ABU DHABI : Kumar Sangakkara hit a fighting hundred but Pakistan still
captured three key wickets in the second session to press for victory in
the first Test against Sri Lanka here on Friday.The
left-handed batsman was unbeaten on 113 as Sri Lanka, trailing by 314
runs on the first innings, reached 212-4 in their second outing at tea
on the fourth day at Abu Dhabi stadium.They still need 102 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Angelo Mathews was the other not out batsman on 10.Sangakkara's
26th Test hundred had frustrated Pakistan in the morning session as the
former Sri Lankan captain added an invaluable 153 runs for the second
wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (68) to reach lunch at 125-1.Sri
Lanka had lost opener Tharanga Paranavitana off the very first ball of
their second innings on Thursday, but Sangakkara and Thirimanne took the
fight to the Pakistani bowlers.Pakistan then hit back by
dismissing Thirimanne soon after lunch, run out after the opener, taking
a second run but failed to beat a throw from the fine-leg by Azhar Ali.Seven
runs later, Mahela Jayawardene (four) then played on to off-spinner
Saeed Ajmal before paceman Junaid Khan bowled skipper Tillakaratne
Dilshan through the gate for nine, leaving Sri Lanka at 191-4.Despite
the wickets fall, Sangakkara kept his cool, hitting Khan for his 11th
boundary to reach three-figure mark, his sixth against Pakistan. He has
so far hit 12 boundaries.Pakistan had their chances in the
morning session but they spurned as many as five catches, three of
Thirimanne which helped the opener to post his maiden half-century.Khan,
who destroyed Sri Lanka with 5-38 in their first innings of 197, was
the unlukcy bowler on three occasions as Mohammad Hafeez grassed two
regulation catches in the slip off Thirimanne when he was on 40.Much
to Khan's disappointment Younis Khan held a sharp edge off Sangakkara
but the catch was disallowed by the umpires as the ball had bounced
before getting into the hands of the slip fielder.Thirimanne again escaped when Hafeez failed to catch a sharp cut when the left-handed opener was on 57.Sangakkara
was the fist to get to his fifty, when he took a single off the
luckless Khan, while Thirimanne reached his maiden fifty with a single
off Saeed Ajmal. He has so far hit four boundaries Pakistan
again let off Sangakkara when Younis failed to hold onto a sharp edge
when a Saeed Ajmal's delivery surprised the left-handed batsman batting
on 56
