da lvbet： The second unofficial Test Match between Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A played at NCC Grounds in Colombo today, like the first game in Dambulla, proved to be a keenly contested affair and at the close of play the game remained evenly balanced, with Sri
da realsbet： Charlie Austin19-Jun-2001The second unofficial Test Match between Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A playedat NCC Grounds in Colombo today, like the first game in Dambulla, proved tobe a keenly contested affair and at the close of play the game remainedevenly balanced, with Sri Lanka claiming a marginal advantage.Pakistan, who looked well set on 102 for two at one stage, lost steadywickets throughout the afternoon, as the Sri Lankan fast bowlers started tofind their groove. The left-handed Toufiq Umer held the innings togetherwith a three-and-a-half hour 69. They were eventually bowled out for 229.Sri Lanka then survived a potentially dangerous eight over spell as theshadows started to stretch across this tree-lined ground. The Pakistaniopeners bowled with great fire and enthusiasm and managed to winkle outDammika Sudarshana, who was caught at third slip. Avishka Gunawardene,however, responded with typical disdain, smashing four boundaries before theclose.Sri Lanka, though delighted to have bowled out a talented Pakistan battingline-up through a combination of probing fast bowling and poor Pakistanirunning, will have been disappointed to have failed to fully exploit moistconditions during the morning session after winning the toss.They selected three fast bowlers – including Suresh Perera and IsharaAmarasinghe who did not play in Dambulla – so the decision to bowl first wasa fair one, even if Pakistan were unperturbed – they apparently wanted tobat.Unfortunately for Thilan Samaraweera, the captain, the openers, AkalankaGanegama and Ishara Amarasinghe, failed to find their radar and allowedPakistan to recover from the loss of an early wicket: Faisal Naweed in thefifth over, who was trapped leg-before wicket with a delivery from Ganegamathat looked gun barrel straight.Imran Farhat, a stocky left-hander, then played stylishly with Toufiq Umer,another left-hander, and the pair added 58 for the second wicket beforeIshara Amarasinghe, a strong-shouldered young prospect with genuine pace,trapped Farhat leg-before wicket for 27 in his first spell after theluncheon interval.Hasan Raza, who has been an up and coming player for an age, failed tofollow his hundred in the first match when he was caught behind off SureshPerera, who grew in confidence throughout the day. The Pakistan innings wasback in the balance at 102 for three.Qaiser Abbas and Toufiq Umer, who had by now completed a fine fifty, added afurther 35 runs, before Michael Vandort, a palm tree of a man, stretchedsmoothly down at second slip to catch Abbas for 23.The turning point of the innings came in the 56th over of the innings.Pakistan were 160 for 4 and looking strong with Touqir Umer on 69. He wasbatting with Misbah-ul-Haq, similar in style to his namesake Inzamann, butalso in his destructive running between the wickets. Within the space ofeight balls Umer and the wicket-keeper batsmen Humayan Farhat were back inthe pavilion having been run out.Pakistan’s tail had been opened and the Sri Lankan fast bowlers sensed someeasier pickings. Misbah-ul-Haq did his best to make up for the run outsthough with an entertaining 34, full of placid defensive strokes, delicatelate cuts, and lumbering clumps through mid on. Inzamann would have beenproud to share his name.After Yasir Arafat and ul-Haq had added 15 for the eight wicket Pakistanlost three wickets for 25, before Irfan Fazil (26) warmed up for his bowlingwith some entertaining blows at the death and added 17 for the final wicket.Perera, who bore the brunt of Fazil’s aggression, ended the innings whenTillakaratne Dilshan took his third catch of the innings behind the stumps.
