KANDY, Sri Lanka, 4 April 2006 — Kumar Sangakkara topscored with a superb 79 as Sri Lanka recovered to 267 for eight on the first day of the second and final Test against Pakistan yesterday.
Sri Lanka had slumped to 61 for three after being put into bat on a wet pitch offering extravagant seam movement before Sangakkara led a recovery that left the game nicely poised.
Paceman Mohammad Asif, Pakistan’s best bowler in the first Test in Colombo, which ended in a draw, was menacing throughout the day and was chiefly responsible for Sri Lanka’s early problems with a superb 12-over new ball spell. Asif finished with a career-best five for 41 from 21 overs.
Sangakkara’s efforts were supported by middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera who scored a gritty 180-ball 65 before being bowled immediately after Pakistan took the second new ball.
Tailender Malinga Bandara — very fortunate to survive a TV run out referral on just nine — also frustrated the tourists with an entertaining career-best 43 late in the day.
Sri Lanka battled through the first half hour but then lost Upul Tharanga (10) who pushed a wide delivery angled across him and edged into the slips.
Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, playing his last Test match, was then bowled for 14 by a superb delivery that nipped back off the seam enough to clip off-stump.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene lasted 42 minutes for his four runs, regularly playing and missing, but Asif struck again before lunch when Jayawardene edged low to second slip.
Sangakkara, though, Sri Lanka’s top performer in the drawn first Test with a brilliant 185, carried the attack to the Pakistan pace bowlers.
The left-hander, who faced just 98 balls and stroked 15 boundaries, added 81 in 137 balls with Samaraweera before being caught off Danish Kaneria.
Pakistan suffered a blow before the start as opener Shoaib Malik, who helped save the first Test with a marathon 148 not out, pulled out with a fever.
Sri Lanka’s assistant coach Trevor Penney said: “The way the ball moved around in the morning we could have been bowled out by tea time but Sangakkara and Samaraweera really played well to get us out of a hole.
“If we had bowled first on that I’d like to think we’d have bowled them out by now.” Asif, who spoiled the start of Jayasuriya’s farewell Test, said: “I saw Jayasuriya’s comments yesterday on the internet where he said he was looking for a good finish in his last Test and I was determined not to let him have his way.”
