SHAN Masood

KARACHI: Opener Shan Masood and Umar Amin hit contrasting centuries to put Pakistan ‘A’ in command of the decisive third and final unofficial Test against Sri Lanka ‘A’ in Dambulla on Thursday.

Replying to the hosts’ first innings score of 273, Pakistan ‘A’ prospered to 377-4 on day two of the four-day fixture at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

The highlights of the day being the batting of Shan (145) and Umar (127) as the left-handed pair shared an excellent second-wicket partnership of 204 after the tourists had lost Khurram Manzoor to the sixth ball of the morning without any addition to their overnight tally of 20-0.

Khurram was caught by skipper Ashan Priyanjan off paceman Lahiru Gamage for 13. But his dismissal brought in Umar Amin to the crease to partner Shan. Sri Lanka ‘A’ toiled for almost 49 overs for their next wicket as Shan and Umar built a solid platform for their team.

Umar, who was dismissed for 99 in the drawn first Test at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, outscored Shan while making 127 off only 133 deliveries until the 25-year-old vice-captain fell to the Priyanjan-Gamage combination after having struck 14 boundaries and three sixes during the course of his 11th first-class.

Usman Salahuddin then added 68 for the third wicket with Shan before the former was trapped leg-before by occasional leg-spin of Udara Jayasundera for 36 (68 balls, four fours).

UMAR Amin

Pakistan ‘A’ skipper Fawad Alam became Gamage’s third wicket when he was adjudged leg-before for 12.

But Shan, 25, held on until stumps in the company of Ali Asad as the two left-handers put on 62 for the unbroken fifth-wicket stand. Shan negotiated 302 balls during his fifth first-class century while striking 20 boundaries.

Ali was batting on 31 (52 balls, five fours) with Pakistan ‘A’ set to extend their current lead of 104 on Friday.

Gamage finished with fine analysis of 3-67 in 18 overs but the spinners struggled with slow left-armer Malinda Pushpakumara returning figures of 0-80 in 27 overs and off-spinning all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva none for 102 from his 21 overs.

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) 273 (M.D.K.J. Perera 90, N. Tharaka 76, K.D.K. Vithanage 48; Fawad Alam 4-40, Shehzad Azam Rana 3-54, Tabish Khan 2-65).

PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings, overnight 20-0):
Khurram Manzoor c Priyanjan b Gamage13
Shan Masood not out145
Umar Amin c Priyanjan b Gamage127
Usman Salahuddin lbw b Jayasundera36
Fawad Alam lbw b Gamage12
Ali Asad not out31

EXTRAS (B-1, W-11, NB-1)13
TOTAL (for four wkts, 104 overs)377
TO BAT: Adnan Akmal, Tabish Khan, Shehzad Azam Rana, Mir Hamza, Zia-ul-Haq.
BOWLING (to-date): Gamage 18-5-67-3 (2w); Chameera 15-2-58-0 (1nb, 6w); Tharaka 14-2-36-0 (1w); Pushpakumara 27-4-80-0; de Silva 21-0-102-0 (1w); Priyanjan 6-0-24-0; Jayasundera 2-0-9-1.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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