Perera show propels Sri Lanka

 Young all-rounder Thisara Perera followed his four wickets with a 75-run knock from 86 balls as Sri Lanka seized control of the final Test against Pakistan in Pallekele on Tuesday.

Pakistan, seeking a series-levelling win, paid for sloppy fielding as Sri Lanka recovered from a middle-order collapse to make 337 in their first innings on the third day.

The tourists, trailing by 111 runs, were 27 for one in their second knock by stumps, losing opener Taufeeq Umar for four, leg-before to seamer Nuwan Kulasekara.

Mohammad Hafeez was unbeaten on eight and Azhar Ali was on six, with Pakistan trailing by 84 runs with nine wickets in hand. The resolute batting by the hosts has given them a chance to build on the 1-0 series lead. Sri Lanka won the first Test by 209 runs before the second was drawn.

Score Board

PAKISTAN (I Innings): 226 all out
SRI LANKA (I Innings, O/n: 44/3):
Paranavitana b Ajmal    75
Chandimal lbw Junaid    8
Sangakkara b Junaid    0
Jayawardene lbw Sami    12
Samaraweera lbw Ajmal    73
Mathews c Shafiq b Junaid    9
Jayawardene lbw Gul    20
Perera b Junaid    75
Kulasekara c Taufiq b Junaid    33
Herath lbw Ajmal    2
Fernando (not out)    0
Extras: (B-16, LB-7, NB-1, W-6)    30
Total: (all out, 100.2 overs)    337
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-14, 3-44, 4-187, 5-200, 6-204, 7-236, 8-320, 9-337, 10-337.
Bowling: Gul 22-3-90-1, Junaid Khan  28.2-3-70-5, Mohammad Sami 17-1-69-1, Saeed Ajmal 25-5-66-3, Younus Khan 3-0-9-0, Mohammad Hafeez 5-0-10-0.

PAKISTAN (II Innings):
Hafeez (batting)    8
Taufeeq lbw Kulasekara    4
Ali (batting)    6
Extras (LB-4, W-5)    9
Total (for 1 wkt, 6 overs)    27
Fall of wicket: 1-16.
Bowling: Nuwan Kulasekara 3-1-9-1, Thissara Perera 3-0-14-0.