Dilshan completes 5000 test runs while Sangakkara replaces Gavaskar as highest scorer against Pakistan
Till an hour ahead of close, it appeared as if the second test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was meandering to a draw, and that Sri Lanka will not lose the series, having taken a 1-0 lead, winning the first test at Galle.
But four wickets in the last session of play, a deficit of 74 more runs to avoid the follow on means that Day 5 will have something for the spectators.
At stumps on day 4 of the second test, Sri Lanka had made 278 for the loss of five wickets in its first innings at the Sinhalese Sports Grounds after more than a day’s play has so far been lost due to rain.
For the records hunter, there is no better ground in Sri Lanka. Sangakkara surpassed Gavasakar as the highest scorer against Pakistan; completed 2000 runs in a single ground; Dilshan went past his 5000 runs and Sangakkara also became the batsman with the highest number of centuries against Pakistan.
Dilshan was unusually cautious after his free-stroking ways of Day 3, and his 121 runs took 195 balls. He finally fell to Junaid Khan, who while bowling left arm round, manages to get the old ball to dip in. Captain Mahela Jayawardene (0) came in and went, for his first duck at the SSG. It was nightmare of a decision - he was hit high, outside the line, but the umpire decide otherwise. Another shockingly bad decision saw Thilan Samaraweera survive a Junaid Khan over. Samaraweera, however, went after facing 18 nervous balls, Saeed Ajmal trapping him in front. The ball was pitched in line and slided on to hit the pads, below the knee roll. Suraj Randiv, the night watchman, would have gone first ball too, but survived the scare.
