Saud's double ton puts Pakistan on top against Sri Lanka in first Test
GALLE (AFP) - Saud Shakeel hit his maiden double century in Tests as Pakistan stretched their lead to a dominant 149 against Sri Lanka on day three of the rain-hit opening match on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka bowled out the tourists for 461 in the final session after a frustrating ninth-wicket stand of 94 between Shakeel, who remained unbeaten on 208, and Naseem Shah, who made six off 78 balls. The 27-year-old Shakeel, who is playing his sixth Test, ruled as he cut Dhananjaya de Silva for a boundary to bring up his double century to a standing ovation.
The hosts ended the day on 14 for no loss after bad light stopped another rain-affected day. Sri Lanka still trail Pakistan by 135 runs in their second innings. Nishan Madushka, on eight, and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, on six, were batting at close of play.
The Sri Lankan bowlers led by off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, who ended with a five-wicket haul, hit back in the second session but Shakeel combined with the lower-order including a 52-run seventh-wicket stand with Noman Ali, who made 25.
But it was his 177-run partnership with Agha Salman, who hit 83, that drove Pakistan's bounce back from 101-5 in their reply to Sri Lanka's 312. Shakeel was dropped twice on 93 and 139 as he went past his previous best of 125 not out. Both Shakeel and Salman scored runs briskly and hit regular boundaries but the run rate dipped after Salman's departure.
The day started late due to rain, which affected play on the previous two days, prompting officials to re-adjust the session timings.
SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka 1st innings 312 (D. de Silva 122; Shaheen 3-86, Naseem 3-90, Abrar 3-68)
Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 221-5, Shakeel 69, Salman 61)
A. Shafique c de Silva b Jayasuriya 19
Imam-ul-Haq c sub (P.Mendis) b Rajitha 1
S. Masood lbw b R.Mendis 39
B. Azam c Samarawickrama b Jayasuriya 13
S. Shakeel not out 208
S. Ahmed lbw b Jayasuriya 17
A. Salman st Samarawickrama b Mendis 83
N. Ali lbw b Mendis 25
S. Shah Afridi lbw b Fernando 9
N. Shah b Mendis 6
A. Ahmed c Mathews b Mendis 10
Extras (b9, lb8, w8, nb6) 31
Total (all out, 121.2 overs) 461
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Haq), 2-47 (Shafique), 3-67 (Masood), 4-73 (Azam), 5-101 (Sarfaraz), 6-278 (Salman), 7-330 (Noman), 8-346 (Shaheen), 9-440 (Naseem), 10-461 (Abrar)
Bowling: Fernando 18-1-69-1 (w3), Rajitha 19-1-77-1 (nb6, w5), Jayasuriya 35-3-145-3, R. Mendis 42.2-2-136-5, de Silva 7-1-17-0
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
N. Madushka not out 8
D. Karunaratne not out 6
Extras 0
Total (no loss, 3.4 overs) 14
Still to bat: K. Mendis, A. Mathews, D. de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, S. Samarawickrama, R. Mendis, P. Jayasuriya, V. Fernando, K. Rajitha
Bowling: Shaheen 2-0-8-0, Naseem 1-0-4-0, Salman 0.4-0-2-0
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS).
