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Pakistan spinners make inroads but Sri Lanka take lead / Photo: © AFP
Pakistan spinners make inroads but Sri Lanka take lead
Pakistan's spinners took regular wickets but a stubborn fifty by Dhananjaya de Silva helped Sri Lanka take a 61-run lead in their second innings of the opening Test on Wednesday.
The hosts reached 210-6 at tea with de Silva, on 53, and Ramesh Mendis, on 19, putting together an unbeaten stand of 35 on day four in Galle.
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali took three key wickets including Nishan Madushka, out for 52 soon after lunch, and former captain Angelo Mathews, for seven.
De Silva, who hit 122 in Sri Lanka's first innings total of 312, got a 60-run partnership going with Dinesh Chandimal but Agha Salman, a middle-order batsman who also bowls off spin, broke through.
Salman sent back Chandimal for 28 and then wicketkeeper-batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama for 11 to put Sri Lanka in trouble, but de Silva stood firm.
Earlier in the day leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed struck first with his leg spin to send back skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, for 20, to check Sri Lanka's brisk start.
Middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel has remained the star for Pakistan so far with his unbeaten first-innings 208 -- his maiden Test double century -- in his team's 461 all out on day three.
Shakeel's marathon knock handed Pakistan a handy lead of 149 in a rain-interrupted match. More rain was predicted for day four.
N. Gonçalves--JDB
