Sri Lankan fast bowlers gain initiative in unofficial Test match

The second unofficial Test Match between Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A played at NCC Grounds in Colombo today, like the first game in Dambulla, proved to be a keenly contested affair and at the close of play the game remained evenly balanced, with Sri Lanka claiming a marginal advantage.

Pakistan, who looked well set on 102 for two at one stage, lost steady wickets throughout the afternoon, as the Sri Lankan fast bowlers started to find their groove. The left-handed Toufiq Umer held the innings together with a three-and-a-half hour 69. They were eventually bowled out for 229.

Sri Lanka then survived a potentially dangerous eight over spell as the shadows started to stretch across this tree-lined ground. The Pakistani openers bowled with great fire and enthusiasm and managed to winkle out Dammika Sudarshana, who was caught at third slip. Avishka Gunawardene, however, responded with typical disdain, smashing four boundaries before the close.

Sri Lanka, though delighted to have bowled out a talented Pakistan batting line-up through a combination of probing fast bowling and poor Pakistani running, will have been disappointed to have failed to fully exploit moist conditions during the morning session after winning the toss.

They selected three fast bowlers - including Suresh Perera and Ishara Amarasinghe who did not play in Dambulla - so the decision to bowl first was a fair one, even if Pakistan were unperturbed - they apparently wanted to bat.

Unfortunately for Thilan Samaraweera, the captain, the openers, Akalanka Ganegama and Ishara Amarasinghe, failed to find their radar and allowed Pakistan to recover from the loss of an early wicket: Faisal Naweed in the fifth over, who was trapped leg-before wicket with a delivery from Ganegama that looked gun barrel straight.

Imran Farhat, a stocky left-hander, then played stylishly with Toufiq Umer, another left-hander, and the pair added 58 for the second wicket before Ishara Amarasinghe, a strong-shouldered young prospect with genuine pace, trapped Farhat leg-before wicket for 27 in his first spell after the luncheon interval.

Hasan Raza, who has been an up and coming player for an age, failed to follow his hundred in the first match when he was caught behind off Suresh Perera, who grew in confidence throughout the day. The Pakistan innings was back in the balance at 102 for three.

Qaiser Abbas and Toufiq Umer, who had by now completed a fine fifty, added a further 35 runs, before Michael Vandort, a palm tree of a man, stretched smoothly down at second slip to catch Abbas for 23.

The turning point of the innings came in the 56th over of the innings. Pakistan were 160 for 4 and looking strong with Touqir Umer on 69. He was batting with Misbah-ul-Haq, similar in style to his namesake Inzamann, but also in his destructive running between the wickets. Within the space of eight balls Umer and the wicket-keeper batsmen Humayan Farhat were back in the pavilion having been run out.

Pakistan's tail had been opened and the Sri Lankan fast bowlers sensed some easier pickings. Misbah-ul-Haq did his best to make up for the run outs though with an entertaining 34, full of placid defensive strokes, delicate late cuts, and lumbering clumps through mid on. Inzamann would have been proud to share his name.

After Yasir Arafat and ul-Haq had added 15 for the eight wicket Pakistan lost three wickets for 25, before Irfan Fazil (26) warmed up for his bowling with some entertaining blows at the death and added 17 for the final wicket. Perera, who bore the brunt of Fazil's aggression, ended the innings when Tillakaratne Dilshan took his third catch of the innings behind the stumps.