Gujranwala, Feb 16: Sri Lanka took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in thethree-match one-day international cricket series against Pakistanafter winning the second game by 34 runs at the Jinnah Stadium here onWednesday in front of a capacity crowd

Ilyas Beg17-Feb-2000Gujranwala, Feb 16: Sri Lanka took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in thethree-match one-day international cricket series against Pakistanafter winning the second game by 34 runs at the Jinnah Stadium here onWednesday in front of a capacity crowd.Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya led from the front with a superb all-roundperformance which earned the Man-of-the-Match award. He struck asplendid 65 to lay foundation of Sri Lanka’s impressive score of 263for six in 50 overs, and then took two wickets for 30 as Pakistan werebowled out for 229 in 45.1 overs.The last match of the one-day series, at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahoreon Saturday (Feb 19), will now only be of academic interest.Benefiting from the first use of the wicket when Pakistan captainSaeed Anwar won the toss and opted to field for the second timerunning, the Sri Lankan batsmen prospered against some waywardbowling.Besides Jayasuriya, the in-form Marvan Atapattu also scored a fineknock of 57, followed by useful contributions from wicket-keeperRomesh Kaluwitharana (32), Chaminda Vaas (34) and Russel Arnold (36not out).Pakistan, who were docked one over because of a slow over-rate, onceagain failed to cope against the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling, whichwas backed up by brilliant fielding.A gallant knock of 68, the day’s top score, by Yousuf Youhana was notenough to pull the Pakistan team out of trouble. Even a late charge byWasim Akram, who hit four glorious sixes to electrify the crowd,proved a futile attempt by Pakistan to level the series.Wasim Akram hammered 34 off 29 balls and twice in succession hoistedoff-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan out of the ground. Arnold andPramodya Wickremasinghe were the other bowlers to suffer at Akram’shands.The rest of Pakistan batting was disappointing as only Aamir Sohail(23 off 32 balls), Saeed Anwar (17 off 13 balls), Younis Khan (28 off44 balls), Moin Khan (15) and Abdul Razzaq (14) managed to reachdouble figures.Saeed Anwar failed again when he tried to flick Vaas and was caught byUpul Chandana on the long-leg boundary. Imran Abbas was beaten by adirect throw from Muralitharan at the bowler’s end.After being well set, Aamir Sohail fell to a catch at square-leg byTillekeratne Dilshan off Wickremasinghe. That left the home team inall sorts of trouble at 50 for three.Youhana and Younis repaired the innings to some extent by adding 68runs for the fourth-wicket. However, at the total of 118, Younisplayed across to a sharply turning Muralitharan delivery and wasbowled through the gate.Jayasuriya, who bowls brisk left-arm spin, clean bowled Moin Khan witha full-length ball that hit the base of the off-stump as Pakistancrashed to 143 for five.Thereafter, the wickets kept falling atregular intervals.With the total on 176, Abdul Razzaq drove at a widish delivery fromVaas and but only succeeded in getting an outside edge. Azhar Mahmood,who was playing in his game of the series, fell cheaply when hespooned an easy catch to Dilshan at short mid-wicket off the bowlingof leg-spinner Chandana.Pakistan’s hopes were finally shattered when Youhana’s steady knockcame to an end when Wickremasinghe, who was brought on for a new spellby Jayasuriya, induced an uppish stroke with the first ball. Chandana,fielding at mid-off, held a simple catch just above his head. Youhanafaced 87 deliveries and hit only two fours.Saqlain was bowled by Jayasuriya for three.Wasim Akram’s dazzling knock proved a final flicker of hope but he wasbowled by Muralitharan at the start of the 46th over.Earlier, Sri Lanka owed their formidable total to brillianthalf-centuries by opener Jayasuriya and Atapattu. The Pakistan teamcaptain Saeed Anwar made the mistake of putting in the opposition intobat although the pitch looked tailor-made for batting.Pakistan’s pace bowlers failed to extract any life from the pitch orbenefit from the early morning moisture.Shoaib Akhtar, who was also making a comeback, was forced to leave thefield with a groin problem after sending down five expensive overs.A large crowd enjoyed the stroke-play of the visiting batsmen,especially Jayasuriya, Vaas and Kaluwitharana. All the four Pakistanipacemen, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood,and the spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Aamir Sohail failed to make anyimpression on the Sri Lankans.Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana laid the foundation of the innings byputting on 84 runs for the first-wicket off 93 balls. The Pakistanteam’s fielding also left much to be desired, although youngsters likeImran Nazir (substituting for Shoaib Akhtar) and Imran Abbas thrilledthe spectators with some neat work.Abdur Razzaq finally broke the partnership when Kaluwitharana wasbrilliantly held by wicket-keeper Moin Khan, who dived to his right.In fact, Moin excelled behind the stumps by holding two catches andbrought off a stumping.Jayasuriya departed after adding 37 runs for the second wicket standwith Atapattu, who has been batting consistently during thistour. Jayasuriya tried a cross-bat shot off Saqlain Mushtaq but onlygot a top edge to give Moin a simple catch. The second wicket fell atthe total of 121. Jayasuriya hit nine elegant boundaries in his115-minute stay at the crease in which he faced 78 balls.At the total of 147, Mahela Jayawardena (9) was smartly stumped byMoin as the batsman charged at Aamir Sohail but missed the line.Vaas, promoted in the order to bolster the scoring rate, hit 34 off 33deliveries which included two sixes over long-on in consecutive oversof Aamir Sohail. The left-hander tried a similar shot on the fifthball of Wasim Akram’s seventh over but mistimed it and the bowler helda brilliant two-handed catch over his head on his follow-through.Atapattu’s composed innings, which followed his unconquered 199 atKarachi, was terminated by a fine catch on near the deep mid-wicketboundary by Youhana off Saqlain.Indika de Saram struck 12, including a six off Saqlain, in his briefstay at the wicket before he was run out while backing up at thebowler’s end. A firm drive from Arnold was half stopped by Akram onhis follow through but the ball crashed into the stumps with thenon-striker de Saram out of his ground.Left-handed Arnold also played his part well in the later stages ofthe innings by lashing an unbeaten 36 off 29 balls.