Late City Edition

The Island, Tuesday 8th August, 2006 Mahela keeps in the hunt

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by Rex Clementine played a deter- mined 's knock as he gave Sri Lanka the edge over on the penultimate day of the second Test match, at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, yesterday. In the first three days of the Test, fortunes have fluctuated and it continued to do so yesterday, but Jayawardene's classic unbeaten 77 gave Sri Lanka the edge over the tourists to wrap it up 2-0. Sri Lanka has chased anything over 300 runs only once - nine years ago w,hen they were set 326 by Zimbabwe at the SSC - and the 352 the South Africans set was certainly a formidable one. The Sri Lankan captain, who probably is enjoy- ing the best form of his career, kept his side's chances alive on a pitch that has amazingly been consistent with its bounce. It was Sanath Jayasuriya who set Skipper Mahela things up for the hosts with a typically Jayawardene was aggressive 73 in 74 balls, bringing them Sanath back into the game after the early loss of in impressive Upul Tharanga for no score. The 37-year- form, making Jayasuriya old veteran, who had been through a lean 77 . provided a patch in Tests, came up with a sensation- blazing start. al counterattack, taking on the South African seamers. He reached his 30th Test fifty by smashing fellow veteran for a straight six that landed in the Chamara Kapugedara as well after tea. close to victory. adjoining Air Force flats. He kept the SCOREBOARD At 201 for five, with another 150 need- South Africa suffered a severe blow scoreboard ticking, hitting those power- ed, it looked as if the pendulum had half way through Sri Lankan innings ful cuts and pulls whenever he saw an South Africa 1st Innings 361 all out Jayasuriya 9-0-40-0 swung South Africa's way, but then came when paceman Makaya Ntini had to opportunity and he particularly targeted Sri Lanka 1st Innings: 321 all out Sri Lanka 2nd innings (target: 352 runs) an unbroken partnership between the return to the dressing room with a ham- Pollock, who looked a shadow of his for- South Africa, 2nd Innings (257/7 overnight) U Tharanga c Gibbs b Ntini 0 two Jayawardenes. Prasanna had been string strain. He bowled just two overs mer self and eventually started bowling H. Gibbs ct Jayasuriya b Muralitharan 92 S Jayasuriya c Amla b Boje 73 drafted into the side to chip in with con- after lunch, but remained in the field so off-cutters. A. Hall c P. Jayawardene b Maharoof 32 K Sangakkara c Amla b Pollock 39 tributions with the bat and in this Test he that South Africa will have the option Pollock hit back by removing Kumar J. Rudolph run out (Tharanga) 15 M Jayawardene not out 77 H. Amla run out (Kapugedara) 8 T Dilshan c Gibbs b Boje 18 has lived up to expectations. today to bowl him with the second new Sangakkara for 39 after an 82 run stand A. Prince ct & b Muralitharan 17 C Kapugedera c de Villiers b Boje 13 The pair added an unbroken 62 run ball, if he responds to treatment. for the second with Jayasuriya, A.B. de Villiers ct Dilshan b Muralitharan 33 P Jayawardene not out 27 stand for sixth wicket, for nearly In the morning, South Africa resumed but the biggest blow for the hosts came M. Boucher ct Dilshan b Muralitharan 65 Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 3, nb 3) 15 one and half hours as Sri Lanka fought at the overnight score of 257 for seven when Nicky Boje claimed three . S. Pollock ct Tharanga b Muralitharan 14 Total (5 wickets; 72 overs) 262 back, regaining the initiative that had and Muttiah Muralitharan did well to He was using the rough outside the N. Boje ct P. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 15 To bat: C Vaas, L Malinga, F Maharoof, M been lost in the first hour after tea. claim the last three wickets. left-hander's off-stump to good effect and D. Steyn lbw b Muralitharan 0 Muralitharan The tourists had a chance to see the He finished with seven wickets, the Jayasuriya gloved one to at M. Ntini not out 5 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-94, 3-121, 4-164, 5- back of skipper Jayawardene, when he 56th time he has taken five wickets or short leg with the total on 121. He hit nine Extras: (b 9, lb 4, nb 1, w1) 15 201 was one two. He slashed at an Andrew more. He claimed 12 wickets in the Test fours and three sixes during his enter- TOTAL: all out 311 Bowling: Hall powerfully, but Herschelle match, 18th time he has done so and now taining 73. Overs: 107.5 M Ntini 7.2 2 13 1, D Steyn 12.4 1 64 0, N Boje Gibbs, probably the best fielder in the has taken ten wickets in his last four Boje, who ended up with the second Fall of wickets: 23 8 76 3, S Pollock 15 2 54 1, A Hall 14 2 46 1-76, 2-119, 3-131, 4-161, 5-206, 6-207, 7-235, 8-280, 9- 0 side, put down the chance and eventually Tests. worst bowling figures in Test his- 282. Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) Billy Bowden (NZ). the missed opportunity turned the He finished the series with 22 wickets tory in the first Test, found some turn Bowling: Vaas 19-4-53-0, Malinga 12-1-55-0 (1nb), Third Umpire: T.H. Wijewardene (SL) momentum Sri Lanka's way as the cap- taking his overall tally to 657, behind and accounted for T. M. Dilshan and Maharoof 21-3-53-1 (1w), Muralitharan 46.5-12-97-7, Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND) tain kept his cool and took Sri Lanka Shane Warne's 685. Thirimanna slams unbeaten 134 as SL win Pakistan roar through Strauss wonder Perera 2/37) by Reemus Fernando impressive six wicket win. England collapsed from 190-1 Ian Bell's innings cheaply. Sri Lanka Development Squad 260 for 4 in Cambrian Rumesh Thirimanna SCORES: to 264-5 as Pakistan roared back Strauss had put on 158 for the slammed an unbeaten 134 runs, inclusive Qatar 259 for 7 in 50 overs (Umhar Das 64, F. 42 overs (Rumesh Thirimanna 134 n.o (17x4), (2x6), Umesh Karunaratne 43, Sachith into contention on the fourth first wicket with Marcus of 17 fours and two sixes to guide Sri Ahamed 34, Sachith Pathirana 3/34, Angelo Pathirana 27 n.o) afternoon at Headingley. Trescothick (58). Lanka Development Squad to a six wick- Mohammad Sami and Danish At the wicket were Paul et victory over Qatar, in their ACC Kaneria each took two wickets Collingwood on 12 and Chris arranged limited overs tournament either side of tea to breathe life Read, also on 12. match played at BRC grounds, yesterday. into a match that had been Qatar were restricted to 259 for 7 in 50 labouring towards a probable Scores at the time this edition overs, as spinners Sachith Pathirana and draw. went to press: Angelo Perera shared 5 wickets between Andrew Strauss hit a wonder- England 515 and 264 for 5 them. ful 116 but fell to Sami on the Pakistan 538 (England lead by In reply, Sri Lanka knocked off the stroke of tea before Kamran 241 runs with five wickets required runs with eight overs to spare. Akmal took a fine catch to end Andrew Strauss remaining). While Umesh Karunaratne scored 43, Thirimanna (134 n.o) and Sachith Pathirana (27 n.o) guided Sri Lanka to an India keen to lure foreign stars Indian cricket officials are keen to England's chairman of selectors David bring in foreign players to make domestic Graveney mentioned India when he float- tournaments more exciting, BBC Sport ed the idea of players who are currently reported on Monday. injured getting extra games before the Domestic matches draw far fewer spec- Ashes. tators and less sponsorship than interna- But stars such as Andrew Flintoff and tional games, with leading players rarely Ashley Giles are thought more likely to available. play club cricket in Australia and South "If some big players from abroad come Africa than on the subcontinent. then people will come and see matches," The Board of Control for Cricket in Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag, left, and Sachin Tendulkar watch teammates, unseen, practice dur- said the cricket board's Niranjan Shah. India in February signed a four-year TV ing a training camp in Bangalore, India, Monday, Aug. 7, 2006. The Indian cricket team is preparing for "If our players can play for English rights deal worth £321 million that the tri-nation series in Sri Lanka featuring South Africa, Sri Lanka and India, commencing on Aug. 14. counties then we should also be ready to requires 70 days of domestic games to be (AP Photo/ Aijaz Rahi) bring in outside players." broadcast.

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