Sri Lanka vs Pakistan – Hosts right on top after day 2

By the close of play on the 2^nd day, Sri Lanka were in the driving seat as they had put Pakistan on the mat after piling up 472. Kumar Sangakkara was unlucky to miss out on his 9^th double hundred as was left stranded on 199.

 Match Report: 1^st Test, Day 2, Galle International Stadium, 22-26 June 2012

 

It was Saeed Ajmal, most predictably, who got Pakistan off to a better start on the second day, as he got rid of Mahela Jayawardene. He was bowled attempting a sweep after making 62 and sharing 128 with Sangakkara, which turned out to be the highest stand of the innings. Sangakkara was looking as if batting on another surface. He slog-swept Ajmal for a couple of fours - a tactic to negate the slowness of the pitch.

Ajmal got Pakistan back into contention with back-to-back strikes as first hour closed in. After Samaraweera was stumped by Adnan off a doosra, Mathews failed to read a flighted off-spinner handing a return catch to a delighted Ajmal. Ajmal had taken all 5 wickets to fall but Pakistan needed other bowlers to back him up. At 335 for 5, Pakistan had an opening to claw back into the match.

Prasanna Jayawardene gave good company to Sangakkara and did not depart until making 48 vital runs. He was particularly severe on Umar Gul, who despite bowling his heart out remained wicketless. Sri Lanka crawled to lunch at 366 for 5. Prasanna fell to Hafeez while new man in Suraj Randiv gave Abdur Rehman his first wicket after a hard toil.

Ayub Dogar took his first catch in international cricket, a fine effort at short fine leg, as Kulasekara pushed at a Hafeez delivery, although it had missed the bat.  At this stage, with Sri Lanka on 439 for 8, Sangakkara decided to form the strike, a strange tactic. With Sanga nearing his double hundred, Herath was run out as Gul’s throw was in time to get him short for the second run. 

Although Sangakkara resorted to innovative play in order to reach the landmark, he was left stranded on 199 when Hafeez clean-bowled Nuwan Pradeep Fernando for duck. He had even celebrated his double after hitting a six as the ground scoreboard showed 194, erroneously. A disappointed Sanga left the crease but he had helped his team post a daunting target for the visitors. 

Apart from Ajmal, who took 5 for 146, it was a tough battle for the bowlers. Absence of DRS also did not help Pakistan as a couple of decisions could have easily gone their way. Hafeez got 3 important scalps but disappointingly pace duo of Gul and Junaid went wicketless. 

Needing 24 overs to bat, Pakistan started disastrously. Taufeeq Umar was given out LBW after the batsman did not offer a shot. This decision too could have been reversed by the DRS. Kulasekara, swinging the ball nicely, was on a hat-trick when Azhar Ali feathered a lovely delivery behind into the hands of the keeper. 

Although Younis Khan prevented the hat-trick, the damage had been done. The target already looking like a mountain seemed impossible when Suraj Randi came close to getting a hat-trick too. After Younis and Hafeez had taken Pakistan to 41, Randiv got Hafeez plumb LBW. Off the next ball, night-watchman Saeed Ajmal was given out bat and pad, although the ball had clearly bounced off his body. Nonetheless, Sri Lankans were over the moon after having Pakistan in dire straights on a slow but good batting surface. 

As the end of the day approached, Rangana Herath got into the act himself. Asad Shafiq was done in by a regulation delivery as Prasanna snapped another catch. What an entry into test cricket for Mohammad Ayub Dogar who walked in at 44 for 4 with his side staring at follow-on. He and Younis both survived the day but Sri Lanka had done enough to smell victory and go 1-0 up unless something miraculous happens in the remaining 3 days. 

Kulasekara’s seam and swing was enough to make Pakistan batsmen nervous, but there was nothing in the pitch for spinners to wreck havoc with the newish ball. Absence of Misbah-ul-Haq has started to haunt Pakistan as their batsmen, the last recognized pair at the crease, face an uphill task once again.

Summarised Scores:

Pakistan 48/5 (Suraj Randiv 2/5, Kulasekara 2/15) trail Sri Lanka 472 (Sangakkara 199*, Dilshan 101; Saeed Ajmal 5/146) by 424 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Hero of the Day: Kumar Sangakkara, Nuwan Kulasekara 

Disappointment of the Day: Azhar Ali 

Flop of the Day: Abdur Rehman 

Image Credit: AFP