Colombo, July 22: Wily leg-spinner Danish Kaneria grabbed 5 for 62 as Pakistan inched ahead of Sri Lanka on the second day of the third and final Test here on Tuesday.
Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal chipped in with 3 for 70 as Pakistan, bowled out for 299 in the first innings, hit back to dismiss Sri Lanka for 233 in the final session of an absorbing day’s play.
The tourists were 16 for one in their second knock at stumps to take an overall lead of 82 runs with nine wickets in hand, on a pitch aiding spin, at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Kaneria took his 13th five-wicket haul as the ball turned and bounced to claim 14 wickets on the second day after seven had fallen on the first. Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bowled Khurram Manzoor in the day’s final over to leave Fawad Alam unbeaten on 14 and skipper Younis Khan on zero.
Sri Lanka owe their second innings score to a fluent 79 from Mahela Jayawardene, a brave 44 from the twice injured Tillakaratne Dilshan and some shoddy fielding by Pakistan to ensure the deficit was not threatening.
The hosts were tottering at 181-8 when Dilshan stepped in to stem the rot with the tailenders despite a broken finger on his right hand that prevented him from keeping wickets in the morning. The injury might, however, keep him out of the five-match one-day series beginning July 30.
–Agencies