Herath seals crushing win

Sri Lanka 243 and 438 beat Pakistan 264 and 216 (Malik 59, Herath 4-64) by 201 runs
Scorecard

A teasing spell of left-arm spin from Rangana Herath broke Pakistan's attempts at resistance as Sri Lanka recorded a thumping 201-run win and went one-up in the series at Faisalabad. This was Sri Lanka's 11th Test win overseas, and staggeringly their sixth in Pakistan, and the victory extended their fabulous record of being undefeated in a series here for nearly 15 years.

Herath picked up four of the six wickets to fall this morning and had all the batsmen in a tizzy with his canny variations. He slipped in the arm ball occasionally, but the real surprise weapon was the one that was bowled almost completely with the thrust of the middle finger. The ball carried on straight after pitching and hurried on with extra zip. All three were delivered with similar actions, with smart use of crease-width and change in pace.

Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Malik survived the first hour with some dogged methods. Both were tested by a short and pacy spell by Dilhara Fernando when he slipped in some well-directed bouncers that had them weaving and ducking. Both consistently left balls outside off stump and Malik drove confidently when the ball was in the slot. Pakistan had hung on for a draw in the last Test match that they had played at Faisalabad, against South Africa last year, and hopes of a repeat were gradually building.

But Herath broke the resistance. Throughout his innings Youhana had been uncertain while facing Herath's arm ball, and was lucky not to be given out when he was foxed by one and caught at short leg last evening. He survived two very close shouts for lbw this morning - both balls carried on with the arm - and was never completely sure of whether to play forward or back. He was dismissed shortly after the drinks break when he played forward to one that didn't turn and Steve Bucknor upheld the appeal after a long pause (154 for 5).

Abdul Razzaq fell to an identical delivery for a golden duck and Chaminda Vaas removed Moin Khan, who hung his bat outside off stump and nicked one to the wicketkeeper, in the next over (159 for 7). Mohammad Sami hung on for 32 balls and supported Malik in his obdurate ways but his run-out after lunch, the fifth of the game, signalled the fall of the last line of defence.

The two Shoaibs then regaled the holiday crowd with a spell of aggressive hitting before Malik popped back a return catch to Herath, when he tried to turn one to the on side to steal a single off the last ball of an over. Herath sealed the issue soon after, getting Shoaib Akhtar stumped, and ended with 4 for 64, his best figures in Test cricket.

Pakistan's batting will be an area of serious concern when they begin their preparations for the second Test at Karachi. None of the batsmen appeared to have recovered from the one-day hangover, and they threw it away without a fight in both innings. Shoaib and Sami were lethal in the first innings but all the bowlers suffered the second time around when Sanath Jayasuriya batted as if in a trance.

Sri Lanka came back after being behind for nearly one-and-a-half days and the century from Thilan Samaraweera was a crucial component in the win, barring which Sri Lanka could have been easily rolled over for a meagre total. Dilhara Fernando's spell on the second afternoon, when he attacked and contained at the same time, was also vital in keeping Sri Lanka afloat. Jayasuriya then sizzled under the Faisalabad sun and it was a matter of time before the champagne was fizzed.