Angelo Mathews (77) and Kaushal Silva (80) inspired Sri Lanka to the drivers’ seat seizing a 166-run lead against Pakistan at close of play on day two in the second Test at P. Sara Oval grounds.
Sri Lanka resuming from their overnight score of 70/1 was troubled by few times due to failure of their middle order but skipper Angelo Mathews and Kaushal Silva shouldered their batting problems scoring fighting half-centuries to anchor the home team to 304 for 9 at close of play. Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah was the chief wickets-taker with 5 scalps.
Earlier in the first session, Kumar Sangakkara and Kaushal Silva started off briskly against the Pakistan bowling attack which did not have the services of Wahab Riaz. They added 28 runs in the first hour before Sangakkara (34) gave away his solid start by coming down the wicket and trying to take on the deep long-on fielder but Asad Shafiq took a brilliant running catch to give Zulfiqar Babar his first wicket.
Lahiru Thirimanne stroked only one boundary during his brief 39-ball stay but managed to score 7 runs before Yasir Shah bowled a sharp turner which took the inside edge onto the pad and lobbed straight to close-in fielder Azhar Ali.
Kaushal Silva was in no hurry to change his style of batting and score runs quickly. Silva occasionally came down the wicket and caressed the off-side inner ring elegantly against the spinners but a delicate cover drive off Junaid Khan brought his 8th Test in the 163th ball he faced.
Angelo and Kaushal started to break the shackles by scoring few lusty boundaries after the lunch break. Mathews played a reckless shot against the spin of Zulfiqar Babar when he was on 32 which skied towards Yasir Shah at mid-on but he failed to hold on to the catch giving a valuable lifeline to the Lankan captain.
Kaushal Silva was on the way for another patient century but poor running between the wickets by the two batsmen favoured the visitors when Silva ran himself out for a 218-ball 80 ending a valued 72-run stand for the 4th wicket.
Dinesh Chandimal and Kithruwan Vithanage once again failed to seize the moment when they got out in space of 8 runs as Sri Lanka were wobbling at 202 for 6 after being 191 for 3. Chandimal (1) came down the track and yorked himself against the leg-spinner Shah while Vithanage (3) tried a reverse sweep against the same bowler which spun sharply and crashed the stumps.
The middle-order failure was sorted by a gritty 73-run stand between Dhammika Prasad and Mathews for the 7th wicket. Prasad used his feet effectively against Shah and Babar to score his 4 boundaries and was spot on rotating the strike. His 77-ball vigil of 35 ended when he attempted a cross-batted sweep shot off Hafeez and was given LBW.
Three balls later, Mathews’ staggering effort of 77 in 153 balls was ended by Yasir Shah when the Lankan skipper was stuck in the crease failing to negotiate a quick delivery which kept low and hit his pads. Mathews struck 8 fours during his lengthy stay at the crease.
The young Tharindu Kaushal batted courageously scoring 18 off 43 but he became Yasir Shah’s 5th victim and making him the highest wicket-taker of 2015. Rangana Herath is unbeaten on 10 with the last man Dushmantha Chameera on the crease.
The match will be continued tomorrow (Saturday).
Pakistan – 138 all out in 42.5 overs: Mohammed Hafeez 42, Azhar Ali 26, Tharindu Kaushal 5/42, Dhammika Prasad 3/43.
Sri Lanka – 304/9 in 118.2 overs: Kaushal Silva 80, Kumar Sangakkara 34, Angelo Mathews 77, Dhammika Prasad 35, Yasir Shah 5/95.
