Sri Lanka fail to defend 342 in their fortress  

Rex Clementine in Galle

Not being able to defend 342 in Galle looks unimaginable, but yet, that’s the reality as Pakistan stunned Sri Lanka with a remarkable run chase to take a 1-0 lead in the two match Test series that ended in the southern coastal town yesterday. Partially, Sri Lanka’s bowling is inexperienced and partly their wicketkeeper has lost the plot with excessive appealing, sloppy glove work and careless batting. Perhaps, it’s time that the sport is taken seriously by both – Mr. Dickwella and those who keep picking him.

No team had chased 342 successfully in Galle where spinners have dominated. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne blamed lack of support for left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who finished with nine wickets. In two Tests, he has 21 scalps now. Karunaratne also faulted the team’s first innings batting where they were shot out for 222 after winning the toss.

All credit to Abdullah Shafique, a 22-year-old featuring in his sixth Test match, who posted his career best score showing great application having batted for over eight hours and faced 408 deliveries, a remarkable feat in Galle batting in the fourth innings.

Shafique hit just seven fours and one six, with the seventh boundary, a cover drive off Jayasuriya brining Pakistan’s victory. He was dropped thrice, 77, 135 and 151, and on all three occasions Dhananjaya de Silva was the bowler. He himself missed a return catch.

The day began with Pakistan needing 120 runs with eight wickets in hand. A 71 run stand for the fourth wicket between Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan inched Pakistan closer to victory. When Jayasuriya trapped Rizwan leg before wicket, Pakistan required less than 70 runs.

Two more wickets fell either side of lunch – Agha Salman and  Hasan Ali, but as long as Shafique was out there, Pakistan had little to worry.

With the tourists needing 11 runs to win, a heavy downpour forced the players indoors and for a brief moment Sri Lankan players would have thought that they had got out of jail. However, play resumed after tea with the ground staff here doing an excellent job and Shafique together with Mohammad Nawaz knocked off the target.

The teams will remain in Galle for the second Test that begins on Sunday. The game  was initially planned in Colombo but has been shifted to Galle.

Sri Lanka need to rethink their strategies. After the high against Australia last week, not able to defend 342 was one of their lowest points this year.