PakMonitor - News Around The Globe : sirilanka

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COLOMBO: 
Mahela Jayawardene scored an unbeaten 49 in his last Test innings as Sri
 Lanka took charge of the second and final match against Pakistan in 
Colombo on Saturday. 
 
The hosts, who trailed by 12 runs
 on the first innings, put on a strong batting performance to move to 
177-2 in their second innings by stumps on the third day at the 
Sinhalese Sports Club. 
 
Jayawardene and his close friend 
and long-time team-mate Kumar Sangakkara batted together for the last 
time in a Test match to put on 98 for the unbroken third wicket. 
 
Jayawardene,
 who was warmly applauded to the crease by Pakistani fielders and some 
4,000 home fans, played fluently to strike seven boundaries. 
 
Left-handed
 Sangakkara was unbeaten on 54, with Sri Lanka 165 runs ahead with eight
 wickets in hand on a wearing pitch expected to assist spinners on the 
last two days. 
 
Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle 
by seven wickets, are hoping to sweep the short series to give 
Jayawardene, their former captain, a winning farewell. 
 
Upul
 Tharanga made 45 in an opening stand of 54 with Kaushal Silva before 
both batsmen were dismissed by left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman in the 
post-lunch session. 
 
Pakistan seamer Junaid Khan did not 
take the field in the second innings as he was taken to hospital and 
kept under observation after complaining of giddiness. Junaid, who took 
five wickets in the first innings, had been hit on the helmet by a 
rising ball from Dhammika Prasad in the morning session. 
 
Earlier,
 Pakistan´s wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed smashed a maiden Test century 
and Sri Lanka´s spinner Rangana Herath became the first left-arm bowler 
in history to take nine wickets in an innings. 
 
Sarfraz hit
 a gutsy 103 as Pakistan carried their overnight score of 244-6 to 332 
before they were all out at the stroke of lunch in reply to Sri Lanka´s 
320. 
 
Sarfraz, who came to bat after tea on the second day 
with Pakistan struggling at 140-5, led a remarkable fightback by the 
lower order that enabled the tourists gain the slender lead. But Herath 
grabbed attention in the eventful morning session by claiming the four 
remaining wickets to finish with 9-127, only the second Sri Lankan after
 Muttiah Muralitharan to take nine wickets in an innings. 
 
The
 36-year-old Herath, who surpassed his previous best of seven for 89 
against Bangladesh in Colombo last year, is currently the number one 
Test spinner in the official rankings. He has claimed 255 wickets so far
 in 57 Tests. 
 
Starting the day on 66, Sarfraz reached his 
hundred by hooking left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara for a six after 
pulling the previous delivery for a boundary. He was ninth out with 
Pakistan just six runs away from taking the lead when he edged Herath to
 give wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella his fifth catch in the innings. 
 
Last
 man Junaid hit an unbeaten 13 to help Pakistan go past Sri Lanka´s 
total. Herath, who earlier in the morning had dismissed Rehman (16) and 
Wahab Riaz (17), ended the innings by bowling Saeed Ajmal for four. 
(AFP)

Jayawardene, Sangakkara put S.Lanka on top

COLOMBO: Mahela Jayawardene scored an unbeaten 49 in his last Test innings as Sri Lanka took charge of the second and final match aga...