GALLE // Kumar Sangakkara rose to fourth place in the list of century-makers as he and the retiring Mahela Jayawardene plundered Pakistan’s bowlers on the rain-hit third day of the first Test in Galle.
The hosts, who began the day at 99 for one in reply to Pakistan’s 451, carried their first innings to 252 for two by tea before heavy rain wiped out the final session of play. Just 46 of the stipulated 90 overs were bowled during the day, leaving a draw as the likely result with just 12 wickets having fallen over the first three days.
Sri Lanka will resume earlier than usual today, trailing by 199 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Left-handed Sangakkara – who turns 37 in October – was unbeaten on 102, his seventh three-figure knock in the last 14 Tests, taking his overall tally to 37 centuries. Jayawardene, set to quit Test cricket at the end of this two-Test series, showed he was good enough to prolong his 17-year career as he survived an anxious start to hit an unbeaten 55. The experienced pair has so far put on 108 for the third wicket.
Pakistan’s reputed spin attack of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman were ineffective on the flat, even-paced pitch and Pakistan’s spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed rued the lack of match practice for his bowlers.
“We bowled poorly but that has got a lot to do with the fact that we have not played Test cricket for seven months,” he said. “Also there was nothing in the wicket for them, especially against such class batsmen like Sangakkara and Mahela.
“But this match is not over yet. If we can break through early tomorrow, it could still turn out to be a close game.”
Sangakkara reached his century just before tea by cutting Rehman for his 13th boundary. Sangakkara and his overnight partner Kaushal Silva negotiated Pakistan’s attack comfortably to add 45 runs in the first hour’s play.
Silva reached his half-century by pulling seamer Junaid Khan to the square-leg fence for his ninth boundary. Silva made 64 in the second-wicket stand of 120 when he edged a ball from fast bowler Mohammad Talha to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
Jayawardene then walked in to a guard of honour of raised bats by schoolchildren and was greeted in the middle by applauding Pakistani fielders.
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