Pakistan were cruising towards victory in the first Test after debutants Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Aamer snared three wickets each to end Sri Lanka’s second innings cheaply on Monday.

Chasing 168, Pakistan were cruising at 71 with eight wickets in hand at stumps on Day Three and two full days to score the remaining 97 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. Ajantha Mendis took his first wicket of the match when he had Khurram Manzoor caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene for 15. Captain Younis Khan did not survive long, trapped lbw by Angelo Mathews for three with the total on 39. Mohammad Yousuf (12 not out) was batting with Salman Butt (28 not out) at stumps.

Sri Lanka resumed their second innings trailing Pakistan by 50 runs but their much-vaunted batting crumbled for just 217. The hosts were in early trouble when opener Malinda Warnapura was out second ball of the day, caught by Younis at slip off Umar Gul. A 68-run partnership followed between Tharanga Paranavitana and Rangana Herath before Younis struck just before lunch, trapping Herath lbw for 15 and Sri Lanka went to lunch on 70-2.

Aamer triggered a collapse in the second session, grabbing three wickets in the space of two runs, dismissing Paranavitana, Jayawardene (0) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (14). Tillakaratne Dilshan (22) and Thilan Samaraweera (34) had good starts but were unable to convert them into big scores under pressure from the Pakistani bowlers. Aamer returned 3/38 while Ajmal took three wickets for 34.

... contd.