Sri Lanka build huge lead over Pakistan

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AFP) –

Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan (left) plays a shot as Pakistan wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal looks on during their Test Match in Galle. Sri Lanka were 93-3 in their second innings at tea on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan, giving them an overall lead of 465 runs.

Pakistan faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle after the hosts gained a mammoth 465-run lead during the third day’s play on Sunday.

Having bowled out Pakistan for 100 earlier in the day in reply to their own 472, Sri Lanka went to tea at 93-3 in their second knock after declining to enforce the follow-on.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (56) and Tharanga Paranavitana put on 81 for the first wicket to provide Sri Lanka’s second innings a fluent start.

The hosts, overwhelming favourites to go 1-0 up in the three-match series, are expected to declare in the final session to test Pakistan a second time on the spin-friendly wicket.

Pakistan, who barely managed to surpass their lowest-ever total against Sri Lanka of 90, were bundled out at the stroke of lunch after resuming the day at 48-5.

Off-spinner Suraj Randiv grabbed 4-13 in 9.3 overs and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath took 3-30 to leave the Pakistanis in disarray.

The Test has been marred by at least 10 contentious decisions over the last three days by umpires Steve Davis and Ian Gould, with six of them going against the tourists.

But the Umpires Decision Review System (UDRS), which allows reviews by the television umpire, is not being used in this series.

Gould ruled Dilshan not out when Saeed Ajmal appealed for a leg-side catch by the wicket-keeper when the batsman was on 44. Replays showed the ball go off the bat.

Ajmal, who bagged five wickets in the first innings, finally earned a break in his next over when Gould accepted his loud appeal for leg-before against Paranavitana.

Dilshan fell three balls later, caught behind off left-arm seamer Junaid Khan to make Sri Lanka 85-2.

Kumar Sangakkara, who made 199 not out in the first outing, managed only one in the second knock when he was snapped up in the covers off Ajmal.

Pakistan were dealt a cruel blow within the first 30 minutes of the start of play when their most experienced batsman Younis Khan was given out leg-before for 29 by umpire Davis.

Television replays showed a clear inside-edge off the bat on to the pad and a surprised Younis, who had scored 14 of the first 17 runs of the day, stood his ground before walking off.

There was no doubt over the next wicket as Adnan Akmal was run out for nine when Mohammad Ayub refused a second run and both batsmen were stranded at the same end.

Ayub, who is 32 and playing his first Test, plodded for two hours to make a dour 25 when he was leg-before to Herath.