Sangakkara The Difference

Younis Khan (87) and Asad Shafiq (80)
added 151 for the fifth wicket

It was a match that was lost in two days but it took four to read the rites over Pakistan.

Batting fourth, Pakistan were never going to draw the Test, let alone chase down the massive 509 run difference between the sides after Sri Lanka declared its second innings. In the face of their poor form with bat and ball on the first three days, they started the day at 3-36 and a hiding was quite on the cards. After all, they only just managed three figures in their first innings: but Pakistani cricket is made of sterner stuff these days and led by their Rock of Ages, Younis Khan, they at least made Sri Lanka take a second ball and kept them in the field for most of the last day.

Only two wickets were lost before tea was taken - night watchman Saeed Ajmal, who raced for the batsmen's end in the second over of the morning for a single that was non existent and was thrown out by a Randiv direct hit as he tried to retrace his steps; and Asad Shafiq, who edged Ranga Herath to the safest slipper in world cricket, Mahela Jayawardene. Asad is a fine player - much better than his average in the high thirties. With only one century (against Bangladesh late last year) he has often made good starts but failed to get the big scores to repay the faith regular captain Misbah-ul-Haq has in him. Nine times in twenty Test innings he has passed 40. He was a sound ally for Younis, combating the spin threat of Herath and Randiv for three and half hours and adding 151 with his senior partner in what could only be a losing cause.

Such displays of heart soon return teams to bounce-back positions.

Kulesakara took 2-27 and 3-48

The new ball accounted for Younis, leaving in the first over as Nuwan Kulesakara again made an in road with the new cherry in his hand. His five wickets in this match have made him the most impressive of the Sri Lankan's as they have always been gained when most needed and always when the ball was new. Concern that Welegedera was injured and unable to play in this series can now be put to rest. Younis edged meekly to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene to end a stay that was entering its fourth session. His 87 fell short of allowing him to stand alone as the scorer of the most centuries in the 4th innings of Test cricket. A fifth would have taken him ahead of Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar, among others, but he bumped his average to a tick over 59 in 4th innings, which makes the second best of all time behind Don Bradman, but then, you would have guessed that.

Mohammad Ayub and Abdur Rehmann fought on with Adnan Akmal as the shadows lengthened but after Nuwan Pradeep got his first Test wicket - to another dubious decision - Randiv ran through the tail after a dry effort with the real batsmen and Sri Lanka completed what was inevitable at stumps on day two.

The 209 run victory belongs to Kumar Sangakkara who was literally the difference between the sides, Kulesakara, who stuck when it was needed and to a lesser extent Herath and Randiv. Both were far less effective in the second innings as the Pakistani batsmen remembered first principles.

First blood to Sri Lanka but Pakistan will be a different side in Colombo and Pallekele. For Pakistan, the docile Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo looms as a draw. Its Sangakkara's favourite batting strip, with an average in the mid seventies and seven centuries, including three doubles. Two years ago, Sri Lanka made 600 and India 700. At Pallekele, there is rarely a match played without rain being a contributor so the conditions might be the greatest opponent in squaring the series. Jayawardene tends to be defensive when leading a series and will put the wagons in a circle. He's fought Indians. He knows what lies ahead better than most.

A disappointing match for Pakistan but these sides are more even than this result.