angled down the leg side, Misbah makes the ball stop mid air and go back in the other direction. Even the ball is bored. I should try my hand at commentary during this year's paint-drying championship. I am ready.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 3rd Test at Sharjah, Nov 03 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
3rd Test, Sharjah, November 03 - 07, 2011, Sri Lanka tour of United Arab Emirates
New
PAK 2nd Innings
Full commentary
end of over 571 run
PAK: 87/4CRR: 1.52
Misbah-ul-Haq9 (86b 1x4)
Asad Shafiq7 (55b)
Rangana Herath 22-14-19-1
Suraj Randiv 19-9-21-1
That winds up our coverage of this series, but we'll be back in a couple of days for the ODIs. Before you sign out, do have a read of Sid Ravindran's report of the day's action. Until next time, this is Nitin Sundar signing off on behalf of all my colleagues at ESPNcricinfo. Cheers and bye!
Misbah, the classy understated gentleman that he is, receives the trophy and celebrates with the boys. Whistles and applause across the Sharjah Cricket Stadium as their beloved side celebrates.
Misbah: "I want to thank everyone in the management and the team for this win. Everytime he came out to bat, Sanga made it so difficult to get him out. These conditions suit our team nicely, with a spinner like Ajmal and out batsmen like it too here. The ODIs are a new ball game, so we want to focus on that and go well again."
Dilshan: "After we lost the 2nd Test, we came here and gave it our best. Losing Dhammika made things very difficult. All the other bowlers did really well after that. A couple of days to go before the ODIs and we look forward to that."
Man of the Match award goes to Sangakkara. He shares the Man of the Series gong with Saeed Ajmal. The two come together, smiling and dripping with camaraderie.
Ajmal: "The conditions were good for batsmen, so I had to work hard for the wickets. Sanga is a very good player, and he's very patient. Very hard to get him out! We very much needed this series win, we needed to beat a big team and we have the result we needed."
Sanga: "It is tough to attack Ajmal since there's a lot of variations. Definitely one of the best offies going around along with Graeme Swann. Few mistakes here and there meant it was hard for us to stay in the game, but it was a huge effort from the team. We were on top through this Test, which goes to show that if you have a decent first innings with the bat, you can do very well in a Test. Its time that everyone comes to terms with the fact that guys like Murali are now out of the game."
Tony G conducts the final presentation for the series. Ridiculous to see an award for the most sixes hit in the match. Misbah would surely not approve.
The umpires have seen enough, the light's not good enough. Pakistan win the series. Take a bow Misbah! He hugs his junior partner, and they troop off the field. What a wonderful Eid gift for Pakistan's fans, especially after the sordid news from last week. Handshakes all around, the sides look spent.
"Youve got to admire how Misbah responds to criticism about his strike rate, he goes slower! Love the guy and another test series won! Cometh the hour, cometh one run!" Haha, Ibrar!
James again: "3 decent games, and the right result, I'd say. Man of the series? Sanga, I reckon. Kept SL in contention virtually single handed."
56.6
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
56.5
1
Herath to Shafiq, 1 run
armer, comes in and Shafiq doesn't spot it. Aha! They get a single! Excitement.
56.4
•
Herath to Shafiq, no run
short ball, punched into the covers.
56.3
•
Herath to Shafiq, no run
56.2
•
Herath to Shafiq, no run
loopy on off stump, played safely off the front foot.
56.1
•
Herath to Shafiq, no run
tossed up on off, driven with the turn to the left of the bowler.
end of over 561 run
PAK: 86/4CRR: 1.53
Misbah-ul-Haq9 (85b 1x4)
Asad Shafiq6 (50b)
Suraj Randiv 19-9-21-1
Rangana Herath 21-14-18-1
55.6
•
Randiv to Misbah, no run
back of a length and spinning in, defended from the crease back to the bowler.
55.5
•
Randiv to Misbah, no run
"Nitin, yes, England are very vulnerable ... in ODIs. But this will be a Test series and a magnificent litmus test for both sides. This winter may see a shake-up in the ICC test table, with South Africa hosting Australia, England playing Pakistan, Sri Lanka losing here and India currently struggling v West Indies." I doubt India will continue struggling in this series, Mark, but yes, interesting times. Also, I am not sure England have the arsenal to win a Test series in these conditions.
55.4
1
Randiv to Shafiq, 1 run
leans out and defends off the outer half of the blade to the off side.
55.3
•
Randiv to Shafiq, no run
tossed up on the stumps, defended down the track.
55.2
•
Randiv to Shafiq, no run
back of a length, worked with the turn to the leg side.
"I agree about the Pakistan England tests coming up: very interesting. How will England cope with Ajmal? Will there be any "incidents"? (My predictions are "badly", and "yes"). I think 1 win each and one draw a likely result," says James.
55.1
•
Randiv to Shafiq, no run
full ball on the stumps, driven back to the bowler.
end of over 55Maiden
PAK: 85/4CRR: 1.54
Misbah-ul-Haq9 (83b 1x4)
Asad Shafiq5 (46b)
Rangana Herath 21-14-18-1
Suraj Randiv 18-9-20-1
54.6
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
lunges forward and plays this off the outer half to the off side.
54.5
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
I am beginning to like this defence now. It is a thing of beauty as he prods forward and makes the ball evaporate in the face of his intent.
54.4
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
54.3
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
runs along with the arm, Misbah defends with the bat and pad close together.
54.2
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
defended off the front foot to the leg side.
54.1
•
Herath to Misbah, no run
full outside off, defended off the front foot.
end of over 542 runs
PAK: 85/4CRR: 1.57
Asad Shafiq5 (46b)
Misbah-ul-Haq9 (77b 1x4)
Suraj Randiv 18-9-20-1
Rangana Herath 20-13-18-1
53.6
•
Randiv to Shafiq, no run
tossed up outside off, Shafiq defends to kill another over.
"WHAT.A.PARTNERSHIP. 6 runs from 50 balls!" says an impressed Kiran.
53.5
2
Randiv to Shafiq, 2 runs
short ball outside off, Shafiq cuts to the deep and the ball stops in the heavy grass. They come back for a second.
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