KARACHI: Kusal Perera was at the forefront of a rescue mission that propelled Sri Lanka ‘A’ to a fighting first-innings total of 273 on the opening day of the third and final unofficial Test against Pakistan ‘A’ in Dambulla on Wednesday.
Perera, the scourge for the touring team’s bowlers with scores of 114 not out, 110, 87, 119 not out and 23 in the previous five innings, once again made a major contribution with 90 and found excellent support from Nisala Tharaka (76) after the home side had slumped to 100-6 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium after Pakistan ‘A’ skipper Fawad Alam elected to field first at the toss.
The two 24-year-olds forged a seventh-wicket partnership of 124 in 28 overs after the top-order failed to get going. Openers Udara Jayasundera and Dhananjaya de Silva fell to Mir Hamza and Tabish Khan inside the opening nine overs.
Madawa Warnapura and Kithuruwan Vithanage then put on 55 before Sri Lanka ‘A’ lost four wickets in the space of 24 runs. Warnapura was bowled by seamer Shehzad Azam Rana for 14 and Vithanage departed same way to the same bowler after having hit eight boundaries in a 67-ball 48.
In between those dismissals, Fawad sent back his Sri Lankan counterpart Ashan Priyanjan (7) and Asela Gunaratne (4) with his slow left-armers.
Perera was within sight of his 11th first-class century when Tabish had him caught by Pakistan ‘A’ vice-captain Umar Amin. The left-hander’s 101-ball included 12 boundaries and a brace of sixes.
Malinda Pushpakumara, the left-arm spinner playing his first game of the series, lasted 11 balls but failed to open his account when Shehzad claimed his third victim in the same manner as his first two.
Tharaka found a useful partner in tailender Dushmantha Chameera as the two added 38 for the ninth wicket.
Tharaka was caught behind off Fawad after striking 11 fours and two sixes before the Pakistan ‘A’ captain terminated the hosts’ innings by cleaning up last man Lahiru Gamage for a duck to finish with four for 40 in 21 overs.
Shehzad took three for 54 in 14 overs and Tabish had figures of two for 65 from his 14 overs.
Openers Khurram Manzoor (14) and Shan Masood (7) survived 14 overs when Pakistan ‘A’ reached stumps at 20-0.
The first two Tests in Colombo and Pallekele were drawn after rain disrupted both four-day fixtures, while Sri Lanka ‘A’ won the preceding one-day series 2-1.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA ‘A’ (1st Innings):
M.D.U.S. Jayasundera lbw b Mir Hamza 6
D.M. de Silva lbw b Tabish 13
M.S. Warnapura b Shehzad 14
K.D.K. Vithanage b Shehzad 48
S.M.A. Priyanjan v Fawad 7
M.D.K.J. Perera c Umar b Tabish 90
D.A.S. Gunaratne c Adnan b Fawad 4
N. Tharaka c Adnan b Fawad 76
P.M. Pushpakumara b Shehzad 0
P.V.D. Chameera not out 12
P.L.S. Gamage b Fawad 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-1) 3
TOTAL (all out, 74 overs) 273
FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-21, 3-76, 4-89, 5-89, 6-100, 7-224, 8-235, 9-273.
BOWLING: Tabish Khan 14-2-65-2; Mir Hamza 11-2-64-1 (1w); Zia-ul-Haq 10-1-34-0; Shehzad Azam Rana 14-2-54-3; Fawad Alam 21-4-40-4; Umar Amin 4-0-14-0.
PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings):
Khurram Manzoor not out 13
Shan Masood not out 7
EXTRAS 0
TOTAL (for no wkt, 14 overs) 20
TO BAT: Umar Amin, Ali Asad, Usman Salahuddin, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal, Tabish Khan, Shehzad Azam Rana, Mir Hamza, Zia-ul-Haq.
BOWLING (to-date): Gamage 3-2-4-0; Chameera 2-0-2-0; Tharaka 4-1-10-0; Pushpakumara 4-3-1-0; de Silva 1-0-3-0
UMPIRES: I.D. Gunawardene and R.M.P.J. Rambukwella.
MATCH REFEREE: M.A.W.R. Madurusinghe.
Published in Dawn, May 21th, 2015
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