Pakistan batsmen extinguish Sri Lankan hopes on crucial second day

Prior to this series the skeptics amongst us had decreed that this series would be ruined by the seasonal monsoon. So far though the sun has shone throughout. Unfortunately for the few locals that came to the picturesque Galle International stadium today, the Sri Lankan team have not shone and look certain to lose this game, and therefore the series, after an emphatic performance by the Pakistan batsmen. Their only hope now being a return of rains.

After being bowled out for just 181 yesterday Sri Lanka knew that today represented the most important day of the series so far. If they were to retain a chance of coming back after losing the first test, they had to bowl out Pakistan quickly. Alas they had one of their worst days of test cricket for a considerable while, finishing a mammoth 160 runs behind, with five Pakistan wickets still remaining.

Speaking afterwards Dav Whatmore was disappointed but nevertheless quick to praise the performance of the Pakistan team: "We have played a very good side, we saw how good they were in the first test in Colombo and they are showing how difficult they can be."

"The wicket was certainly more than a 181 and we were threatening to make more than 300 at one stage. But when you throw in a hatrick there is not much left in our batting and 181 was the best that we could do."

Commenting on the decision to omit Nuwan Zoysa to prevent injury: "It was quite simple really we made a very tough decision about a month ago for the well being of Nuwan Zoysa based on his recent fitness record."

Pakistan on the other hand have returned to their irresistible best. They are a unified team that is hungry for success. A fact exemplified by their willingness to practice immediately after the conclusion of play.

The batsmen gorged themselves today, scoring 267 runs for the loss of just three wickets to finish the day on 341 for 5. Magnificent centuries from both Saeed Anwar (123) and Inzamann ul-Haq (112) clearly showing, that on this placid pitch, Sri Lanka had no-one to blame but themselves for their meager total.

Saeed Anwar, returning to the side after a knee injury that prevented him from touring the West Indies, batted with real determination and focus. His concentration, which has let him down in the past, never wavered in his 237 ball innings. When this is the case there is no better opener in world cricket.

Both Anwaar and Youhana (41) started the morning cautiously as the Sri Lankan captain sensibly opted to utilise his best bowlers, Chaminda Vaas and Mutiah Muralitharan. They bowled with typical accuracy and purpose. Indeed Vaas appeared to be unlucky to have a good LBW shout turned down by Umpire Tiffen in his first over.

However after the first hour of play, in which just 20 runs were scored in 14 overs, Jayasuriya was forced to turn his support bowlers. Ravindra Puspakumara and Rangana Herath are though not looking like test class bowlers at the moment and they rarely threatened the Pakistan batsmen. Puspakumara picked up a consolatory wicket at the end of the day but was very expensive conceding 77 runs from his 16 overs. Rangana Herath may have been moderately less expensive but he was no more penetrative.

After a wicketless session in the morning, Sri Lanka dismissed Youhana just after lunch. Stretching forward to drive the indefatigable Mutiah Muralitharan he was defeated by an arm ball and was smartly stumped by Kaluwithrana.

The wicket bought little respite for Sri Lanka as Inzamann ul-Haq strode to the crease. Clearly to relieved to finally be given an opportunity to bat without the responsibility of holding the innings together, he played a rollicking innings, full of powerful drives and thunderous clumps.

He quite simply murdered Puspakumara in the 72nd over of the innings, taking three boundaries off the disconsolate paceman. Later in the day he tore into Sanath Jayasuriya and reached a wonderfully entertaining century with his forth-consecutive boundary of the over.

Sri Lanka were forced to try their part-time bowlers and were not let down by Russel Arnold who settled down to bowl a very economical 15 overs and claim the important wicket of Saeed Anwaar, who was caught behind trying another one of his characteristic cuts.

Sri Lanka will at least be relieved tonight that they have dismissed Inzamann ul-Haq, who slashed tiredly at the new ball seven balls before the close of play. They do however face a mountainous fight for survival tomorrow and still have to dismiss Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan, Moin Khan and Wasim Akram.

You can be sure that the first thing the Sri Lankan players do when they wake up tomorrow morning will be to look outside their hotel windows and pray that the monsoon has returned.