SHARJAH: Left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegadara took his maiden five-wicket
haul to help Sri Lanka take an invaluable 73-run lead over Pakistan on
the fourth day of the third Test on Sunday.The 30-year-old
fast bowler finished with 5-87 after Misbah-ul Haq missed his hundred by
just 11 runs as Pakistan were dismissed for 340 in reply to Sri Lanka's
first innings score of 413 in the match at Sharjah stadium.The lanky paceman improved on his previous best of 4-87 he took against India at Ahmedabad in 2009.But
despite Welegedara's effort, it was Misbah's fighting knock of 89 which
brought Pakistan closer before the 37-year-old right-handed batsman
fell 10 minutes before lunch, top edging a sweep off spinner Suraj
Randiv.Misbah hit seven boundaries and a six during his 261-ball knock.He
added an invaluable 47 runs for the ninth wicket with Saeed Ajmal (12
not out) after Pakistan lost Abdul Rehman off the last ball of the first
over of the day, caught in the slips off Welegedara.It
could have been worse for Pakistan if the Sri Lankan fielders had not
dropped Misbah three times. Wicket-keeper Kaushal Silva failed to grab a
faint edge on a defensive push off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath when
the batsman was 57.Two runs later Misbah's uppish drive off
Welegedara went between the hands off Angelo Mathews at mid-off and
then at 67 Misbah was let off by Tharanga Paranavitana off the same
bowler.The Pakistan captain took full advantage of the
lapses, hitting Welegedara for a straight six and four to take his
team's total past the 300 mark.In between Herath dismissed
Umar Gul for five, but Ajmal provided Misbah the much needed assistance
to bring their team closer to the Sri Lankan total.Welegedara finished the innings when he bowled number 11 Junaid Khan for nought. Herath finished with 3-85.Pakistan
lead the three-Test series 1-0 after winning the second Test by nine
wickets in Dubai. The first Test in Abu Dhabi ended in a draw.
