Atapattu hammers unbeaten century in Lankans victory

Karachi, Feb 8: Sri Lanka recorded a cakewalk eight-wicket victory over a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI in a practice match at the National Stadium here on Tuesday, indicating that it would not be their fireworks but calculated game that would be on display in the forthcoming one-day series.

Chasing a competitive total of 250 on a good batting track, Sri Lankan stroke-makers didn't repeat the 1996 World Cup heroics but still managed to overhaul the score with 9.3 overs to spare.

Marvan Atapattu stroked a sweet unconquered 122 while Mahela Jayawardena scored an elegant unbeaten 62. Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya hit a 53-ball 37 before he holed out to Aamir Sohail at extra-cover off Yasir Arafat.

Atapattu and Jayawardena were associated in an unbroken 144 runs third wicket stand off as many deliveries after Atapattu had featured in a 104-run second wicket stand with Jayasuriya off 99 balls.

Aamir Sohail, leading the PCB XI, strengthened his claims for a recall by hammering nine boundaries in his 76-ball 63 before being needlessly run out. Teenager Imran Abbas, who top scored with a fluent 124-ball 71, pushed the ball at point only to find Aamir standing next to him. Imran showed a lot of professionalism by staying in his crease and not sacrificing his wicket for his skipper.

Faisal Iqbal batted with remarkable concentration in scoring 31 off 72 balls. He never looked like throwing away his wicket until an unsuccessful attempt of big hit off Muttiah Muralitharan in the slog overs brought his downfall.

It was an uncharacteristic batting performance by the Sri Lankans known for their lusty hitting. It seems that coach Dav Whatmore has a different ploy for every tour of Pakistan. In 1995-96, he introduced slog in the first 15 overs while it seems he now has a conventional game plan of protecting wickets in the first 15 overs, accelerating the scoring rate in the middle of the innings and going berserk in the final overs.

In the first tour match, the strategy worked as the tourists collected 96 runs while conceding the wicket of Romesh Kaluwitharana. The next 25.3 overs saw Sri Lanka add 155 runs at the cost of Jayasuriya's wicket and wrap up the match in 40.3 overs.

Whether this ploy will work in the one-day series against Pakistan is yet to be seen.

Atapattu, who has flourished under the wings of Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, was cool and calculated by hitting the ball on merit. There was no urgency in his batting as the inexperienced PCB XI teenage bowlers provided him enough opportunity to go for his shots.

He stroked the ball from the middle of the blade and geometrically bisected the fielders to spice his innings with 15 exquisite boundaries. He faced 138 balls.

The only blemish in Atapattu's innings was when he tried to come out of his skin to hit Aamir Sohail over his head only to find Yasir Arafat at mid-on boundary. But the fielder jiggled with the catch and allowed the 30-year-old from Kalutara progress to a fine century.

Jayawardena looked compact, attacking but cautious in his opening outing of the tour. He belted five boundaries and a six in his 70-ball knock.

Earlier, Jayasuriya won the toss and elected to field in front of about 2,000 spectators which grew to about 4,000 by the end of play.

Aamir Sohail helped his cause of reclaiming the lost place in the Pakistan team by batting in his usual carefree and attacking style. He was severe against Indika Gallage and Ravindra Pushpakumara but showed respect to left-arm pacer Nuwan Zoysa.

Aamir's heart must have come in his mouth for a second or two very early in his innings when a very confident run-out appeal by the Sri Lankans was turned down by Sadiq Mohammad. The tourists looked unhappy with the decision.

But when Aamir was finally run out in the 24th over, the PCB XI lost its way. It was only the 10 overs in which Yasir Arafat and Arshad Khan played some big shots to help the home team add 84 runs and take the score to 250.

Yasir hit two sixes in his 12-ball 25 while Arshad's 8-ball 20 included two sixes.