Ayub n.o. 					01
Extras (lb2, w1) 					03
Total (for5 wkts, 24 overs) 				48

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Taufeeq), 2-17 (Azhar), 3-43 (Hafeez)
		 4-43 (Ajmal), 5-44 (Shafiq)
Bowling: Kulasekara 7-3-15-2 (w1)
	 Pradeep 4-1-17-0
	 Herath 8-3-9-1
	 Mathews 2-2-0-0
	 Randiv 3-0-5-2