Gaji
Sri Lanka 300 for 2 (Sangakkara 111*, Dilshan 101, M Jayawardene 55*) v Pakistan
Nine months ago, the ICC had said a "better balance between bat and ball (needs to be) achieved" after a Galle dustbowl made life difficult for batsmen. Today, on an unexpectedly sunny day in Galle, Sri Lanka reached stumps at a commanding 300 for 2.
Ahead of the series, Mahela Jayawardene had talked of the need for Sri Lanka's experienced players to build a platform for the others. He couldn't have expected more: Tillakaratne Dilshan made his first Test hundred in more than a year, Kumar Sangakkaradrew level with Don Bradman on 29 centuries and Jayawardene himself made an unbeaten 55.
It rounded off a wretched day for Pakistan cricket. Before the start of play came the news of disgraced former captain Salman Butt returning home from jail and denying involvement in spot-fixing, and towards stumps the headlines were about legspinner Danish Kaneria being found guilty of corruption by the ECB.
Though the scoreline might suggest it, the Galle track didn't overnight become a clone of the famously flat SSC pitch. It didn't provide much for the quick bowlers - either with the new ball or old - but there was plenty to interest Pakistan's world-class spinners. As early as the first session, Abdul Rehman got the odd ball to bounce extra, all the spinners got the ball to turn sharply.
Especially in the half hour before lunch, Saeed Ajmal and Rehman piled on the pressure. Dilshan survived several lbw appeals, Sangakkara edged past slip, there was a leading edge from Dilshan, the spinners put together three successive maidens, and despite a healthy score of 94 for 1 Sri Lanka were relieved when the lunch interval arrived.
Nine months ago, the ICC had said a "better balance between bat and ball (needs to be) achieved" after a Galle dustbowl made life difficult for batsmen. Today, on an unexpectedly sunny day in Galle, Sri Lanka reached stumps at a commanding 300 for 2.
Ahead of the series, Mahela Jayawardene had talked of the need for Sri Lanka's experienced players to build a platform for the others. He couldn't have expected more: Tillakaratne Dilshan made his first Test hundred in more than a year, Kumar Sangakkaradrew level with Don Bradman on 29 centuries and Jayawardene himself made an unbeaten 55.
It rounded off a wretched day for Pakistan cricket. Before the start of play came the news of disgraced former captain Salman Butt returning home from jail and denying involvement in spot-fixing, and towards stumps the headlines were about legspinner Danish Kaneria being found guilty of corruption by the ECB.
Though the scoreline might suggest it, the Galle track didn't overnight become a clone of the famously flat SSC pitch. It didn't provide much for the quick bowlers - either with the new ball or old - but there was plenty to interest Pakistan's world-class spinners. As early as the first session, Abdul Rehman got the odd ball to bounce extra, all the spinners got the ball to turn sharply.
Especially in the half hour before lunch, Saeed Ajmal and Rehman piled on the pressure. Dilshan survived several lbw appeals, Sangakkara edged past slip, there was a leading edge from Dilshan, the spinners put together three successive maidens, and despite a healthy score of 94 for 1 Sri Lanka were relieved when the lunch interval arrived.
