Sri Lanka ‘A’ fast bowler Chamika Gunasekara in full flow on his way to career best figures of 6/83

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Pakistan ‘A’ fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad put up a hostile spell of bowling to have Sri Lanka ‘A’ reeling at 64-9 by the close of the second day of the second four-day unofficial Test played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

After Pakistan ‘A’ had racked up 394 courtesy hundreds from Abdullah Shafique and Agha Salman, Sri Lanka ‘A’s batting was jolted by Naseem Shah, the sensational teenage Test fast bowler when he took three wickets in one over to end the day with figures of 4 for 25. Bowling in tandem with Naseem, his new ball partner Khurram Shahzad picked up three wickets for 10 as Pakistan ‘A’ took control of the match. Sri Lanka ‘A’ trail by 330 runs with one first innings wicket in hand.

On a pitch that Pakistan ‘A’ had scored nearly 400 runs on, Sri Lanka ‘A’s batting was found wanting as Naseem sent back Nishan Madushka (0), Kamil Mishara (1) and captain Sadeera Samarawickrama (0) in a spectacular second over to have the home team reeling at 4 for 3.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ never recovered from that shock beginning as they slumped to 35-7. Suminda Lakshan (29) and Mohamed Shiraz (4) added 25 for the eighth wicket – the highest partnership of the innings, before Arshad Iqbal their third seamer in the line-up joined the party by dismissing Shiraz, who edged a catch behind the wicket to Mohammad Haris to give the wicketkeeper his fifth catch of the innings. Lakshan fell to the left-arm spin of Shafi Abdullah offering an easy return catch as Sri Lanka ‘A’ ended the day dismally.    

Earlier Abdullah Shafique and Agha Salman hit centuries apiece and fast-medium bowler Chamika Gunasekara took six wickets to share the honours before Sri Lanka ‘A’s batting debacle.

Gunasekara, NCC’s 21-year-old fast bowler, took his first five-for playing in only his fifth first-class match to keep Pakistan ‘A’ down to a total within reasonable limits after they were at one time strongly placed on 281-6 at lunch. Gunasekara who had captured three of the four wickets to fall on the first day, took a further three wickets in an impressive spell of bowling to finish with figures of 6 for 83 off 21 overs.     

Shafique unbeaten on 89 reached his century off 169 balls with a boundary off part-time spinner Sammu Ashan off whose bowling Pakistan ‘A’s second centurion of the innings Salman also completed his hundred off 171 balls with a four.

Shafique’s 208-ball innings ended at 117 when he offered a catch to Kamil Mishara at mid-on to give Lakshan his first wicket in his 13th over. Shafique’s dismissal ended a 98-run liaison for the fifth wicket with Salman.

On the stroke of lunch Pakistan ‘A’ lost the wicket of Mohamed Haris (22) when he edged the persevering Shiraz to Ashan at first slip to give the bowler his first wicket. Pakistan ‘A’ went to lunch at 281-6 with Salman unbeaten on 63. Pakistan ‘A’ won the first session adding 141 runs to their overnight score of 140-2, despite Sri Lanka ‘A’ taking two wickets.

Gunasekara who had gone wicketless in the morning session struck in the third over after the lunch break by having Ahmed Safi Abdullah (5) caught at silly mid-off by Nipun Dananjaya to scalp his fourth wicket. He picked up his fifth of the innings when Salman tried to clear deep midwicket and was caught by Mishara for a well composed 103 that comprised 13 fours.

Gunasekara continued to thwart the Pakistan batsmen when he also sent back Khurram Shahzad for 20 by castling him, but Sri Lanka ‘A’ found stubborn resistance from the last pair Naseem Shah and Arshad Iqbal (14) who frustrated the bowlers with a stand of 45 off 39 balls. The irritating stand was ended by the run out of Naseem for 31 scored off 23 balls which contained 3 sixes and 3 fours. 

Pakistan ‘A’ fast bowler Naseem Shah cleaned up the Sri Lanka ‘A’ top order with four wickets

Pakistan ‘A’ centurions Abdullah Shafique (left) and Agha Salman during their 98-run partnership

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