Thứ Bảy, 21 tháng 2, 2009

Jayawardene dominates in Pakistan

Captain Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera scored centuries to put Sri Lanka in a commanding position on day one of the first Test against Pakistan.

Jayawardene scored an unbeaten 136 and Samaraweera raced to 130 not out off just 155 balls, as the visitors closed on 406-3 in Karachi.

It was Jayawardene's 25th Test century and on his way to three figures he passed 8,000 Test runs.

It was also a first Test century against Pakistan for Jayawardene.

The Sri Lanka captain was dropped three times by Pakistan, who were playing their first Test for 14 months.

The grassless wicket at the National Stadium gave little response to either the Pakistan seamers or their two spinners.

Paceman Umar Gul (1-82) could not hold on to a low return catch when Jayawardene was on 17.

And he got another life when Misbah-ul-Haq, who took all three catches in the innings, dropped a regulation chance in the slips.

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It came just after Jayawardene, who is in his final series as captain, had driven debutant fast bowler Sohail Khan for a boundary to become the first Sri Lanka player to reach the 8,000-runs mark.

Jayawardene, playing in his 101st Test, completed his century in the last session when he cut leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to the boundary.

The captain, who was also dropped by Shoaib Malik when he was on 123 late in the afternoon, struck 20 boundaries in his five-hour knock and faced 239 deliveries.

Samaraweera hit 21 fours in his century and drove off-spinner Malik straight down the ground for a boundary to complete his seventh Test hundred.

Earlier, Sri Lanka lost debutant Tharanga Paranavitana to the first ball he faced but Kumar Sangakkara (70) and Malinda Warnapura, with 59 off 48 balls, gave the visitors the upper hand before Jayawardene and Samaraweera assumed total control.

BBC

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