Azhar ton puts Pakistan ahead of Sri Lanka

Azhar Ali

DUBAI, (Reuters) – A watchful first test century for  Azhar Ali took Pakistan to 281 for four at the close on the  second day of the second test yesterday and sent them past Sri  Lanka’s first innings total of 239.   

Azhar endured a torrid time in the “nervous nineties”,  thrashing his bat in frustration on several occasions after  failing to capitalise on loose deliveries, but eventually he  reached the milestone from 229 balls.  

The 26-year-old faced a further 13 balls without adding to  his 100 runs and was unluckily dismissed lbw off the slow  bowling of captain Tillakaratne Dilshan despite a bottom edge  onto his pads.   

Azhar Ali

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq provided able support in their 94-run  stand, notching up an unbeaten 40 to leave Pakistan 42 runs  ahead of their Asian rivals after cautiously adding 239 runs  from 90 overs to their overnight score of 42 without loss.    

Pakistan, hosting the three-test series in the Gulf region  due to security concerns at home, had also dominated the opening  day’s play to dismiss Sri Lanka relatively cheaply on Wednesday.   

Early yesterday Sri Lanka medium pacer Dhammika Prasad  removed the Pakistan openers in quick succession, first sending  a full delivery across Taufeeq Umar (27) who could only edge  behind to give debutant wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva his first  catch in test cricket.  
 
Two overs later, Prasad struck again when he removed  Mohammad Hafeez lbw for 33 when the right-hander misjudged a  sharp delivery that came back from outside off and rapped his  pads in front of the stumps.   

Azhar added 117 for the third wicket with Younis Khan (55),  who edged onto his stumps shortly before the tea interval at the  Dubai International Stadium.   
The former captain had looked untroubled, bringing up his 50  by hoisting Dilshan over the rope for six, however the spinner  had the last laugh when he dismissed Younis a short while later.   

Sri Lanka battled to earn a draw in last week’s first test  in Abu Dhabi while the third and final match of the series will  be played in Sharjah from Nov. 3.  
 
While the match was going on, jurors in London retired to  consider their verdict in the match-fixing trial of Pakistan  cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, who are accused of  plotting to bowl deliberate no-balls against England last year.   

Scoreboard
Sri Lanka first innings 239
(K. Sangakkara 78; U. Gul 3-78,  S. Ajmal 3-45)   

Pakistan first innings (overnight 42-0)   
M. Hafeez lbw b Prasad                                   33   
T. Umar c Silva b Prasad                                27   
A. Ali lbw b Dilshan                                        100   
Y. Khan b Dilshan                                              55   
Misbah-ul Haq not out                                    40   
Saeed Ajmal not out                                           5   
Extras (b-6, lb-10, w-2, nb-3)                      21   
Total (four wickets; 99 overs)                   281   
Fall of wickets: 1-63 2-64 3-181 4-275   
To bat: A. Shafiq, A. Akmal, U. Gul, S. Ajmal, J. Khan, A.  Rehman   
Bowling (to date): Welegedara 20-4-50-0 (1w), Prasad  20-1-73-2 (3nb), Herath 23-3-56-0, Lakmal 20-7-38-0 (1w),  Dilshan 16-1-48-2