Sri Lanka crush Pakistan in first Test

REUTERS

GALLE: Sri Lanka claimed the extra half-hour at the end of the fourth day to complete a 209-run rout of Pakistan in the first Test on Monday.

The visitors, chasing an unlikely victory target of 510, were bowled out for 300. The game looked like dragging on to the fifth day when fifth-wicket pair Younus Khan (87) and Asad Shafiq (80) put up stubborn resistance with a stand of 151. After the pair was removed, Mohammad Ayub (22) and Adnan Akmal (40 not out) continued to frustrate Lankan bowlers.

When the extra half-hour started Pakistan were 279-8 but Suraj Randiv snapped up the last two wickets to finish with figures of 3-86 in the second innings and

7-99 in the match.

Shafiq hit 13 fours in an attractive innings before edging a catch to Mahela Jayawardene at slip off Rangana Herath. Former captain Younus struck seven fours to thwart the home attack until he was finally undone by the second new ball after tea, caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardene off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Debutant Ayub then presented Nuwan Pradeep with his first Test wicket when he was trapped lbw.

Earlier, Sri Lanka broke through in the second over when Saeed Ajmal (12), sent back by Younus after he charged down the wicket, failed to beat Randiv’s direct hit from extra cover. Kumar Sangakkara then dropped Shafiq off Randiv at short mid-wicket when he was on 33.

Younus also survived an anxious moment when Tillakaratne Dilshan dived forward at mid-off to take a ‘catch’ but the batsman was adjudged not out by the third umpire. Kulasekera took 3-48 while spinner Herath picked up 2-91. Sangakkara was named man-of-the-match for his 199 not out in the first innings.