da heads bet： Karachi, Feb 8: Sri Lanka recorded a cakewalk eight-wicket victoryover a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI in a practice match at theNational Stadium here on Tuesday, indicating that it would not betheir fireworks but calculated game that would be
da dobrowin： Samiul Hasan09-Feb-2000Karachi, Feb 8: Sri Lanka recorded a cakewalk eight-wicket victoryover a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI in a practice match at theNational Stadium here on Tuesday, indicating that it would not betheir fireworks but calculated game that would be on display in theforthcoming one-day series.Chasing a competitive total of 250 on a good batting track, Sri Lankanstroke-makers didn’t repeat the 1996 World Cup heroics but stillmanaged to overhaul the score with 9.3 overs to spare.Marvan Atapattu stroked a sweet unconquered 122 while MahelaJayawardena scored an elegant unbeaten 62. Skipper Sanath Jayasuriyahit a 53-ball 37 before he holed out to Aamir Sohail at extra-coveroff Yasir Arafat.Atapattu and Jayawardena were associated in an unbroken 144 runs thirdwicket stand off as many deliveries after Atapattu had featured in a104-run second wicket stand with Jayasuriya off 99 balls.Aamir Sohail, leading the PCB XI, strengthened his claims for a recallby hammering nine boundaries in his 76-ball 63 before being needlesslyrun out. Teenager Imran Abbas, who top scored with a fluent 124-ball71, pushed the ball at point only to find Aamir standing next to him.Imran showed a lot of professionalism by staying in his crease and notsacrificing his wicket for his skipper.Faisal Iqbal batted with remarkable concentration in scoring 31 off 72balls. He never looked like throwing away his wicket until anunsuccessful attempt of big hit off Muttiah Muralitharan in the slogovers brought his downfall.It was an uncharacteristic batting performance by the Sri Lankansknown for their lusty hitting. It seems that coach Dav Whatmore has adifferent ploy for every tour of Pakistan. In 1995-96, he introducedslog in the first 15 overs while it seems he now has a conventionalgame plan of protecting wickets in the first 15 overs, acceleratingthe scoring rate in the middle of the innings and going berserk in thefinal overs.In the first tour match, the strategy worked as the tourists collected96 runs while conceding the wicket of Romesh Kaluwitharana. The next25.3 overs saw Sri Lanka add 155 runs at the cost of Jayasuriya’swicket and wrap up the match in 40.3 overs.Whether this ploy will work in the one-day series against Pakistan isyet to be seen.Atapattu, who has flourished under the wings of Arjuna Ranatunga andAravinda de Silva, was cool and calculated by hitting the ball onmerit. There was no urgency in his batting as the inexperienced PCB XIteenage bowlers provided him enough opportunity to go for his shots.He stroked the ball from the middle of the blade and geometricallybisected the fielders to spice his innings with 15 exquisiteboundaries. He faced 138 balls.The only blemish in Atapattu’s innings was when he tried to come outof his skin to hit Aamir Sohail over his head only to find YasirArafat at mid-on boundary. But the fielder jiggled with the catch andallowed the 30-year-old from Kalutara progress to a fine century.Jayawardena looked compact, attacking but cautious in his openingouting of the tour. He belted five boundaries and a six in his 70-ballknock.Earlier, Jayasuriya won the toss and elected to field in front ofabout 2,000 spectators which grew to about 4,000 by the end of play.Aamir Sohail helped his cause of reclaiming the lost place in thePakistan team by batting in his usual carefree and attacking style. Hewas severe against Indika Gallage and Ravindra Pushpakumara but showedrespect to left-arm pacer Nuwan Zoysa.Aamir’s heart must have come in his mouth for a second or two veryearly in his innings when a very confident run-out appeal by the SriLankans was turned down by Sadiq Mohammad. The tourists looked unhappywith the decision.But when Aamir was finally run out in the 24th over, the PCB XI lostits way. It was only the 10 overs in which Yasir Arafat and ArshadKhan played some big shots to help the home team add 84 runs and takethe score to 250.Yasir hit two sixes in his 12-ball 25 while Arshad’s 8-ball 20included two sixes.
