Pakistan struggle in drawn match

COLOMBO: With little chance of an out-and-out result and rain threatening to mar proceedings, SLC XI captain Thilina Kandamby gave Pakistan their best shot at a win in the tour game, declaring at 137 for 2 and setting the visitors a tempting target of 83. However, a mini-collapse which saw Pakistan lose 4 for 29 put an end to the possibility of an outright result.

The Pakistanis would no doubt have their team strategy in place ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, with Fawad Alam looking in good touch and Salman Butt's welcome return to form. With both Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq failing to impress, Fawad's success gives Younis Khan a good selection dilemma.

The third and final day began with Fawad continuing from where he left off the previous day. Confident strokeplay helped him bring up his half-century in quick time. Suraj Mohamed, who had picked up two catches and taken two crucial wickets on the second day, dismissed overnight batsman Faisal Iqbal in the sixth over of the day and removed Kamran Akmal three balls later. He then caught Razzaq to give Farveez Maharoof his first wicket of the match as Pakistan slid to 322 for 8. But Pakistan rode Fawad's superb innings, comprising six boundaries, to go past SLC XI's total and declared 55 runs ahead.

Openers Upul Tharanga and Tharanga Parnavitana ensured a steady start for SLC XI, putting on 66. But the introduction of spin yielded immediate results with Saeed Ajmal getting Upul caught behind. But Paranivitana held firm after missing out in the first innings, stringing together a 56-run partnership with wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva.

Paranavitana though, was dismissed just short of his fifty, falling to Danish Kaneria before the heavens opened up, and Kandamby spiced up the game.

Score board

Sri Lanka XI won toss

Sri Lanka Cricket XI 1st innings 345-5 dec (H D R L Thirimanne 116, C K Kapugedera 115; Abdul Rauf 2-62)

Pakistan 1st innings 400-8 dec (Khurram Manzoor 83, Fawad Alam 83, Salman Butt 82; M M M Suraj 4-120, M Pushpakumara 3-100)

Sri Lanka Cricket XI 2nd innings

W U Tharanga c Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal 44

N T Paranavitana c M Yousuf b Kaneria 48

†J K Silva not out 34

R G M J M Rupasinghe not out 9

Extras (nb2) 2

Total (2 wickets dec; 37.4 overs) 137

Did not bat: *S H T Kandamby, C K Kapugedera, H D R L Thirimanne, M Pushpakumara, M F Maharoof, C R D Fernando, M M M Suraj, A N P R Fernando, T A M Siriwardana

Fall: 1-66, 2-122

Bowling: Mohammad Aamer 8-1-31-0; Abdur Rauf 5-1-16-0 (1nb); Abdul Razzaq 5-2-10-0 (1nb); Younis Khan 1-0-2-0; Saeed Ajmal 9-0-41-1

Pakistanis 2nd innings (target: 83 runs)

Khurram Manzoor c Pushpakumara b Maharoof 7

Salman Butt retired hurt 22

Mohammad Yousuf c Suraj b Kapugedera 6

Misbah-ul-Haq not out 6

†Kamran Akmal b Kapugedera 6

Abdul Razzaq not out 5

Extras (lb1, nb1) 2

Total (4 wickets; 18 overs) 54

Did not bat: Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamir, Danish Kaneria, Faisal Iqbal, Abdur Rauf, *Younis Khan, Fawad Alam

Fall: 1-18, 2-32, 3-37, 4-47

Bowling: Fernando 4-0-13-0; Maharoof 4-1-10-1 (1nb); Fernando 3-0-19-0; Kapugedera 5-1-6-2; Siriwardana 2-0-5-0

Umpires: L E Hannibal and R D Kottahachchi. Match referee: U Warnapura