Sri Lanka’s high order continued to wrestle in opposition to Pakistan’s quicks as Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi made early inroads to scale back the hosts to 4-79 at lunch on the primary day of the second Test at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
After Sri Lanka opted to bat first they have been quickly in all kinds of bother after some mindless batting.
Rain had delayed the beginning of play by one hour however when the sport started, opening batsman Nishan Madushka (4) was run out within the third over.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne pushed an Afridi supply to cowl level and hurried for a single however Shan Masood moved in from further cowl and threw down the stumps with Madushka in need of his crease on the striker’s finish.
Kusal Mendis (6) then drove Afridi straight to cowl level the place substitute fielder Mohammad Rizwan took a simple catch.
Naseem modified ends and dismissed Angelo Mathews (9) and Karunaratne (17) in successive overs.
Mathews edged one to the wicketkeeper whereas Karunaratne chopped one onto his stumps trying a drive.
At 4-36, Sri Lanka have been in actual bother however an unbeaten 43-run stand for the fifth wicket between Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal steadied the innings, although a lot work was left to be achieved.
De Silva, Sri Lanka’s hero within the first Test with 100 and a half-century, performed some elegant pictures and took on Pakistan’s spinners.
He was unbeaten on 33 off 40 deliveries with seven fours.
Chandimal was 9 not out.
Sri Lanka dropped quicks Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando, who had featured within the opening Test and introduced in Asitha Fernando and debutant Dilshan Madushanka, a extremely rated left-arm fast.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
