Kumar Sangakkara rose to fourth place in the list of century-makers as he and the retiring Mahela Jayawardene plundered Pakistan’s bowlers on the third day of the first Test in Galle on Friday.
The hosts, who began the day at 99-1 in reply to Pakistan’s 451, carried their first innings from the lunch score of 174-2 to 252 without further loss by tea.
Sri Lanka trail by 199 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Left-handed Sangakkara — who turns 37 in October — was unbeaten on 102, his seventh three-figure knock in the last 14 Tests, taking his overall tally to 37 centuries.
Only the retired trio of India’s Sachin Tendulkar, with 51 centuries, Jacques Kallis of South Africa who scored 45, and Ricky Ponting of Australia on 41, have scored more hundreds.
Jayawardene, set to quit Test cricket at the end of this two-Test series, showed he was good enough to prolong his 17-year career as he survived an anxious start to hit an unbeaten 55.
The tried and trusted duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene, whose partnership of 624 against South Africa in Colombo in 2006 remains a world record, have so far put on 108 for the third wicket.
Rain reduced play to just 20 overs in the post-lunch session in which Sri Lanka scored 78 runs.
Pakistan’s reputed spin attack of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman were ineffective on the flat, even-paced pitch loaded in favour of the batsmen.
Sangakkara reached his century just before tea by cutting Rehman for his 13th boundary.
The overnight pair of Sangakkara and Kaushal Silva negotiated Pakistan’ pace and spin attack comfortably to add 45 runs in the first hour’s play.
Silva, who was on 38 at stumps on Thursday, reached his half-century by pulling seamer Junaid Khan to the square-leg fence for his ninth boundary.
Sri Lankan cricketer Kaushal Silva (R) is watched by Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed as he plays a shot during the second day of the opening Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium ©AFP
Silva made 64 in the second-wicket stand of 120 when he edged a ball from fast bowler Mohammad Talha and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed dived to his right to hold a low catch.
Jayawardene walked in to a guard of honour of raised bats by schoolchildren and was greeted in the middle by applauding Pakistani fielders, as firecrackers exploded outside the ground.
He immediately got into his stride, punching the third delivery he faced, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, to the cover boundary.
When on 11, Jayawardene won a television review after English umpire Ian Gould declared him leg-before off Junaid. Replays showed the ball missing the off-stump.
Gould then negated Junaid’s appeal for leg-before against Sangakkara, then on 62, but the review system agreed with the umpire this time.
Pakistan 1st innings: 451
(Younis Khan 177, Asad Shafiq 75, Sarfraz Ahmed 55, Abdur Rehman 50, Dilruwan Perera 5-137, Rangana Herath 3-116)
Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 99-1):
|
U. Tharanga lbw b Junaid |
19 |
|
K. Silva c Sarfraz b Talha |
64 |
|
K. Sangakkara not out |
102 |
|
M. Jayawardene not out |
55 |
|
Extras: (b1, lb3, w6 nb2 |
12 |
|
Total (for two wickets 80 overs) |
252 |
