COLOMBO, (Reuters) – A heroic undefeated 130 from captain Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka save the third test against Pakistan yesterday with the draw giving them a 2-0 victory in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka resumed on 183-3 chasing an improbable 492-run target and, led by Sangakkara, defied Pakistan’s bowlers throughout an enthralling final day, closing on 391 for four after a rearguard performance lasting 134 overs.
Sangakkara’s marathon 303-ball innings, his 19th test century and first since taking over the captaincy, spanned nearly eight hours and included seven boundaries.
The 31-year-old left-hander was helped either side of lunch by Thilan Samaraweera (73) with whom he added 122 for the fourth wicket, Sri Lanka’s highest partnership in a low-scoring series.
All rounder Angelo Mathews, who scored an unbeaten 64, also provided adhesive support in an undefeated 114-run stand before and after the tea interval.
Sri Lanka’s score was the highest fourth innings total in Sri Lanka, surpassing their 352 against South Africa in 2006.
HIGH HOPES
Pakistan started the day with high hopes of forcing a consolation victory after losing the first two tests, but their bowlers struggled on a flat last-day pitch.
Only one wicket fell on Friday when off spinner Saeed Ajmal had Samaraweera caught behind off his ‘doosra’ just after lunch.
That wicket aside, Sri Lanka’s batsmen were rarely troubled. Sangakkara was dropped the previous evening having scored 40, but his innings on Friday was chanceless.
Samaraweera was the most fluent of the batsmen, scoring 73 off 143 deliveries with 11 boundaries, his highest score of the series on a day when he was recalled to the ODI squad.
Mathews was also impressive in only his third game with a mature and intelligent 64 from 148 balls that included seven fours and one six.
Pakistan leg spinner Danish Kaneria, the most threatening of their bowlers in the test, finished with 2-114 from 36 overs. wever, Ajmal had the heaviest workload of the Pakistan bowlers, taking one for 95 from 43 overs.
