Cricket: Sri Lanka grab first victory in Pakistan

Sri Lanka 223 and 361 Pakistan 333 and 209 Sri Lanka won by 42 runs

Sri Lanka bounced back from defeat in the first Test to snatch a splendid 42-run victory over Pakistan in Faisalabad yesterday and level the three- match series.

Pakistan, needing 252 to win, were dismissed for 209 on the final day, losing their last three wickets for three runs in 25 minutes after tea.

Sri Lanka's first Test victory in Pakistan was sealed by the left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas, who finished with 4 for 45, and the off-spinner Kumara Dharmasena, who took 3 for 43.

Muttiah Muralitharan's off-spin was also a telling factor, earning 2 for 83 and a total haul of 7 for 151 that brought him the man of the match award.

The only batsmen to defy the Sri Lankan attack were the opener Saeed Anwar and wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who both made 50. The third and deciding Test starts in Sialkot on Friday.

(Final day; Pakistan won toss)

SRI LANKA - First Innings 223 (H P Tillakaratne 115; Aqib Javed 3-34, Saqlain Mushtaq 3-74).

PAKISTAN - First Innings 333 (Ramiz Raja 75, Saeed Anwar 54; Inzamam- ul-Haq 50; M Muralitharan 5-68).

SRI LANKA - Second Innings 361 (P A De Silva 105, U C Hathurusinghe 83; Aqib Javed 5-84).

PAKISTAN - Second Innings

(Overnight: 58 for 2)

Saeed Anwar b Dharmasena 50

Inzamam-ul-Haq c and b Muralitharan 26

Shoaib Mohammad lbw b Wickramasinghe 5

Ijaz Ahmad c Dharmasena b Vaas 8

Moin Khan c Muralitharan b Vaas 50

Wasim Akram b Dharmasena 26

Saqlain Mushtaq c A Ranatunga b Vaas 7

Aqib Javed not out 1

Mohammad c Mahanama b Dharmasena 0

Extras (nb11) 11

Total 209

Fall: 1-6 2-58 3-99 4-108 5-119 6-129 7-175 8-206 9-207.

Bowling: Wickramasinghe 11-1-23-1; Vaas 15-2-45-4; Muralitharan 20-2- 83-2; Dhamasena 22.1-6-43-3; De Silva 4-0-15-0.

Umpires: Khizar Hayat (Pak) and N T Plews (Eng).