Sri Lanka have won the toss again. Mahela Jayawardene has decided to bowl again. Says the wicket has been under cover for three days, and accepts some life. The signs are clear: Sri Lanka are going for 2-0 and not 1-0. Unfortunate news: TM Dilshan’s kids are not well, and he has asked for a leave. Dinesh Chandimal has replaced him. MJ says, "A greet opportunity for him."Pakistan, who were also hoping to get a bowl first, have overhauled their attack. They have left out Abdur Rehman for an extra quick, and have also excluded Aizaz Cheema. Which means both Umar Gul and, drum roll please, Mohammad Sami are in.
This is the seventh straight toss Sri Lanka have won. And let me tell you, Pakistan are fighting history here. For about nine years leading up to Murali’s retirement, Sri Lanka didn’t lose a single home Test after winning the toss. Since then, though, they have lost two: to India and England at P Sara Oval. On a side note, is that why the most sporting wicket in Sri Lanka, the one at P Sara, didn’t get a Test this series? And with that conspiracy theory aired, let’s get ready for the start 9.50am The pitch has a fair sprinkling of green. Live grass too. The surface is firm too. **Pakistan will be tested in the first session. The openers - opening together for the 18th Test in a row, a Pakistan record - have their work cut out.
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At lunch
Pak 81/4.
Hafeez, taufeeq, Azhar and Younis gone. Azhar and Younis for a duck.
No chance of rain but it is really shameful that two tuk tuk's are trying to bat so slow and save the match. What we need here is Umar Akmal and the other brilliant batsmen (no name mentioned) to hit a quick 20 and make Pak 100/6. Now that is batting, fast and furious, so what if we lose the match at least we wont have to suffer tuk tuk.
“Despite this only being the beginning of the third test of a highly rain affected series, there have already been 14 ducks. I can’t imagine that there has been a three-test series with more quackers.” Gareth, given the history of dramatic collapses whenever these teams face each other, not a bad place for poultry farming
"Coming to the topic of Umar Akmal, i still remember how highly Umar & Virat Kohli were regarded as the future of their respective countries, Virat grabbed his opportunities with both hands but Umar still the same immature and silly batsman as we've seen since his debut." I am sure many agree with Nasir
No chance of rain but it is really shameful that two tuk tuk's are trying to bat so slow and save the match. What we need here is Umar Akmal and the other brilliant batsmen (no name mentioned) to hit a quick 20 and make Pak 100/6. Now that is batting, fast and furious, so what if we lose the match at least we wont have to suffer tuk tuk.
These two tuk tuk have used 30 over between them and scored 72 runs between them... something the brainless batters might have done in one or two overs!!!
Good comeback by Pakistan but they have to keep up the intensity on day 2.
cannot afford to be lax or concede a big first innings lead to SLA. With the ball seaming around, Pak have to make sure that they get early breakthroughs on day 2
Although it looks even-stevens at present, one good partnership can still (potentially) take the game away from Pakistan and put Lanka in a very strong position
Gul was a disappointment, I don’t know what was he trying to achieve by bowling wide of the crease and even wider from the off stump. Sami was a pleasant surprise, hope his radar will stay mended o/n
His test bowling average is 51.68 most batsmen will be proud of that..
This is Sami’s 36th test. 85 wickets at 51.68 (SR 86.50)
Our tail is a disappointment. They tend to gift their wickets away. Adnan, Gul, Sami all three were guilty of playing loose shots at a time when they had a set batsman (Asad) at the other end
Hope umpiring (read Steve Davies) does not get in the way of things like it did in the the first test where any chance of Pak recovery was quickly snuffed out by the 'not so neutral' men in coats
good comeback by pakistani bowlers...really impressed by junaid's bowling...I hope he continues his good form. Pakistan have a fairly good chance of winning this if they don't mess up too much!
@ 06:34 - Sangakkara was plumb LBW off Junaid, not given by Steve Davies - ball hit him on back leg right in front of the stumps, height was ok too. Luckily Sanga was bowled next ball
@ 07:46 - Paranavitana was plumb LBW off Gul, not given by Taufel - ball hit him in line, height was ok and there was no inside edge
Hope Adnan is able to keep tomorrow. Taufeeq's keeping was below par (10 byes already conceded). Perhaps Younis would have done a better job than him in Adnan's absence
most batsmen will be proud of that..