Monday, March 2, 2009

SRILANKA VS PAKISTAN 2nd TEST:PAK ON A SOLID START DESPITE SRILANKA'S MASSIVE TOTAL

Thilan Samaraweera scored his second double hundred in a row and Tillekaratne Dilshan stroked a fluent century as Sri Lanka amassed 606 on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan.Pakistan were 110 for one in reply at the close on Monday with Salman Butt run out in the final over of the day for 48.Fellow opener Khurrum Manzoor is unbeaten on 59.Samaraweera scored a majestic 214 and Dilshan 145, overshadowing career-best test figures of six for 135 by Umar Gul.The 32-year-old Samaraweera, who scored 231 in the drawn first test in Karachi, batted for almost seven hours, facing 338 balls and hitting 32 fours."I have changed my attitude towards batting and now I am more positive and play my shots," said Samaraweera."Now I am more positive and I look to play my shots. I have also narrowed down my stance and increased my backlift which has made batting more comfortable for me in last four series."
Samaraweera said a result was still possible in the test if the pace bowlers bowled in the right areas."I think Gul today bowled the right length just short. If our bowlers can hit the areas we can get a result. The pitch should also develop cracks on the final day for our spinners."Samaraweera's long innings ended when was run out when he called for a sharp single to cover from where Shoaib Malik relayed the ball to the wicketkeeper via Danish Kaneria with both batsmen stranded in the middle.His dismissal ended a record 207-run fifth wicket stand with Dilshan, the best for the wicket by Sri Lanka against Pakistan, surpassing the 143 between Russell Arnold and Romesh Kaluwitharana set at Lahore in 1999.Dilshan, who was also run out after tea, raced to his eighth test hundred from just 109 balls, cutting Kaneria for a four to reach the milestone. He also completed 3,000 career runs.

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