By CricketCountry Staff
The second day of the third and final Test was washed out without a ball being bowled due to bad weather in Pallekele on Monday.
Published: Jul 10, 2012, 09:45 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 10, 2012, 09:45 AM (IST)
The interruption gave Pakistani wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal time to recover from a hairline fracture in his left hand after he was hit by a rising ball from fast bowler Dilhara Fernando on the first day © AFP
By CricketCountry Staff
Pallekele: Jul 10, 2012
The second day of the third and final Test was washed out without a ball being bowled due to bad weather in Pallekele on Monday.
The entire field at the Pallekele International Stadium was covered as incessant rain since early morning, the heaviest in the region in the last two months, kept the players indoors.
Umpires Steve Davis and Simon Taufel waited till 3:00 pm (0930 GMT) before they abandoned play for the day when the weather showed no signs of clearing.
Light rain has been forecast for the remaining three days.
The match is evenly poised after an enthralling opening day’s cricket on Sunday when Pakistan reduced Sri Lanka to 44-3 after being shot out for 226 in their first innings.
The interruption gave Pakistani wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal time to recover from a hairline fracture in his left hand after he was hit by a rising ball from fast bowler Dilhara Fernando on the first day.
Akmal, who retired hurt on 10 but later returned to make 24, did not take the field in Sri Lanka’s first innings where Taufeeq Umar kept wickets.
Sri Lanka bowled out Pakistan for 226 on day one of the third Test, Pakistan will look to disturb the Lankans on day two of the final Test in Pallekele on Sunday.
Young seamer Thisara Perera grabbed a career-best 4 for 63 on the opening day.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath chipped in with three wickets after Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene put the tourists in to bat for the second consecutive match.
Pakistan hit back to reduce Sri Lanka to 44 for 3 by stumps as left-arm seamer Junaid Khan removed Dinesh Chandimal and dangerman Kumar Sangakkara in the space of four deliveries.
Chandimal was leg-before for eight, while Sangakkara was bowled for zero after making 199 not out and 192 in the previous two Tests.
Mohammad Sami then trapped skipper Jayawardene leg-before in the last over to cap an absorbing day’s play at the Pallekele International Stadium.
Pakistan, looking for a series-levelling win, failed to adjust to the moving ball on a responsive wicket and collapsed to 56-4 soon after the first hour of play.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 226 all-out (Asad Shafiq 75, Misbah-ul-Haq 40; Thisara Perera 4 for 63, Nuwan Kulasekara 2 for 44) lead Sri Lanka 44 for 3 (Tharanga Paranavitana 13*, Mahela Jayawardene 12; Junaid Khan 2 for 15) by 182 runs
Catch live score and ball-by-ball commentary of the third Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, here
