Sri Lanka struggling on 44 for 3 at close:

Perera venom paralyzes Pakistan batting - 226 all out

Exchanges were even on the first day of the Third Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Pallkelle Stadium, here today. After being dismissed for 226 with right arm medium pace bowler Thisara Perera playing in only his 6th Test, injecting the early venom to paralyze the top Pakistan batting with good pace and movement, the visitors hit back to have Sri Lanka struggling on 44 for 3 at the close.

Left arm medium pacer Junaid Khan who bowled well once again struck with the wickets of Dinesh handimal for 8 and century maker in both Tests in Galle and SSC Kumar Sangakkara for no score and in the final over Mohammed Sami had Mahela Jayawardena LBW for 12.

Pleasing figures

Perera finished with the pleasing figures of 4 for 63. The other bowlers carried on the good work – Nuwan Kulesekera 2 for 44 and Rangana Herath 3 for 40.

After tea the Josephian demons Angelo Matthews and Thisara Perera combined to dismiss Mohammed Sami for 8.

Matthews dug one in short and Sami showed that he is a poor hooker by skying to Perera at mid wicket. 6 for 175.

Then Adnan Akmal who retired hurt on 10 came in and trying to sweep Herath once too often missed and was bowled by a flighted delivery for 24. 7 for 198. The Pakistan batting was crumbling.

The rest of the batting went – Umar Gul bowled Kulesekera for 7 – 8 for 217, Asad Shafiq caught behind for a fighting knock of 75 – 9 for 217 and at 226 Saeed Ajmal went LBW to Heath for 6.

Dilshan opts out

There were occasional showers on Saturday, but today it dawned bright and sunny and while conditions were ideal for cricket, the gloom and the disappointing news for Sri Lanka was that prolific run scoring opener Tillekeratne Dilshan had opted to skip the game because his kids were unwell and he has decided to stay with them.

In a vital Test like this one, Dilshan’s quick scoring and his brilliant fielding will be missed. How Sri Lanka will fare in his absence will be interesting to watch.

Sri Lanka made three changes bringing in Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera and Dilhara Fernando. In addition to Dilshan, out went Suraj Randiv and Nuwan Pradeep. Pakistan tossed in Umar Gul and Mohammed Sami for Aijaz Cheema and Abdur Reheman.

Three days

The wicket was covered for three days and seeing the green grass on it would have prompted both teams to go in with pace and dump a spinner. Reheman and Randiv were the spinners to suffer. Pacemen Nuwan Pradeep and Aizaz Cheema who failed to get among the wickets were left out.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena was once again lucky with the toss and like he did at the SSC asked Pakistan to take first strike, confident that his three pacemen will give him the three or four wickets before lunch to justify his decision unlike at the SSC.

And did not his pacemen oblige, and oblige in telling fashion and justified Jayawardena’s clever decision to field first. The wrecker of the top order Pakistan batting was Thisara Perera.

Perera bowled with a lot of fire using the help in the wicket. He moved the ball both ways, pitching on a good line and length and big century makers at the SSC, Mohammed Hafeez and Azhar Ali fell cheaply to him.

Through the gate

First he bowled Hafeez through the gate for 22, tempted Ali to drive to be caught by Thilan Samaraweera in the gully for no score and then had Taufeeq Umar plumb in front for 29.

Perera’s pace partner Nuwan Kulesekera too bowled tight and was rewarded with the wicket of Younus Khan. The batsman stretched and edged to Prasanna Jaywardena behind the wicket for no score.

With Pakistan on 4 for 56 and in bad way, skipper Misbah Ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq with some cautious batting took them to lunch on 4 for 81 with a stand of 25 with Misbah on 10 and Shafiq on12.

The Lankan cricketers would have enjoyed their lunch, especially young Thissara Perera who obliged his skipper and his figures of 3 for 31 was good reward. The Lankan catching was poor with two chances being grassed.

After lunch the wicket had lost its life and Misah and Shafiq continued the good work. They were in no hurry and pushed the score along with singles and the boundary. Misbah was getting his runs on the on side, while Shafiq played some exquisite square cuts that sped for fours.

They took their partnership for the 5th wicket to 85, when a lapse in concentration forced Misbah to nick a wide ball from Perera to Jayawardena behind the stumps for 40 with 7 fours. 5 for 141.

Shafiq reached a well deserved 50. He was solid in defence, but when the scoring opportunity came along he pounced on it. He took Pakistan to tea at 172 for 5. He was on 54 and Mohammed Sami on 8.

Pallekelle, Sunday.