Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 1st Test, Galle, 16-20 July, 2023

Sri Lanka win the toss & bat.
Currently 2/27

Shaheen Shah Afridi (back in the team after missing a few tests with a bad injury) has both wickets.

Five for 200 ish before the game was overwhelmed by MOISTness

At stumps:-
Sri Lanka 6/242
Dhananjaya de Silva - 94 not out
Angelo Mathews - 64
Shaheen Shah Afridi - 3/63

Good recovery from SL after they looked likely to be skittled for peanuts.

Aye, at 4-54 things looked grim for the Lankans.

Sri Lanka made 312 with a century from Da Silva and not much else; in reply Pakistan slumped to 5-101 before a rescue act which now sees them on even par at 5-221.

Ramesh Mendis continues to bowl his 1-2 bad balls every over. Not a good enough specialist bowler, but can be a decent bowling all rounder option... if he reflects some of his domestic record in test cricket.

Good to see you, t.

Shaq slam-dunks Pakistan into a healthy first-innings lead.

Aye, he's romped past his previous Test best of 125* to be currently 182*.

skully wrote:Aye, he's romped past his previous Test best of 125* to be currently 182*.

Ended up 200*, so a fine knock. The tail stuck to their task.

Pakistan 3-50 ish chasing only 131 for victory.

That’s the kind of target we’d have struggled with.

I note Shan Masood - the Faisal Iqbal of the 2020s - has frittered away yet another chance.

Could be a close one, although you'd expect the Wackies to get home - unless John the Bookie is involved.

Turning out to be a very comfortable one. Doesn't help when Mendis' cheap spells are 3+ rpo. A downgrade on Dilruwan, even.

2 dropped catches off Shakeel in Pakistan's 1st innings (one at leg slip on 93, and one at deep midwicket on 139 - both straight forward) was very costly for Lanka, as was the near 100 run 9th wkt stand between Shakeel and Naseem Shah (6).

A match of missed opportunities for SL.

But congrats to the Wackies.