ABU DHABI: Sri Lanka were 285 for four wickets in their second innings, a lead of 106 runs, at lunch on the fourth day of the first test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Sri Lanka were 285-4 at lunch break on the fourth day of the match as Dinesh Chandimal 67 and Angelo Mathews 56, at the crease.
Lankan batsmen cruised the first session of the day without losing a wicket.
A 99-run stand between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka extend their lead against Pakistan beyond 100 in Abu Dhabi. The two batsmen scored their respective half-centuries and comfortably thwarted the new-ball threat posed by Junaid Khan and Bilawal Bhatti.
On third day debutant fast bowler Bilawal Bhatti dismissed Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in consecutive deliveries as Pakistan strengthened their hold on the match.
Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan also picked up opener Kaushal Silva for 81, caught behind, with the last delivery of the third day to reduce Sri Lanka to 186 for four in their second innings, a lead of seven runs.
Dimuth Karunaratne (24) put on 47 runs for the opening wicket with Silva before he was bowled by Junaid.
Silva and Sangakkara (55) then put on 99 for the second to get Sri Lanka close to wiping out the first innings deficit of 179.
Bhatti, who took three wickets in the first innings, extracted lively pace and bounce off the wicket and got left-hander Sangakkara to edge a catch to Younus Khan at first slip on the last delivery of his over.
He returned to have Jayawardene caught for a duck off the first ball of his next over to dent Sri Lanka's chances of a big second innings total.
