Monday, July 6, 2009

Sri Lanka stun Pakistan in opener

First Test, Galle (day four):
Sri Lanka 292 & 217 beat Pakistan 342 & 117 by 50 runs
Match scorecard

Sri Lanka celebrate
The Sri Lankans celebrate the crucial wicket of Misbah-ul Haq

Spinner Rangana Herath grabbed four wickets as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 50 runs to win the first Test in Galle.

Pakistan started the fourth day needing just 97 to overhaul Sri Lanka's target of 168 with eight wickets to spare.

But spells by paceman Thilan Thushara and left-arm spinner Herath left the visitors struggling at 80-6 within the day's first seven overs.

And Ajantha Mendis claimed two late wickets as Sri Lanka wrapped up an impressive victory.

Pakistan had been hot favourites to clinch the series opener after three days of domination with a century by Mohammad Yousuf guiding his side to a 50-run lead after the first innings.

Starting the fourth day on 71-2, all looked promising until Herath and Thushara created havoc with the ball.

606: DEBATE
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Yousuf was trapped leg before for 12 from the first ball from Herath, closely followed two deliveries later with other overnight batsman Salman Butt also falling to Herath.

It was then Thushara's turn to swing into action, removing Shoaib Malik for a duck - caught behind by Tillakaratne Dilshan - and a leg before bringing an early end to Kamran Akmal.

With 89 runs needed for victory and four wickets remaining, there was still hope for Pakistan with vice-captain Misbah-ul Haq at the crease, but he was brilliantly run out by Dilshan after only adding seven.

Mendis grabbed two more victims, while Herath returned to finish off the dispirited Pakistan innings and end with figures of four for 15 from 11.3 overs.

The win gives Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, the first between the two countries since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore on 3 March.

To compound matters for Pakistan, they were fined for failing to maintain a suitable over-rate, skipper Younus Khan penalised 10% of his match fee and his colleagues punished with a 5% penalty.

The second Test begins in Colombo on Saturday.

ะพ 11:55 PM

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