Cricket: Bold Ijaz leads Pakistan's reply

Sri Lanka 330; Pakistan 200-2

Ijaz Ahmed led Pakistan's bold reply with an unbeaten 90 on the second day of the First Test in Colombo yesterday. After Salim Elahi was bowled by Chaminda Vaas for nought, Ijaz marched to the crease to hit 10 fours. He shared partnerships of 102 for the second wicket with Ramiz Raja (50), and an unbroken 98 for the third with the Salim Malik (47no).

Earlier, Hashan Tillekeratne completed his sixth Test century yesterday as Sri Lanka were bowled out shortly after lunch for 330. Four of the last five wickets went to the off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq to finish with 5 for 89, his first five-wicket haul in Tests.

Tillekeratne, 65 overnight, was given a life on 85 when Mushtaq Ahmed spilled a chance at mid-off and he duly completed his hundred in 325 minutes off 215 balls.

Pakistan's captain Wasim Akram, out after injuring his bowling arm, will miss the Second Test that starts on Saturday. Abdul Razzaq, a right-arm fast bowler, and Mohammad Hussain, a left-arm spinner, have been called up.

Second day; Sri Lanka won toss

SRI LANKA- First innings:

(Overnight: 254 for 5)

H P Tillekeratne c Mujtaba b Saqlain 103

R S Kaluwitharana b Saqlain 57

K D P K Dharmasena b Saqlain 1

V P U J C Vaas c Moin b Zahid 17

D N T Zoysa lbw b Saqlain 0

M Muralitharan not out 8

Extras (b3 lb9 w1 nb4) 17

Total 330

Fall (cont): 6-268 7-280 8-322 9-322.

Bowling: Mohammad Zahid 17-2-44-1 (nb3, 1w); Shahid Nazir 18-6-37-0 (nb1); Saqlain Mushtaq 44.2-10-89-5; Mushtaq Ahmed 34-2-123-3; Asif Mujtaba 9- 2-25-1.

PAKISTAN - First innings

Salim Elahi lbw b Vaas 0

*Ramiz Raja c Rajatunga b Dharmasena 50

Ijaz Ahmed not out 90

Salim Malik not out 47

Extras (b2 lb2 nb9) 13

Total (for 2, 56 overs) 200

Fall: 1-0 2-102.

To bat: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Asif Mujtaba, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shahid Nazir, Mohammad Zahid.

Bowling: Vaas 12-1-33-1; Zoysa 10-0-55-0; Dharmasena 17-4-38-1; Muralitharan 10-1-39-0; Jayasuriya 3-0-15-0; De Silva 4-0-16-0.

The Fifth Test between the West Indies and India in Georgetown, Guyana continues to be thwarted by rain. The second and third days were lost to the weather and the start was delayed again yesterday. India are 194 for 2.