Sri Lanka well placed in 2nd Pakistan Test

Sri Lanka were 2-162 at tea on Thursday after electing to bat in the second and final Test against Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo.

Upul Tharanga was unbeaten on 81 and Mahela Jayawardene, playing his last Test, was not out four.

Left-handed Tharanga put on 79 for the first wicket with Kaushal Silva (41) and 65 for the second with Kumar Sangakkara (22).

The hosts, on an easy-paced wicket, moved from their lunch score of 0-69, adding 93 runs in the second session.

Jayawardene was lucky to still be there after wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to hold a low catch off left-arm seamer Junaid Khan just before tea.

Silva edged Junaid to Sarfraz 20 minutes after lunch and Sangakkara, who hit 221 in the first Test in Galle, managed just 22 when he was bowled by a superb in-cutter from another left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz.

Pakistan’s fielders lined up to greet Jayawardene, a 37-year-old veteran of 149 Tests, to the crease as fireworks went off in the stands and some 3000 home fans gave him a standing ovation.

The SSC, Jayawardene’s home ground since his early days, was decorated with giant posters of the star batsman, many of them highlighting his career-best score of 374 at the venue in 2006.

The Old Boys’ Association of Nalanda College, where Jayawardene studied, set up a special stand at the ground for his classmates, current students and the college band.

Left-handed Tharanga survived a difficult stumping chance when he was on 24 as a ball from spinner Saeed Ajmal rose alarmingly and struck the keeper on the left ear.

Pakistan’s bowlers toiled manfully in unhelpful conditions to restrict the scoring rate with Junaid looking the most dangerous with 1-41 from 14 overs.

Sri Lanka made two changes from the side that won the first Test by seven wickets to take the lead in the two-match series.

Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara and batsman Lahiru Thirimanne replaced the injured duo of Shaminda Eranga and Kithuruwan Vithanage.

Pakistan left out lanky fast bowler Mohammad Talha to play Riaz.

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