Sanath and Hashan pulled Lanka out of tricky spot
By A. C. De Silva
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Rameez Rajah Pakistan made 98 in Pakistan first innings
total of 423 runs for 5 wkts declared.
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Hashan Tillekeratne (Sri Lanka) made 49 in the total of 270
and made 42 not out in the total of 137 for 5 wickets in the
second innings total of 137 for 5 wkts.
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FLASHBACK: Sri Lanka escaped with a draw in the first of three Tests
against Pakistan at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Sri Lanka was
somewhat lucky that it rained and a total of 285 minutes playing time
was lost as a result of bad light and rain.
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Imran Khan (Pakistan) made 93 not out in total of 423 runs
for 5 wickets declared. |
It was left for two left-handers - Sanath Jayasuriya and
wicket-keeper batsman Hashan Tillekeratne, to pull the Sri Lankans out
of a tricky spot. Out of a Sri Lankan match total of 407 runs, the
Sanath Jayasuriya - Hashan Tillekeratne combination contributed 203 runs
and only once they were separated. In the first innings this combination
of Jayasuriya and Tillekeratne came together when the Sri Lanka innings
was unsteady with the scoreboard reading 128 runs for 5 wickets after
Pakistani Aaqib had shattered the top-order batsmen in a devastating
spell where in 18 balls he captured 3 wickets.
Sanath Jayasuriya made 77 and Hashan Tillekeratne 49 and the pair
gave some life to the Sri Lankan total by adding 101 runs for the 6th
wicket, putting the score up from 128 for 5 wickets to 229 for 6
wickets. Jayasuriya had ten fours and Tillekeratne three fours. In the
second innings when Sri Lanka's innings was sliding at 58 for 5 wickets,
still 95 runs from an innings defeat with more than two sessions of play
left, this same pair stalled the Pakistanis with another defiant stand
of 79 runs until play was called off 80 minutes after lunch on account
of bad light. Pakistani skipper Imran Khan was somewhat sorry that the
rain came spoilt their chances of victory. He said: "The weather hit us
badly when we were on the verge of victory... Sialkot is not the place
to play in December because of the weather.
Bouncy turf strip
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Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) scored 77 in Sri Lanka first
innings total of 270 and made 35 not out in total of 137 for
5 wickets in first Test.
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Salim Malik (Pakistan) – made the top score of 101 out of
total of 423 runs for 5 wkts declared in first innings.
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When Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first on a bouncy turf
strip the Lankan batsmen struggled against the penetrating attack of
Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Akram Raza, Aaqib Javed and Imran Khan. The
Pakistani fearsome attack made in-roads to the Sri lanka batting, but
some stubborn batting by Jayasuriya and Tillekeratne somehow managed to
keep their wickets intact and at the end of the first day's play Sri
Lanka's score stood at 191 for 5 wickets, with Jayasuriya on 60 and
Tillekeratne on 14.
However, Waqar Younis had other ideas and he put paid to any hopes of
Sri Lanka posting a formidable total by finishing up another five-wicket
haul - 5 for 84 to end Sri Lanka's innings at a modest total of 270.
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Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – took 5 for 84 in Sri Lanka’s first
score of 270 and 2 for 43 in Sri Lanka’s 2nd innings total
of 137 for 3 wkts. |
Of the bowlers, though Waqar Younis was the most successful bowler,
it was the left-arm pace of Akram who tested the batsmen with a series
of fast short-pitched deliveries that troubled the Lankan batsmen.
Pakistan did not press home the advantage of having dismissed the
Lankans for a modest total by batting too long for their formidable
score of 423 for 5 wickets declared in 157 overs.
Don Anurasiri - marathon spell
Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner S. Don Anurasiri in a marathon spell of
61 overs giving away only 106 runs, had the Pakistani batsmen in check,
getting the wickets of Ramiz Raja (98) Salim Malik (101) and Miandad
(1). However, the opening partnership of Ramiz Raja and Shoaib Mohammad
(43) that yielded 128 runs was a record for the series them.
Salim Malik stroked his ninth Test hundred (10 fours) displaying some
elegant drives, while Imran Khan - the father-figure of the Pakistan
team unselfishly denied himself of a Test hundred by declaring at 423
for 5 wickets with his personal score just seven runs short of the
century - 93. Imran Khan had nine fours and three sixes. So, Pakistan
had a lead of 153 runs on the first innings.
Don Anurasiri was the most successful Sri Lanka bowler with 3 for
106.
Came day number four at the end of which Sri Lanka lost the wicket of
Samarasekera for 6 to Waqar Younis, Sri Lanka began the the final day
still 140 runs behind with 9 second innings wickets intact.
Sri Lanka went into an uneasy period on the final day with the total
at 61 for 5 wickets at lunch with first innings heroes Jayasuriya and
Tillekeratne at the controls. The match ended that way 80 minutes after
lunch when bad light caused the match to be called off after the two
left-handers had added a match-saving 79 runs - Sri Lanka 137 for 5
wickets. Jayasuriya was 35 not out and Tillekaratne 42 not out.
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA – 1ST INNINGS
M.A.R. Samarasekera c Moin Khan b Waqar 19
C. Hathurusinghe c Wasim Akram b Aaqib 17
A.P. Gurusinha b Aaqib 33
P.A. De Silva b Waqar 31
A. Ranatunga lbw b Aaqib 00
S.T. Jayasuriya b Raza 77
H.P. Tillekeratne c Raza b Waqar 49
R.J. Ratnayake b Waqar 13
C.P.H. Ramanayake b Raza 00
S.D. Anurasiri not out 03
P. Wickremasinghe b Waqar 00
Extras: (b-5, lb-11, nb-12) 28
Total: 270
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-70, 3-89, 4-89, 5-128, 6-229
7-244, 8-249, 9-269
Bowling: Wasim Akram 32-7-47-0
Waqar Younis 30.5-5-84-5
Akram Raza 24-10-37-2
Aaqib Javed 23-4-70-3
Imran Khan 9-1-16-0
PAKISTAN – 1ST INNINGS
Ramiz Raja c Tillekeratne b Anurasiri 98
Shoaib Mohammad c and b Wickremasinghe 43
Zahid Fazal c and b Ratnayake 36
Salim Malik c Gurusinha b Anurasiri 101
Javed Miandad c Jayasuriya b Anurasiri 01
Imran Khan not out 93
Wasim Akram not out 20
Extras: (lb-6, nb-25) 31
Total (for 5 wkts dec) 423
Fall of wickets: 1-128, 2-169, 3-232, 4-233, 5-365
Bowling: R.J. Ratnayake 31-4-100-1
C. Ramanayake 33-9-75-0
P. Wickremasinghe 27-3-120-1
C. Hathurusinghe 1-0-3-0
S.D. Anurasiri 61-21-106-3
P.A. De Silva 4-0-13-0
SRI LANKA – 2ND INNINGS
M.A.R. Samarasekera b Waqar 06
C. Hathurusinghe c Ramiz Raja b Wasim Akram 07
A.P. Gurusinha lbw b Aaqib 23
P.A. De Silva c Sub (Ijaz) b Raza 19
A. Ranatunga c Moin Khan b Waqar 00
S.T. Jayasuriya not out 35
H.P. Tillekeratne not out 42
Extras: (nb-5) 05
Total (for 5 wkts) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-6-2-33, 3-58, 4-58, 5-58
Bowling: Wasim Akram 13-4-31-1
Waqar Younis 14.4-1-43-2
Akram Raza 11-3-34-1
Aaqib Javed 7-3-22-1
Salim Malik 1-0-7-0 |
