Lankan batsmen bust Indian hopes

LAHORE, MARCH 6: Sri Lanka edged out India to storm into the Asian Test Championship final against Pakistan while Wasim Akram claimed the...

LAHORE, MARCH 6: Sri Lanka edged out India to storm into the Asian Test Championship final against Pakistan while Wasim Akram claimed the first ever Test hat-trick for his country in a late burst on the third day here today.Opener Russel Arnold (123) struck his maiden century and with wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharanana, who made exactly 100, raised 143 runs for the fifth wicket to enable Sri Lanka snatch three batting points required to take their tally (11) beyond India (10) and make the summit clash to come off in Dhaka from March 12 to 16.

Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 328 in reply to Pakistan’s 398-run first innings effort. At stumps, Pakistan had raced to 149 for none in their second knock with Shahid Afridi, dropped five times, unbeaten with a swashbuckling 81 and first innings centurion Wajahatullah Wasti batting on 61.

Sri Lanka expectedly snatched the seven points they needed from this tie to upstage India. After taking all four bowling points yesterday without trouble, they foundthe batting points as they crossed the 300-run mark well under the 100-over stipulation.

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The 32-year-old Akram carved a niche for himself by claiming the hat-trick, scything through the Sri Lankan batting in a four-wicket blitz in the space of 13 balls.

Akram, who has twice claimed hat-tricks in one-dayers, came on only after Sri Lanka were through to the final. He had Kaluwitharana caught behind and bowled Niroshan Bandarathilake and Pramodya Wickremasinghe off the next two balls.

Akram, sixth highest Test wicket-taker with 372 victims, emerged the 24th bowler to claim a hat-trick in Test history. His magical second and final spell read 2.2-0-9-4 and the final analysis four for 30.

Sri Lanka found their second batting point when both Arnold and Kaluwitharana took the innings past the 225-run mark in the morning.The first wicket fell only nearing lunch when off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who claimed an impressive four for 82, bowled Arnold.

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Arnold’s maiden century came off 161 balls and 249 minutesand his 123 lasted just over five hours (208b, 310m, 20×4). The left-hander missed the line trying to sweep Saqlain, but Sri Lanka were just one run short of touching the 300-mark required to seal the final spot.

Kaluwitharana gave excellent support and executed some punishing shots before Akram had him caught behind by Moin Khan to trigger the collapse.Afridi struck 11 fours and a six in his aggressive knock, but was let off thrice (8, 18, 36) before reaching his half-century with seven fours and a six. Wasti was relatively more patient in reaching his fifty with four boundaries and a six.

Scoreboard

Pakistan (1st innings): 398

Sri Lanka (1st innings; overnight 189-4): Rusell Arnold b Saqlain 123, Avishka Gunawardena c Nazir b Akbar 43, Mahela Jayawardene b Saqlain 4, Maravan Attaputtu c Yohanna b Saqlain 23, Hashan Tillekeratne b Saqlain 9, Romesh Kaluwitharana c Moin b Akram 100, Chandika Hathursingha lbw b Afridi 0, Ruwan Kalpage not out 2, Niroshan Bandarathilake b Akram 0, PramodayaWickremasinghe b Akram 0, Sajeewa de Silva b Akram 8; Extras: (lb8, nb8) 16. Total: (all out in 84.3 overs) 328

Fall of wickets: 1-84, 2-91, 3-146, 4-156, 5-299, 6-308,7-320, 8-320, 9-320

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Bowling: Akram 9.2-2-30-4, Akbar 19-4-92-1, Nazir 11-1-45-0, Saqlain 25-6-82-4, Afridi 20-4-71-1

Pakistan (2nd innings): Wajahatullah Wasti batting 61, Shahid Afridi batting 81; Extras: (lb1, nb6) 7. Total: (for no wicket in 40.4 overs) 149Bowling: Wickremasinghe 7-0-23-0, de Silva 12.4-1-49-0, Bandarathilake 13-7-29-0, Kalpage 7-0-46-0, Hathursingha 1-0-1-0.