Cricket News sort by Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan 1st Test at Galle - Jun 22-26, 2012

Pakistan, not for a moment, looked in control of the Galle Test. From day one, it was Sri Lanka that dominated the Test. And a lot of credit for that should go to the way Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara batted on the opening day.

Sri Lanka completed a 209-run victory over Pakistan in the opening Test at Galle after claiming the extra half hour. This victory for the Sri Lankans is the biggest against Pakistan in Test history. It came after some real hard work on the fourth day as the Pakistani middle order provided stiff resistance.

But for excessive rain washing out a major portion of the last two days of the Galle Test, Sri Lanka should coast home to victory. Pakistan’s batting in the Test has been atrocious to say the least.

Pakistan are staring at a certain defeat on Day 4 of the opening Test at Galle. At Stumps on Day 3, the visitors have been reduced to 36 for 3 after being asked to chase an impossible target of 510.

Pakistan are in disarray at 48 for 5 at stumps on Day 2 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 472. Nuwan Kulasekara and Suraj Randiv did irreparable damage to the visitors as both the bowlers picked up two wickets in two consecutive deliveries in their respective spells.

The opening day of a Test match is significant in the context that it sets the tone for the rest of the game. Rarely does a team that has been put on the back foot on the first day of a Test manage to come back strongly and put the opposition under pressure.

Sri Lanka finished the opening day’s play of the Galle Test on a high at 300 for 2 in 90 overs. It was a flat wicketless session for Pakistan as Sri Lanka collected 112 runs in 32 overs.

With the T20s and ODIs done with, Sri Lanka and Pakistan now move on to the Tests, with the first five-day game beginning in Galle on Friday. On form, Lanka would begin with the upper hand, since they got the better of Pakistan in the ODIs after drawing the T20s.

The opening Test Match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan begins tomorrow at the Galle International Stadium. Pakistan going into this match have already suffered a huge setback losing their Skipper and also one of the main batsman in Misbah-ul-Haq.