Play on the third day? Your guess is as good as mine:
Not a ball bowled in Sri Lanka-Pakistan Test
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE
After an interesting first day’s play where the teams were on even
terms, with Pakistan making 226 and Sri Lanka 44 for three, another
exciting second day’s cricket was in the offing. It was overcast from
morning and with about half an hour to the start, a heavy cloud cover
formed and a few minutes later it came down heavily and it left a lot of
water on the covers.
With rains continuing and with the light too fading and with no signs
of any improvement and with no play possible, umpires Simon Taufell and
Steve Davies had no option but to call off play for the day at 3.10 p.m.
Play is scheduled to start at 9.45 a.m. tomorrow weather permitting.
No decisions
Previously two Test matches have been played on this ground, both
ending in no decisions and this final Test between Sri Lanka and
Pakistan was nicely poised to break the hoodoo and produce the first
result.
But the cricketing rain gods decided otherwise and played the role of
spoil sports and the second day was a washout. As the series stand, Sri
Lanka is ahead having won the FirsTest in Galle.
The SSC Test ended in a draw with Pakistan taking the honours. And
when the teams continued the battle here in Palekelle, the onus was on
Pakistan to force a victory and save face with Sri Lanka only needing to
draw to win a Test series in three years.
Glorious uncertainties
Although not a ball was bowled on the second day, with this game
being associated with the glorious uncertainties, and with three more
days to go, anything is possible.At the moment exchanges are even.
Sri Lanka having done well to bundle out Pakistan for 226, thanks to
the demoralizing spell by young Thisara Perera who blitzed through the
Pakistan top order, and scalped the top order of Mohammed Hafeez,
Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali and then Captain Misbah Ul-Haq, were in a spot
losing three top batsmen – Dinesh Chandimal, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela
Jayawardene for just 44 runs to trail by 182 runs.
Left armer Junaid Khan who had five wickets in the SSC Test, was once
again in a fiery mood as he sent back Chandimal leg before with quick
delivery and then knocked back the stumps of Sangakkara with the ball of
the day which left the batsman stunned.
Steaming in
Then second last ball of the day, Sami came steaming in to have
Jayawardene LBW with a stinging Yorker. 44 for 3.
If and when play resumes, the rest of the Lankan batsmen must dig in
and endeavour to go past the Pakistan score by at least a 100 runs not
get bogged down and bat for as long as possible. |