Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 2005-06
Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 2005-06
Charlie Austin
15-Apr-2007
At Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, March 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 2006. Drawn. Toss:
Pakistan.
An intriguing match, during which the pitch improved daily after being drenched
on the washed-out first day, was eventually left drawn after Shoaib Malik dug in for
a maiden Test century. When play finally got under way on a humid, overcast second
morning, Inzamam-ul-Haq won a crucial toss, and in less than an hour Sri Lanka were
in disarray, slumping to 32 for five as Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul extracted
prodigious movement with the new ball. The wicket had sweated under the tarpaulin,
and Gul found both nip and bounce, though Asif was the chief destroyer, swinging
and seaming the ball both ways. His prize dismissals were Sangakkara and Samaraweera,
both dismissed shouldering arms to devilish deliveries that cut back in the opposite
direction after a series of outswingers.
But the batsmen fought back, thanks to a brilliant 69 from Dilshan, the last of the
specialists. He gambled on his natural attacking instincts, clawing back the initiative
along with Maharoof, who showed calm temperament and a correct technique at No.
7; they added 111 for the sixth wicket either side of lunch. The pitch, drying in the
sun, gradually lost its menace as the ball softened, and Sri Lanka eventually reached
185, a modest but respectable total in the circumstances.
Maharoof then followed up his valuable runs with the finest spell of his career so
far. His remodelled action - higher and straighter following long sessions with coach
Tom Moody - gave him both greater pace and control. McGrath-like, he probingly
forced the batsmen to play, while moving the ball enough to pose problems. Pakistan
were in early trouble, but a positive 69 from Imran Farhat gave them the advantage
by the close.
The pitch again helped the bowlers for the first hour of the third day, and Maharoof
struck two crucial early blows, dismissing Inzamam with a wide leg-cutter and bowling
Abdul Razzaq. Then Muralitharan whirled his way through the lower order. Sri Lanka
claimed a lead of nine, a remarkable turnaround, and their batsmen built on that lead
during a long, hot afternoon.
Tharanga, showing impressive composure, negotiated the new ball, and went on to
a fine 72, consolidating the initiative and stitching together useful stands with an outof-
sorts Jayasuriya and Sangakkara. Tharanga's innings was vital - but it was
Sangakkara who dominated afterwards, with an epic 185 in seven and a half hours, a
mature innings of exemplary shot selection and unflagging patience. Jayawardene
caressed a silky 82 himself, and declared midway through the fourth afternoon, setting
a mountainous 458.
Facing Muralitharan in the fourth innings has proved too much for many sides, but
Pakistan secured a draw quite comfortably in the end. Shoaib Malik, neither a regular
opener nor a regular blocker, avoided his normal flamboyance during a match-saving
marathon. Crucially, Sangakkara - not surprisingly exhausted after almost three whole
days on the field - fumbled an edge off Malinga when Malik had made only 14. Murali
did snap up two wickets before the close, but the pitch was becoming ever more placid.
There was some slow turn, but few balls jumped dangerously. Pakistan got through
the morning without losing a wicket, and an 81-minute rain delay helped them to
safety.
Man of the Match: K. C. Sangakkara.
Charlie Austin is Cricinfo's Sri Lankan correspondent