Sangakkara stands tall all day with 130 n.o.

Third Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan drawn :

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from the SSC

It is said that if you can’t win, then you must endeavour not to lose. And that is exactly what the Sri Lankans did to draw the Third and Final Test against Pakistan at the SSC ground, yesterday. Batting the entire day the Lankans lost only a solitary wicket for 208.

When the final day began the Lankans were 183 for three needing another 309 more to win and if Pakistan was to at least win one Test, they needed to bundle out seven more batsmen.

Neither of the longings materialized for both teams and the draw was a fitting result

With 101 required from the final 15 overs, it came as a surprise when the game was called off.

Set 492 to win the Lankans tried their best to make a clean 3 – nil sweep of the series, but their best was not good enough. They finally made 391 for 4 when the Test was called off.

The day belonged to Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara who scored when the opportunity presented and defended dourly to prevent the Pakistanis victory push. Sangakkara and his wife Yeheli were recently blessed with twins and Sangakkara could have marked and celebrated the blessing had he made a double hundred and he would have been tagged ‘double twin’ Sangakkara.

After tea the Lankans required 154 more victory which was a big ask. When the game finally ended Sri Lanka were 391 for with Sangakkara on 130 and Angelo Matthews 64 who struck his maiden Test 50.

When play began on the final day with Sri Lanka on 183 for 3 with Kumar Sangakkara on 50 and Thilan Samaraweera on 20, and if the Lankans were to record a win and rewrite the record books, what was necessary was for the batsmen to step on it and make 100 runs in each session.

Sangakkara and Samaraweera did not allow the Pakistanis a breakthrough. But their rate of scoring was well below the target of 100 runs in each session, managing only 79 runs in the first session. They took lunch at 262 for 3 with Sangakkara on 75 and Samaraweera on 69.

The Pakistanis were in no worry whatsoever as the batsmen were not pushing the runs required and the bowlers kept pegging on and no success came their way because, neither the pacemen or spinners could obtain any help from the wicket

Stroke making too was out of the question because of the slow nature of the wicket. However in the circumstances Samaraweera was the more aggressive and his driving in front of the wicket was a treat to watch. His timing was superb and the moment the ball left the bat it sped to the boundary

Sangakara was content to take the runs when it came and never wanted to take any risks knowing full well that if he was to be dismissed early it could trigger a collapse and any chance his team would have had of sniffing victory would have vanished.

Skipper Younus Khan gave his spinners Saeed Ajmal and Danesh Kaneira whom he was relying on to skittle the Lankan batsmen all encouragement setting attacking fields and urging them on.

But the wicket was a spinners nightmare because there was no spin or bounce which spinners love to have when bowling.

Khan even gave his pacemen Umar Gul and Mohammed Aamer the new ball.But they too could not get any help in the air or off the surface.

After lunch the Lankans required 115 runs in each of the remaining two sessions, if they were to make a cricketing miracle happen. But after lunch, Samaraweera was unfortunate to suffer cramps, and although attended by the physio found his natural easy movement restricted and after adding 4 runs in going to 73 was beaten by a well disguised doosra from Ajmal and snicked to wicket keeper Akmal. He had 11 fours in his well compiled knock.

Sangakkara who was holding the batting together, finally reached a grand century when he swept Kaneira for s single to square leg. It was his 19th Test hundred which had 7 fours and was a truly wonderful three figure score considering the circumstances in which it was made.

It was what is called a captain’s innings and these are heroics that captains are made of.

After the dismissal of Samaraweera, Sangakkara found another willing partner in Angelo Matthews and together they took Sri Lanka to tea at 338 for 4 with Sangakkara on 111 and Matthews on a fighting 33. The Lankans scored 76 in the session after lunch which was well behind the asking rate.

In the final session the Lankans required 155 for an epic victory.

PAKISTAN
1ST INNINGS: 299 
SRI LANKA
1ST INNINGS: 233 
PAKISTAN
2ND INNINGS:
425-9 decl
SRI LANKA
2ND INNINGS

T. Paranavitana c Alam b Malik		 73
M. Warnapura c Malik b Kaneria		 31
K. Sangakkara not out			130
M. Jayawardene c Akmal b Kaneria	  2
T. Samaraweera c Akmal b Ajmal		 73
A. Mathews not out			 64
Extras: (b1, lb7, nb9, w1)		 18
Total (for 4 wkts, 134 overs)		391
To bat: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Chaminda Vaas, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera.
Fall of wickets: 1-83 (Warnapura), 2-139 (Paranavitana), 3-155 (Jayawardene), 4-277 (Samaraweera).
Bowling: Gul 12-0-65-0 (nb5), Aamer 21-5-46-0 (nb1), Younus 8-0-25-0 (w1), 
Ajmal 43-9-95-1, Malik 14-1-38-1 (nb3), Kaneria 36-3-114-2.