Sharjah, Nov 6: Sri Lanka were struggling in the second innings to save the third and final test at stumps today, as Pakistani bowlers Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal scapled two wickets each. At close, Sri Lanka were 164 for 5 with opener Paranavitana playing at 66.
Umar Gul scalped the wickets of captain Dilshan (4) and Mahela Jayawardene (20). Saeed Ajmal lvwed Angela Mathews for 13 and Silva for a duck.
Earlier, Sri Lanka extended their lead to 141 runs at tea after left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in tests to help dismiss Pakistan for 340 in their first innings.
First-innings centurion Kumar Sangakkara (43) and opener Tharanga Paranavitana (19) added 63 runs for the unbroken second wicket to take Sri Lanka to 68 for one at tea, after they lost captain Tillakaratne Dilshan in the first over of the innings.
Paceman Umar Gul found Dilshan's edge with the new ball to dampen the visitors' hopes of garnering quick runs and was unlucky when Asad Shafiq dropped Paranavitana on two at gully.
Sangakkara, who made 144 in the first innings, continued his impressive form and hit one boundary and two sixes during in the second session.
Earlier, resuming on their overnight score of 282 for six, Pakistan, who lead the three-match series 1-0, were bundled out for 340 on the stroke of lunch.
Trailing Sri Lanka by 131 runs after the third day, captain Misbah-ul Haq (89) added 47 for the ninth wicket with Saeed Ajmal (12 not out) to significantly cut into the lead after Pakistan lost Abdur Rehman and Umar Gul early.
Welegedara dismissed Rehman (3) in the first over of the morning and clean bowled number 11 Junaid Khan for a duck to add to his tally of three wickets from Saturday.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath chipped in with three wickets while off-spinner Suraj Randiv took the scalp of Misbah, who skied a sweep that allowed Dilshan to take a running catch.
Misbah, who was dropped three times in the first hour of play, effectively shielded Ajmal from the Sri Lankan attack during their ninth-wicket stand and hit seven boundaries and a six to frustrate the visitors.
Pakistan, who won the second match of the series by nine wickets, are playing “home” tests in the Gulf region due to security concerns in their own country.
