Klusener holds up Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, AUG. 6. An entertaining 69-run stand between Lance Klusener and Shaun Pollock helped South Africa recover from a poor start to post a first day total of 194 for seven in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Klusener, joint man-of-the-match in the Kandy Test which South Africa won to square the series, followed his unbeaten century with 50 not out when rain forced an early end to the day's play, 42 minutes after tea.

The hard-hitting left-hander notched five fours in his 50 off 63 balls in 117 minutes. With captain Pollock, who scored 33 off 64 balls, Klusener raised the total from a shaky 117 for six to 186 for seven, before off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan broke through.

Pollock batted confidently, but failed to get on top of a Muralitharan delivery and was bowled off the inside edge for 33. Sri Lanka which lost the second Test at Kandy by seven runs last week, got off to a fine start when it captured three wickets for 63 by lunch after Sanath Jayasuriya won the toss for the third time in the series and elected to field.

The start was delayed by 20 minutes because of rain, and the Sri Lanka seam bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Ruchira Perera extracted a lot of movement and bounce from the pitch to put South African batting under pressure.

Perera returning to the venue where he made his Test debut last year, captured the wickets of openers Neil McKenzie and Gary Kirsten, but it was Vaas who ended with the best figures for the day taking three for 50.

Two of his wickets fell to brilliant catches on the outfield. Darryl Cullinan was held by a diving Marvan Atapattu at deep square leg when he pulled a delivery with his score on 38.

Mark Boucher was out to superb catch by Upul Chandana at cover point taken inches off the ground for four. The third wicket was that of Jacques Kallis who received a superb delivery that rose off a good length to take the outside edge to the wicket-keeper.

Muralitharan also entered the fray with two vital wickets. He had Jonty Rhodes and Pollock both playing on to deliveries which spun sharply.

- AFP

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