Samaraweera approaches double ton

Thilan Samaraweera lifted Sri Lanka to 452-4 at lunch on the second day of the second and final Test with an unbeaten 190 today.

Samaraweera approaches double ton

Thilan Samaraweera lifted Sri Lanka to 452-4 at lunch on the second day of the second and final Test with an unbeaten 190 today.

The 31-year-old, just 10 runs short of his second double hundred of the series, took his fifth-wicket partnership with Tillakaratne Dilshan (76 not out) to 152.

Pakistan's pace and spin attack toiled hard against a stubborn Samaraweera, who hit a magnificent 231 in the drawn first Test in Karachi.

Samaraweera, who had reached 133 not out in Sri Lanka's overnight total of 317-4, hit paceman Umar Gul for his 22nd boundary to reach 150. He has so far hit 28 boundaries in his 306-ball knock.

Dilshan, who failed in both innings in Karachi, pulled Gul for his eighth boundary to reach his 13th half-century in Tests.

Pakistan's experienced leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was once again a major disappointment, conceding 134 runs without taking a wicket in his 34 overs.

Debutant Mohammad Talha was once again wayward as he too went wicketless.

Gul, who took three of the four wickets to fall on Sunday, had figures of 3-92. Yasir Arafat took 1-84.

Scoreboard: Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 317-4)
M Warnapura c Haq b Gul 8, T Paranavitana c Malik b Gul 21, K Sangakkara c Akmal b Arafat 104, M Jayawardene c Akmal b Gul 30,
T Samaraweera not out 190, T Dilshan not out 76; Extras: (b4, lb1, nb13, w5) 23; Total: (for four wkts) 452; Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Warnapura), 2-35 (Paranavitana), 3-96 (M Jayawardene), 4-300 (Sangakkara); Bowling: Gul 25-2-92-3 (2nb, 1w), Talha 15-0-70-0 (7nb, 1w), Arafat 17-2-84-1 (4nb), Kaneria 34-3-134-0, Malik 23-2-58-0 (3w), Younus 2-0-9-0

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