SL recover after early hiccups

Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera notched brilliant hundreds to help Sri Lanka recover from early wobbles on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan.

Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera notched brilliant hundreds to help Sri Lanka recover from early wobbles on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan here on Sunday.

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Samaraweera followed his 231 in the drawn first Test in Karachi with a superb unbeaten 133, while Sangakkara scored 104 as the tourists recovered from 35 for 2 to reach 317 for 4 after Pakistan won the toss and put their opponents in. Pakistan had exploited the early life from a green-looking Gaddafi Stadium pitch by removing openers Malinda Warnapura (8) and Tharanga Paranavitana (21) and then had the prized scalp of skipper Mahela Jayawardene (30). But left-hander Sangakkara and Samaraweera settled down gradually and benefited from some sloppy work by Pakistan fielders who dropped two crucial catches — one off each batsmen.

For Pakistan, pace spearhead Umar Gul (3-67) provided breakthroughs but Sangakkara-Samaraweera pair foiled all the home team’s attempts until their 204-run stand for the fourth wicket was broken with the second new ball. Sangakkara snicked to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in Yasir Arafat’s second over with the new ball. Sangakkara hit eight boundaries during his 334-minute stay.

Samaraweera had hit 19 boundaries off 205-balls when bad light stopped play 3.2 overs early. Tillakaratne Dilshan was unbeaten on three. When Samaraweera came to bat, Sangakkara was unbeaten on 32 but the right-hander outscored his partner, hoisting Shoaib Malik towards mid-wicket for his 14th boundary to reach his ninth Test hundred. An over later, Sangakkara took two runs to complete his 18th Test hundred.