Spinners Sahan, Peiris bowl Sri Lanka ‘A’ into winning position

Opener Imran Mir alone stood defiant for Afghanistan ‘A’ with twin fifties

Sri Lanka ‘A’ off-spinner Nishan Peiris picked up three crucial wickets

Spinners Wanuja Sahan and Nishan Peiris bowled Sri Lanka ‘A’ into a strong position at the end of the third day of the one-off unofficial 4-day test match against Afghanistan ‘A’ played at the P. Sara Oval yesterday.

The former Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer Sahan, took 5/58 with his left-arm spin and off-spinner Peiris 3/37 as they bowled Afghanistan ‘A’ out for 198 in the first innings in reply to Sri Lanka ‘A’s first innings of 435.

Forced to follow-on Afghanistan ‘A’ ended the third day on 108-2 still requiring 129 runs to avoid an innings defeat going into the fourth and final day today.

Opening bat Imran Mir stood defiant for Afghanistan ‘A’ making a top score of 62 off 114 balls (10 fours) in the first innings and following it up with his second half-century of the match, an undefeated 51 off 109 balls (7 fours, 1 six). Wicket-keeper Abdul Hadi was the only other batsman to resist the Sri Lanka ‘A’ spinners with a counter-attacking knock of 45 off 67 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) in the first innings.

At one point of their innings Afghanistan ‘A’ were nicely placed at 165-4, but Sahan caused a middle and late order collapse by capturing the wickets of Ijaz Ahmed (28) and Hadi within the space of 4.1 overs as they lost the last six wickets for 33 runs. – (ST)

Scores: 

Sri Lanka ‘A’ 435; 

Afghanistan ‘A’ 198 (o/n 18-1) (Imran Mir 62, Bahir Shah 23, Ijaz Ahmed 28, Abdul Hadi 45, Wanuja Sahan 5/58, Nishan Peiris 3/37) and 108-2 at close (Ihsanullah Janat 27, Imran Mir 51*, Ijaz Ahmed 23*)