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Tea Sri Lanka 472 and 93 for 3 (M Jayawardene 7*, Samaraweera 0*) lead Pakistan 100 (Randiv 4-13, Herath 3-30) by 465 runs
Sri Lanka continued to maintain a vice-like grip on the Galle Test on the third day, but instead of pushing for the kill after bowling out Pakistan for 100, they inexplicably decided to bat again. Even a 372-run first-innings lead, the forecast for rains over the next couple of days and a relatively fresh bowling attack that had bowled for less than two sessions wasn't enough to convince Mahela Jayawardene to enforce the follow-on.
The other major talking point was the umpiring. In a week when the ICC will yet again discuss the Decision Review System, the Galle Test provided more evidence for making the system mandatory for all international matches. There had been a handful of wrong umpiring decisions in the first two days, and another one early on Sunday undermined Pakistan's already slim chances of mounting a fightback, as Younis Khan was adjudged lbw even though he inside-edged the ball. Later in the day, Tillakaratne Dilshan was incorrectly declared not-out after gloving a ball to the wicketkeeper, and then given lbw when the ball was going over the stumps.
The umpiring was poor, but Pakistan can't hide behind that for an abject performance in this match. Pakistan had been given a taste of the challenge ahead in the opening over of the day as Nuwan Kulasekara first found Younis' inside-edge and then the outside-edge. The spinners kept testing the batsmen with turn and bounce, and once Younis fell to Rangana Herath in the tenth over of the day it seemed Pakistan would keel over quickly.
Mohammad Ayub, Pakistan's oldest debutant in since 1956, however, showed remarkable composure against the spinners, defending solidly and using the sweep regularly. He was less composed when Adnan Akmal called him for a second after paddling the ball to fine leg. Akmal was going to the danger end, but Ayub started, hesitated and then turned back, meaning both batsmen found themselves at the same end. Akmal was livid, shouting "My call, my call, I said 'yes'," at Ayub before departing in a huff. That exposed the Pakistan tail, and Sri Lanka's spinners finished off the job at the stroke of lunch.
There had been overnight rain over the past three days, and showers are predicted over the following two as well. With eight sessions remaining, Pakistan's miniscule chances of saving this game depends on the Sri Lankan monsoon.
Sri Lanka continued to maintain a vice-like grip on the Galle Test on the third day, but instead of pushing for the kill after bowling out Pakistan for 100, they inexplicably decided to bat again. Even a 372-run first-innings lead, the forecast for rains over the next couple of days and a relatively fresh bowling attack that had bowled for less than two sessions wasn't enough to convince Mahela Jayawardene to enforce the follow-on.
The other major talking point was the umpiring. In a week when the ICC will yet again discuss the Decision Review System, the Galle Test provided more evidence for making the system mandatory for all international matches. There had been a handful of wrong umpiring decisions in the first two days, and another one early on Sunday undermined Pakistan's already slim chances of mounting a fightback, as Younis Khan was adjudged lbw even though he inside-edged the ball. Later in the day, Tillakaratne Dilshan was incorrectly declared not-out after gloving a ball to the wicketkeeper, and then given lbw when the ball was going over the stumps.
The umpiring was poor, but Pakistan can't hide behind that for an abject performance in this match. Pakistan had been given a taste of the challenge ahead in the opening over of the day as Nuwan Kulasekara first found Younis' inside-edge and then the outside-edge. The spinners kept testing the batsmen with turn and bounce, and once Younis fell to Rangana Herath in the tenth over of the day it seemed Pakistan would keel over quickly.
Mohammad Ayub, Pakistan's oldest debutant in since 1956, however, showed remarkable composure against the spinners, defending solidly and using the sweep regularly. He was less composed when Adnan Akmal called him for a second after paddling the ball to fine leg. Akmal was going to the danger end, but Ayub started, hesitated and then turned back, meaning both batsmen found themselves at the same end. Akmal was livid, shouting "My call, my call, I said 'yes'," at Ayub before departing in a huff. That exposed the Pakistan tail, and Sri Lanka's spinners finished off the job at the stroke of lunch.
There had been overnight rain over the past three days, and showers are predicted over the following two as well. With eight sessions remaining, Pakistan's miniscule chances of saving this game depends on the Sri Lankan monsoon.