Pakistan wins Sri Lanka's centenary Test

COLOMBO, JUNE 17. Wasim Akram produced a lethal spell of fast bowling to rout Sri Lanka for 123 and then showed a solid batting performance to inflict a five-wicket defeat on the host in the first Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds today.

The defeat was especially bitter for Sri Lanka, which was marking its 100th Test amid expectations of a memorable win.

Pakistan, needing 131 for victory, slumped to 89 for five before Akram, promoted in the batting order to counter Muttiah Muralitharan's spin, and Younis Khan guided it through. Pakistan leads 1-0 in the three-Test series.

Akram, who won the man-of-the-match award was unbeaten on 20 and Younis Khan, who made 32 not out, finished the match in style by hitting danger-man Muralitharan for two 6s in an over. The off- spinner had earlier given Sri Lanka an outside chance of winning when he snapped up the wickets of Yousuf Youhana and Mohammad Wasim in the first over after the tea break. He then accounted for Inzamam-ul-Haq four overs later to have Pakistan struggling at 66 for four.

Skipper Moin Khan added 23 for the fourth wicket with Akram before falling leg before to Nuwan Zoysa, but Akram and Younis Khan kept their heads to carry Pakistan to victory.

The Test turned out to be a personal triumph for the 34-year-old veteran Akram even though it was a disappointment for the host.

Akram became Test cricket's fourth bowler to take 400 wickets yesterday, and today finished off the Sri Lankan second innings with figures of five for 45 to add to his first innings score of 78.

Before Akram came on to bowl, it was medium pacer Abdur Razzaq who unsettled the Sri Lankan batsmen with a superb morning spell which should have brought him more than the wicket of Aravinda de Silva.

Akram, who replaced him, was fired up when Sri Lankan umpire B.C. Cooray turned down a confident leg before call against tailender Nuwan Zoysa when he was on 13. The angry Akram did not collect his cap from the umpire at the end of the over, but asked one of his team members to do so.

Sri Lanka went to lunch at 117 for seven and was dismissed 30 minutes after the resumption when Akram produced a deadly spell to take three wickets for six runs off 21 balls.

He sent back Chaminda Vaas (20) and Zoysa (13), to be poised on a hat-trick. But Muttiah Muralitharan edged the third ball to long- leg for two.

Akram, however, had the final say when he got through the defences of Dilhara Fernando to take five wickets in an innings for the 25th time in his 96-Test career.

Supporting Akram was off-spinner Arshad Khan who finished with figures of three for 30 for match figures of seven for 92.

- AFP

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