Lanka pile up 296/9

Bernard Perera in Abu Dhabi

CRICKET: Sri Lanka finished their quota of overs with a score of 296 for nine in their allotted 50 overs. This score made mainly to the two good knocks coming from Mahela Jayawardena and Chamara Silva.

The others who contributed well towards the Lankan total were Upul Tharanga (40) and T.M. Dilshan (28). Dilshan and Lasith Malinga for the ninth wicket added a valuable 38 runs end with best score of the series by Lankans.

Earlier Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawareda won the toss and decided to bat first Sanath Jaysuriya and Upul Tharanga. The openers hoisted the 50 in only 7.3 overs. Jayasuriya got the first six of the when he got the ball to go over the mid wicket boundary off the bowling of Najaf Shah.

At this stage the run rate stood at 7.3. With the score on 62 Jayasuriya was clean bowled by Rao Ifthikar for 19. He faced 29 deliveries. He had a huge six and two boundaries in his knock.

Sri Lanka’s second batsman to return to the pavilion was opener Upul Tharanga for 40 runs. Tharanga edged a delivery to Kamran Akmal to give Ifthikar his second wicket. Tharanga faced 37 balls for his runs which included six fours.

Mahela joined Kapugedera to continue the innings and carried on the total to 100 without further loss adding 23 runs with Kapugedera. Soon after adding a run Kapugedera slashing at a delivery from Ifthikar ended in giving a catch to Akmal while Ifthikar collected his third wicket. Kapugedara,s 15 came off in 30 balls with two fours.

Mahela and Chamara Silva completed a 50 run partnership and at same stage got past the 150 run mark for Sri Lanka in the 29th over. A little later Mahela passed the fifty run mark after facing 49 balls. The fourth wicket added 100 runs while reaching the 200 runs for Sri Lanka in the 38th over.

Chamara Silva who combined well in putting a century Partnership with skipper reached his half century in 69 balls. His fifty included three fours. With score at 225 Mahela going for big hit was cleaned bowled by Hafeez for a well compiled 83.

His Knock contained two sixes and seven boundaries. He together with Chamara added 124 runs for the fourth wicket. This partnership is also the best achieved by the Sri Lankans in this three match series.

Kaushal Lokuarachchi joined Silva but could not hold on for long when he was caught by Butt off the bowling of Asif for only two runs. The next to walk on to crease was hard hitting Maharoof and managed to face nine balls in from which collected 10 with one six.

Chamra departed next with his personal score on 64 which came off in 87 balls. he had four boundaries in his knock.

Prasanna Jayawardena joined Dilshan and was trying to accelerate the scoring but failed when he was run out going for short run on 2.Dilshan and Malinga got quick runs to swell the to 296.

Two of them collected 38 runs in only 22 balls. Dilshan for his unbeaten knock of 28 needed only 14 balls hitting three fours and a six. Meanwhile Lasith malinga in a ten stay at the wicket contributed 11 runs.r

Sri Lanka made three changes to the side that played in the second game which the Lankans lost by 98 runs and also the Warid Cricket series on Sunday.

Jayasuriya and Lasith Malinga were brought in place of Malinda Warnapura and Lasith Malinga for Ruchira Perera, while Kaushal Lokuarachchi took over from Malinga Bandara.

Pakistan too made five changes to their side resting Mohammed Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzak Mohammed Sami and Umar Gul. They were replaced by Mohammed Hafeez, Fawad Alam, Rao Ifthikar, Abdur Rehman and Najaf Shah.

SRI LANKA 

Upul Tharanga c Akmal b Ifthikar 	40
Sanath Jayasuriya b Ifthikar 		19
Chamara Kapugedera c Akmal b Ifthikar 	15
Mahela Jayawardena b Hafeez 		83 
Chamara Silva b Rehman 			64
Farveez Maharoof c&b Hafeez 		10
Kaushal Lokuarachchi c Butt b Asif 	02
T. M. Dilshan not out 			28
Prasanna Jayawarena run out 		02
Lasith Malinga run out 			11
EXTRAS: (nb 2, w 9, b 4, lb 6) 		22
TOTAL(for 9 wickets) 			296

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-62 , 2-73 , 3-101, 4-225, 5-240,
6-244, 7-252, 8-258, 9-296
BOWLING: 
Asif 10-1-76-1, Shah 10-1-59-0, Ifthikar 10-0-53-3,
Rehman10-0-44-1, Hafeez 10-0-55-2

Abu Dhabi,Tuesday