Sri Lankans set to savour a grand victory today

Pakistan 36 for 3 at close given 510 for victory :

Set a mammoth 510 for victory in 16 overs and six sessions by Sri Lanka, Pakistan were gasping 3 for 37 at the close on day three with Sri Lanka looking to strangle the remaining batsmen and bury the Pakistani sometime today in the first of three Tests at the Galle International Stadium.

At the wickets were Younus Khan on no score and Saeed Ajmal 11 and Sri Lanka needing seven more victims for victory.

Pakistan lost Mohamed Hafeez for four and Azhar Ali for seven and Taufeeq Umar for 10. Nuwan Kulesekera had 2 for 13 and Rangana Herath I for 1.

It will require a herculean effort from the visitors’ batsmen to save face with a draw. But with the Lankan spinners Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv torturing them in the first knock, saving this Test is a dream.

Visitors outplayed

At end of the third day, the Lankans have dominated and outplayed the visitors in every aspect and when the last wicket falls and victory is achieved, it will signal the beginning of avenging the defeats suffered in the desert last year.

Questions were asked as to why Jayawardena did not enforce the follow on after dismissing Pakistan for 100 and a lead of 372. As for the writer in lighter vein, Jayawardena would not have wanted to embarrass the visitors.

To recap after a bit of confusion that deprived Kumar Sangakkara of a double hundred which is the dream of any batman and which would added to the eight double hundreds he already has, owing to an error in the scoreboard, the closing stages was dominated by the Sri Lankans.

Formidable score

Centuries from Tillekeratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, a half century from Captain Mahela Jayawardena and a quick 48 from Prasanna Jayawardena took Sri Lanka to a formidable 472. Then bowlers Nuwan Kulesekera and Suraj Randiv two wickets each and a wicket from Rangana Herath had the Pakistani batting in shambles at 48 for 5 and the shame of a follow on looming.

With umpires Steve Davies and Ian Gould calling off play and before a heavy shower came down, curator Jayananda Warnaweera had his ground staff working like beavers and the wicket and the ground was covered in quick time.

Heavy rains continued, but the covering had protected the field and play began on schedule on the third day.

Third day

When play resumed on the third day, the Pakistani batsmen could not come to terms with the varied Lankan attack cleverly marshaled by Captain Jayawardena and lost their remaining 5 wickets almost at lunch for the addition of 52 runs to be all out for a century in just 54.3 overs.

Inflicting the wounds on the Pakistani batsmen were high class spinners left arm Rangana Herath and right arm offie Suraj Randiv.

Herath and Randiv had two each and finished with the splendid figures of 3 for 30 in 21 and 4 for 13 in 9.3 overs.

At this level the Pakistani batting can be best describe as poor. Some of them were clueless, unable to read the spin and five of them were LBW to straight balls which do not speak well for their technique. No batsman ventured to use his feet.

Acting captain

Only Acting Captain Mohamed Hafeez 20, the experienced Younus Khan 29 and Mohammed Ayub 25 entered double figures. To add to their woes Adnan Akmal was run out in silly fashion.

With a massive lead of 372, and the rains likely in the evenings, questions were asked as to why Jayawardena did not enforce the follow on. He knows and would have had good reason in not asking Pakistan to bat again.

Batting a second time the home team rattled up 93 at tea in 120 minutes losing the wickets of Tharanga Paranavitarne for 25 with two big sixes over mid wicket, Tillekeratne Dilshan who played a cameo for 56, his 50 coming in 51 balls with 8 fours and Kumar Sangakkara for 1.

Continued batting

With a lead of 465, the Lankans continued to bat after tea and Jayawardena declared at 137 for 5 in 41 overs, after losing his wicket and that of Thilan Samaraweera for 14 and 15 respectively.

Off spinner Saeed Ajmal toiled hard again to take 2 for 47 and left arm paceman Mohamed Junaid had 3 for 44. Galle, Sunday.