Lanka wins first Test by 50 runs

Pakistan commits hara-kiri

Sa’adi Thawfeeq reporting from Galle

A triumphant Sri Lanka team celebrates a great victory (Pix by Pushpakumara Matugama)

GALLE: Sri Lanka dished out unbelievable stuff at the Galle International Stadium yesterday when they came back from the dead to win the first cricket Test against Pakistan by 50 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
The Test was written off by virtually everyone as a victory for Pakistan when the third day ended with Pakistan chasing 168 runs for victory finishing on 71-2. First innings century-maker Mohammad Yousuf was at the crease unbeaten on 12 with in-form opener Salman Butt on 28. But within the first hour of play yesterday the entire complexion of the game had changed against the run of play. Starting the fourth day needing only a further 97 runs for victory with eight second innings wickets intact, Pakistan went sliding to 85-7 and eventually crashed landed for 117, six minutes before lunch handing out Sri Lanka a dramatic victory. It was Pakistan’s lowest total against Sri Lanka in a Test. The previous low was also when Sri Lanka won at home against Pakistan in March 1986 when they beat them by eight wickets. On that occasion Pakistan was dismissed for 132.
It was a Test Pakistan should have wrapped up with their eyes closed, but lost due to some appalling batting and disciplined bowling by Sri Lanka. Pakistan cricket has always been unpredictable and yesterday was a clear case of that notion when they simply threw away a golden chance to go one-up in the series. Given the manner of their defeat, coming back into this series will be a massive task for Pakistan although one must bear in mind that they are usually slow starters as they showed in the recently concluded World Twenty20.
The highest score to win a Test at Galle was just six runs, and had Pakistan won this game, they would have achieved only the third-highest score in the fourth innings at this venue. But they squandered that opportunity after being in a situation to win it comfortably. There will undoubtedly be a lot of introspection about this devastating loss. Sri Lanka who has never won a series against them at home now stands an excellent chance of reversing their poor home record against Pakistan.
The crucial blow for Pakistan was struck by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath when he dismissed Yousuf in the second over of the morning without adding to his overnight score. Yousuf was trapped lbw playing half forward to a delivery which he misread. He played for the turn but the ball kept its line and went straight through to rap him on the pads in line with the stumps. Three balls later Butt also perished without adding to his score when a sudden rush of blood saw him go after Herath but only ended in skying a catch to deep square leg.
The quick dismissals of the overnight pair put the rest of the Pakistan batting under pressure and they collapsed like a pack of cards. Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal both fell cheaply in successive overs to another left-armer Thilan Thushara who suddenly found the right line and produced some unplayable deliveries.
Pakistan’s last chance of making a match of it evaporated when wicket-keeper Tillakaratne Dilshan ran out vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq with a smart piece of fielding. The batsman’s ill-judged attempt at a single resulted in his downfall, and all of a sudden Pakistan was starring down the barrel.
Having done the main damage with a superb morning spell of 7-3-8-2 Herath was rested briefly and brought back to finish off the innings picking up a further two wickets to end with career best figures of four for 15 off 11.5 overs. It was the fifth occasion he had finished with a four-for in an innings in a 15-Test career. His previous best was 4 for 38 against Bangladesh at the Sara Stadium four years ago.
Sri Lanka had beaten Pakistan only once before at home – in March 1986 when they won by eight wickets at the CCC grounds. Since then the two nations have played each other in Sri Lanka in 12 Tests and Pakistan have emerged victorious on six occasions with the remaining six ending in draws.
Sri Lanka have once again found Galle to be a lucky venue after a lapse of seven years during which period they had lost twice and drawn thrice. The last win here was against Zimbabwe by 315 runs in 2002. An interesting coincidence is that Pakistan who had a lead of 50 runs in the first innings lost by the same margin at the end!
The second Test starts at the Saravanamuttu Stadium on Sunday.

Scores
Sri Lanka 292 and 217,
Pakistan 342 and 117 (Overnight 71-2: target 168 runs) (44.3) (Salman Butt 28, Rangala Herath 4/15, Thilan Thushara 2/21, Ajantha Mendis 2/27)