Scorecard

Romesh Kaluwitharana finished his first-class career by captaining Colts to victory in the 2004-05 Premier League Tournament. It was Colts’s first domestic title since 2001-02.Victory was all but assured after BRC were bundled out for 178 to give Colts a decisive, and match-winning first-innings lead of 196. Chaminda Vaas collected with 5 for 32 to go with his first-innings century as BRC lost their last five wickets for 34 runs, The lower order failed to continue the good work put in by Manoj Mendis, who, on the second day, had propped up BRC with a spirited 73 with 12 fours.Colts needed to bat out time on Sunday afternoon, and Kaluwitharana dispelled any fears of a dramatic turn-around by putting on 77 for the first wicket with Shantha Kalavitigoda before being out for the last time in his career, to Duncan Arnolda. Kalu was given a rousing send-off, and his team-mates gave him a guard of honour. Kalavitigoda pressed on, despite Sajeewa Weerakoon cutting through the Colts’s middle order to claim 3 for 60, and reached his hundred from 117 balls with 12 fours and a four sixes before umpires called time.At the post-match presentation ceremony, Weerakoon was awarded the bowler of the tournament, while Rashan Peiris of Colts was player of the tournament. Russel Arnold, who wasn’t playing in the final, was batsman of the tournament.

There was an eerie sense of calm surrounding Port Elizabeth on the eve of the first Test at St George’s Park. All that can be said has been said, and at some length as well, with both sides jostling for the psychological high ground before, during and since England’s little hiccup at Potchefstroom. But now, with just a day to go until the first ball is bowled, it comes down to two proud sides, with two even prouder records.Since England embarked on their spectacular run of 10 victories out of 11 Tests in 2004, it has been a conveniently overlooked fact just how formidable their opponents are when placed on home soil. Regardless of their slide down the ICC world rankings, South Africa have suffered just eight home defeats in 59 Tests since their readmission to international cricket in 1992, and in their last ten Tests at St George’s Park, they have won six and lost just the once – a low-scoring thriller against the Aussies in 1996-97. “This is our back garden,” has been the oft-repeated message. Over their dead bodies will South Africa allow England to dictate terms here.It is a message that has sunk in as well, if Michael Vaughan’s pre-match remarks are anything to go by. Since he returned from an attritional and ultimately disappointing tour of Sri Lanka last winter, aggression has been the watchword of Vaughan’s captaincy. In Jamaica last March, it gave us the surreal sight of Steve Harmison steaming in to a nine-man slip cordon; at Lord’s and Trent Bridge in the summer, it provided us with a pair of exuberant run-chases en route to a clean sweep against New Zealand. But on Monday, we saw the flip side of such a heady approach, as England’s top order flashed a succession of edges into the slips, and stumbled to a cocksure downfall against South Africa A.

It was an abrupt and faintly embarrassing end to their year of unmatched dominance, and called into question the wisdom of such a limited build-up to such an important series. But it was nonetheless a timely reminder of the challenge that lies ahead, and in this climate of mild uncertainty, Vaughan has called on his players to tap into their mental reserves, as they contemplate the renewal of hostilities with a side that is much changed from the one they beat so memorably at The Oval in 2003. “Patience will be our keyword,” declared Vaughan. “Patience with the bat and patience with the ball.”The mental side of England’s game is not all about introspection, however, and Vaughan let it be known that Clive Lloyd, the ICC’s match referee, could be a busy man in the coming days. “We have our plans for certain players,” Vaughan revealed. “It’s all about how a man reacts in certain situations. A few verbals in the right direction can affect some players more than others. There’ll be plenty of battles and confrontations out there, but we’re certainly up for it. We’ve done our research.”South Africa have done theirs as well, although patience doesn’t seem to rate quite so highly in their game plan. In the selection of the thrusting young batsman AB de Villiers, and the probable appearance of the raw quickie, Dale Steyn, South Africa have invested their faith in youthful exuberance. It is a gamble, albeit one that is backed up by veterans such as Shaun Pollock, who has been stealthily silent in this week’s build-up. But South Africa’s hand has also been forced by circumstance, in particular the injuries to Jacques Kallis, who will play but may not be able to bowl in the first innings, and Nicky Boje, who has been ruled out after an operation to remove his thyroid gland. Smith explained: “There are still too many ifs about his fitness at the moment. He is bowling in the nets, but he’s just not doing enough physical work to make it through a Test match.”

The pitch, though currently green, mottled and not a little unsettling at first glance, is unlikely to assist either pace battery greatly, and South Africa could well rue the absence of Boje, given the assistance that St George’s Park has offered to the spinners in the past. “It’s pretty soft,” was Vaughan’s assessment of the strip, although with a baking hot weekend and a dry westerly breeze in prospect, any early demons ought quickly to be flattened out.Whether the demons in Steve Harmison’s mind can be as easily erased is a different matter. A reluctant tourist at the best of times, Harmison was well below his destructive best on a pacy pitch at Potchefstroom, and as the world’s current No. 1 bowler, he is sure to have been targetted by South Africa’s batsmen, in particular de Villiers, who has been given licence to play his natural attacking game, and intends treating Harmison as “just another bowler”.Vaughan, however, has no doubts about the potency and variety of his four-pronged pace attack, which has carried all before it in the past 12 months. “It’s all about bowling as a unit,” he explained. “We’ve come out on top in all sorts of different situations, and on different surfaces this year. We have some fond memories to fall back on as we go into this series.”As for Harmison himself, Vaughan was adamant that his man would rise to the challenge of defending his No. 1 status. “I’m sure South Africa have a game plan to get on top of Harmo,” he said. “It’s only natural because he’s a genuine threat. But I have no doubt that at some stage of the series, he is going to produce a spell that changes a game.”South Africa (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 AB de Villiers, 3 Jacques Rudolph, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Boeta Dippenaar, 6 Andrew Hall, 7 Shaun Pollock, 8 Zander de Bruyn, 9 Thami Tsolekile (wk), 10 Makhaya Ntini, 11 Dale Steyn.England (probable) 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Andrew Strauss, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Michael Vaughan (capt), 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Geraint Jones (wk), 8 Ashley Giles, 9 Simon Jones, 10 Matthew Hoggard, 11 Steve Harmison.

Mark Boucher has been named in the South African squad for the last two Tests against England. Boucher last played for the Test side during the tour of Sri Lanka last August. He had played 74 consecutive matches before being dropped for their tour to India in November. Thami Tsolekile, who replaced him on that tour and kept wicket in the first Test at Port Elizabeth, has been released to turn out for Western Province Boland. Boucher’s selection clears the way for AB de Villiers, who has kept in the last two matches, to open the batting as there are concerns about the form of Herschelle Gibbs there.”I’m absolutely delighted, but also quite shocked to be recalled now,” Boucher told Reuters from Centurion, where he was playing for Warriors against Titans in a SuperSport Series match. “I thought my chance to be involved in the series had gone when I wasn’t selected in the second and third Test squads because we had no domestic cricket. All I’ve been able to play over the festive season is beach cricket. I’d be lying if I didn’t think at one stage that my international career might be over.”Haroon Lorgat, the convenor of selectors, explained the decision: “With the series now locked at one-all with two to play, experience is going to be a critical factor in the outcome of the last two Tests, and Mark brings plenty of that to the squad environment.”Charl Langeveldt, who fractured a bone in his left hand at Cape Town, is in the squad pending a fitness test before the fourth Test. A replacement will be called up if he is not fit.The fourth Test starts next Monday (January 13) at the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg.Squad Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt.

Andrew Flintoff’s determination to return to full fitness in time for England’s Ashes campaign in the summer has led him to make the ultimate sacrifice: he has agreed to postpone his honeymoon.Flintoff, whose daughter Holly was born last summer, is due to marry his fiancée Rachel Wools on March 5. But, after missing the recent one-day series in South Africa to undergo an operation on his ankle, Flintoff’s primary obligation in the coming weeks is to concentrate on his rehabilitation programme.Flintoff has never yet faced the Australians in a Test match, and that can in part be attributed to his previously half-hearted attitude to fitness work. In 2001, he was ruled out with a back injury, and in 2002-03 he made a slow recuperation from an operation on a hernia, and on his arrival in Australia he was barely able to walk.The England & Wales Cricket Board is taking no chances this time, and Flintoff has been saddled with a rigorous programme. “[It] is very comprehensive,” Neil Fairbrother, Flintoff’s agent, told The Guardian newspaper. “They’ll give him a day off to get married but there’s no time for a honeymoon. They’ll have to make up for that later.”Initial assessments are that the operation, to remove a troublesome spur in Flintoff’s ankle, went well. “He had the stitches out last Friday and he’s very positive about everything,” added Fairbrother, “but it’s too early to say when he’ll be playing again.”

When Virender Sehwag stays at the crease he hurts you. The runs pile up in a hurry, but more importantly he hits bowlers out of their line and length by taking perfectly good deliveries and sending them screaming to the boundary. So when he gives you a chance you had better take it – something Pakistan spectacularly failed to do in the first Test. Sehwag gave his first chance of the day in the 39th over, edging a massive heave towards cover. Inzamam-ul-Haq back-peddled, realised he would not get to the ball that way, turned and took a few quick steps, eyes locked on the ball all the time, and settled under the swirler, the palms of both hands pointing to the sky, as though in prayer. The ball was safely pouched and Pakistan could breathe a little easier, for the savagery of Sehwag was behind them.Sweet shot
Virender Sehwag is not the sort of batsman who is overly concerned about the time of the day. He is just as likely to step out and loft a spinner over a fielder posted on the midwicket fence in the last over before lunch as any other in the day. Rahul Dravid, on the other hand, is a bit more traditional. So, as Shahid Afridi floated one in first ball after lunch, it was doubly sweet when Dravid got his front foot beautifully down to a well-pitched-up delivery and cover-drove the ball to the fence. It was as though he had hurried through his lunch and forgotten to eat dessert, heartily tucking into Afridi instead.

Division One

DerbyshireTitle Odds 50/1
Overseas players Michael Di Venuto, Jonathon Moss
In Travis Friend, Paul Borrington, Benjamin France, Lee Goddard, Ian Hunter, Jake Needham, Chris Paget
Out Mohammad Ali, Andrew Gait, Steve Selwood, Rawait Khan, Neil Gunter, Nathan Dumelow
Another season of struggle is on the cards, despite the best efforts of David Houghton to strengthen the squad. Travis Friend will add depth to the batting and bowling, but Kevin Dean and Graeme Welch will again shoulder a heavy workload. Houghton’s approach to youth should be applauded, and he will not be afraid to throw them in at the deep end, but they are going to learn the hard way. Avoiding the championship wooden spoon may be the summit of their ambitions.
One to watch Benjamin France – opening batsmen who scored a half-century in his second match last season

DurhamTitle Odds 20/1
Overseas players Mike Hussey, Ashley Noffke
In Dale Benkenstein, Callum Thorp
Out Ian Pattison, Pallav Kumar, Andy Blignaut, Shaun Tait, Marcus North
The time has come for Durham’s clutch of talented youngsters, under the astute guidance of Martyn Moxon, to stand up in county cricket. They have brought in two quality batsmen – Michael Hussey and Dale Benkenstein – and when Ashley Noffke is fit he will enjoy the life in the Chester-le-Street pitch. Steve Harmison adds another dimension to the attack for the first month of the season, and Paul Collingwood will be motivated to show he is still worth considering for a Test place. If they believe in themselves, promotion is certainly a possibility.
One to watch Mark Turner – still only a development player, but is highly rated around the North East as a skiddy, Gough style, quick bowler.

EssexTitle Odds 8/1
Overseas players Andre Adams, Danish Kaneria
In Grant Flower, Alex Tudor
Out Scott Brant, Zoheb Sharif, Adrian McCoubrey, Aftab Habib, Nasser Hussain, John Stephenson
Chelmsford is becoming a second home for injury-prone England fast bowlers, but if Alex Tudor can over come his mental and physical problems Essex will have bought shrewdly. Darren Gough will again need to be carefully managed but Danish Kaneria has all the qualities of a real matchwinner – once he gets used to the temperature. Grant and Andy Flower’s presence will ensure plenty of runs, while Will Jefferson and Alastair Cook make one of the tallest opener pairings around.
One to watch Alastair Cook – progressing through the system rapidly, and has an excellent technique and temperament

LancashireTitle Odds 11/10
Overseas players Brad Hodge, Muttiah Muralitharan
In Steven Croft, Andrew Crook, Gareth Cross, Simon Marshall
Out Jamie Haynes, Chris Schofield, John Wood, Alec Swann, Carl Hooper, Peter Martin
After their shock relegation, Lancashire are unlikely to have things all their own way as they aim for an immediate return to Division One, but with three teams still going up promotion is well within their grasp. The appearance of Muttiah Muralitharan – if only for half a dozen games – and the availability of James Anderson gives the bowling attack a potent look and the batsmen are virtually guaranteed to make up for last season’s poor showing, when no-one passed 1000 runs. Mark Chilton is a thinking cricketer, and will want to leave his own mark on the Red Rose in his first season as captain.
One to watch James Anderson – not an original choice, but will be fascinating to see how he copes after his disappointing winter

Leicestershire
Title Odds 25/1
Overseas players Dinesh Mongia, Charl Willoughby
In Aftab Habib, HD Ackerman
Out Brad Hodge, Darren Stevens, George Walker, Damian Brandy, Jon Dakin
Hylton Ackerman will bring a hard-edged South African approach, and they will need it to make an impression on the promotion places. The batting is strong, on paper, but Darren Maddy needs to turn his one-day form into big championship runs. Charl Willoughby will have to bowl a lot of overs, but is a steady performer, rather than a strike bowler. Phil DeFreitas will give his all in his final season before retirement, but they look a star player short of being a real candidate to go up.
One to watch Aftab Habib – career has gone full-circle, now back at Grace Road and will add some solidity to the middle-order

NorthamptonshireTitle Odds 12/1
Overseas players Martin Love, Damien Wright
In Bilal Shafayat, Charl Pietersen
Out Carl Greenidge, Mark Powell, Toby Bailey, Adam Shantry, Graeme Swann, Craig Jennings, Ricky Anderson, Mike Cawdron, Jeff Cook
The revolving door at Wantage Road has been busy during the winter, but it is still difficult to see Northamptonshire sustaining a promotion bid – unless the pitches turn square for Jason Brown. But he has lost the support of Graeme Swann and Monty Pansear has gone backwards, so even turners may not be enough. Johann Louw will again be bowled into the ground, but support is lacking. If David Sales wants an international career he has to score a mountain of runs, and Martin Love’s hunger will mean visiting attacks will have to work hard.
One to watch Tom Huggins – an opener who likes to play his shots, and only needs to add some selectivity to become a useful player.

SomersetTitle Odds 10/1
Overseas players Graeme Smith, Sanath Jayasuriya, Nixon McLean
In None except overseas players
Out Peter Bowler, Jamie Cox, Thos Hunt, Tom Webley, Keith Dutch
Graeme Smith and Sanath Jayasuriya will enjoy the flattest pitch in the country, but the aging – and injury prone – seam attack is in need of some new blood. In James Hildreth, they have one of the most exciting young batsmen on the circuit, and Ian Blackwell can be as destructive as any player on his day. The lack of a frontline spinner will be a major problem, leaving Blackwell and a Wesley Durston, a young offspinner, to shoulder that burden. But Smith’s aggression and desire to win will ensure that all the players are giving 100%.
One to watch James Hildreth – has all the shots, a good temperament to match, and the best batting pitch in the country to exploit

WorcestershireTitle Odds 9/2
Overseas players Chaminda Vaas, Shoaib Akhtar, Zander de Bruyn
In Will Gifford, Joshua Knappett
Out Andy Bichel, Andrew Hall, Kadeer Ali, Steve Rhodes
The unknown factor of Shoaib Akhtar’s fitness leaves Worcestershire an unknown quantity. If Shoaib fires he will win matches, but there is still plenty of time before he is due to arrive for things to go wrong. Chaminda Vaas is a more reliable, if less explosive performer, and will be able to exploit early-season conditions. Vikram Solanki has to make sure the captaincy doesn’t affect his batting, but Graeme Hick will still be churning out the runs. If everything clicks they have the side to take them straight back to Division One.
One to watch James Pipe – has to fill the big gloves of Steve Rhodes, but his work behind the stumps is very impressive and no mean batsman either

YorkshireTitle Odds 6/1
Overseas players Ian Harvey, Phil Jacques
In David Lucas, Deon Kruis
Out Vic Craven, Andy Gray, Steve Kirby
Since winning the title in 2001 it has all been downhill at Headingley – and 2005 is set to be another struggle. The seam bowling is particularly thin, and Chris Silverwood is not in the first flush of youth anymore. Deon Kruis is not a long-term solution, so there may be the sight of some turning pitches at Headingley, with Richard Dawson and Mark Lawson, the young legspinner, aiming to take advantage. Phil Jacques will perform his annual run-scoring feats, and a fit Craig White is vital for a finish anywhere above mid-table.
One to watch Tim Bresnan – the well-built seamer will have a more senior role in a reduced bowling attack

The ECB name the 25-man development squad, on Thursday, which will be under the direct control of Duncan Fletcher, the England coach.The squad will include the 12 players who already have 12-month central contracts, with the remaining places being taken by the one-day players, fringe candidates for the Test side and the Academy players who toured UAE and Sri Lanka last winter. The selectors are unlikely to spring too many surprises, as the size of the squad allows them to include most players who are in contention for an international call-up.The stars of the Academy tour – Matt Prior and Ian Bell – are certain to be included, with the successful pace bowlers from the trip – Sajid Mahmood, Jon Lewis and David Harrison – also set for selection. With Prior a certainty for the squad, following his impressive efforts in Sri Lanka and strong start to the domestic season, there will be further disappointment for Chris Read, as it is unlikely that three wicketkeepers will make the squad.Probable 25-man development squad Michael Vaughan*, Kabir Ali, James Anderson*, Gareth Batty, Ian Bell, Mark Butcher*, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff*, Ashley Giles*, Steve Harmison*, David Harrison, Matthew Hoggard*, Geraint Jones*, Simon Jones*, Robert Key, Jon Lewis, Sajid Mahmood, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss*, Graeme Swann, Graham Thorpe*, Marcus Trescothick*, Alex Wharf

John Wright has asked Indian officials in charge of preparing wickets to be more thoughtfulwhen they set their job. In the drawn Test at Ahmedabad, Anil Kumble and HarbhajanSingh could not force the issue despite giving their best. “It is the responsibility of peoplepreparing the wickets to keep these things in mind. Sometimes you probably need to raisethese points with the people responsible,” said Wright at a press conference in Mohali,where the second Test starts on Thursday.”It’s unusual in India that the team batting first scores 500 runs in the first innings andthere is no assistance to the bowlers in the later stages of the match,” said Wright. “Wehave to play on wickets that are given to us. Sometimes you hope for a little bit of homeadvantage. It is the case in all the countries. In Australia, they make sure that theirwickets never turn.”Sourav Ganguly has publicly defended his bowlers for their effort in Ahmedabad, and Wrightechoed these thoughts. “There were three world-class spinners — [Anil] Kumble, Harbhajan[Singh] and [Daniel] Vettori – playing in the match. They all struggled on the track. But thelong spells will help them in the subsequent match.” However, he did not cite this as anexcuse. “You have to play on whatever wicket that is given to you. You have to approachthe game and adapt accordingly. We played good cricket but we could not finish the matchin the way we desired”Wright believed that four bowlers could do the job adequately, unless specialcircumstances demanded the inclusion of an extra bowler. He also had a comforting wordfor Akash Chopra. “It is important to give some space to the newcomers. You have to havefaith in them and show it. You have to allow these players to settle down.”Wright also downplayed calls for preparing fast tracks in India. “Trying to change the basicnature of Indian pitches will not be good for the game. India should keep its tradition. Ifwe start making pitches like the ones in Australia, it will not be good for the game. Thediversity of the game is also important.”

Dennis Lillee, the former Australian fast bowler who was present at the recently concluded fast bowlers’ training camp in Bangalore, has said that the top Indian medium-pacers are in fine fettle ahead of the new season.This will come as welcome news to the Indian team after a season when many of their frontline bowlers- Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra – were rendered ineffective through fatigue and varied injuries.Lillee, who interacted with Greg Chappell and the players, said that both he and TA Sekhar, the chief coach of the MRF Pace Foundation, had analysed video footage of all the 15 bowlers. Chappell had also been told of the adjustments that each bowler had to make. “Remember they have come out of the off season,” said Lillee. “So they are just trying to bowl a line and length. It is good that I had the chance to see them just before they start a new season.”Lillee felt that the players were doing the right things and said he had made corrections wherever necessary. “After all, all of them had been with me earlier at different times. I only needed to make slight adjustments,” he said after analysing the video footage that was sent to him by Chappell. Sekhar also added that there would be frequent sessions analysing the bowlers’ progress and that the players were happy with the opportunity to be monitored under Lillee at the start of a new season.Lillee felt that today’s budding fast bowlers understood the rigours of the trade and were genuinely interested in developing their fast-bowling skills. Lillee said that in 1987, he had trouble finding fast bowlers in the 14-17 age group and attributed this to a lack of fast-bowling role models in India. Lillee was optimistic about the current batch of young fast bowlers and added that “some ‘Sikh boys’ and a few others are really good and look to be long-term future prospects”.He agreed with Javagal Srinath’s view that fast bowlers could win matches for India and cited instances in the past when fast-bowling combinations had proved to be matchwinning in most conditions. “History also proves that Australian and West Indian fast bowlers have won matches for their teams during their visits to India.” Lillee also added that a pitch that assisted quick bowling would provide for more entertainment as a spinning track might hinder fluent strokeplay. “Wickets in Australia and the West Indies do help fast bowlers and the batsmen,” he said. “A fast wicket will be interesting for the paying public as solid stroke makers could keep fast bowlers at bay.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

An accomplished allround performance by Shoaib Malik, and a century of faultless grace and measured intent by Yousuf Youhana, brought Pakistan their third straight victory in the Paktel Cup, against a Sri Lankan team that has had the edge over them in recent times.Sri Lanka made a good start after winning the toss and choosing to bat, but some less-than-committed batting, and a probing and skilful spell of offspin bowling by Malik in the middle overs, led them to founder, and eventually they managed only 232. Given a slow outfield and enervating conditions – most of the game was played in 40-degree heat – Sri Lanka might have stretched Pakistan even with this total, but after they had made two early breakthroughs Malik and Youhana came together, and took the game away with a partnership of 200, the highest stand for any wicket in a one-day international at the National Stadium in Karachi.Sri Lanka were playing their first game since their loss to England at the Champions Trophy, and Marvan Atapattu caused some surprise with his decision to bat first. The ground had absorbed plenty of rain in the days leading up to the game, and what with a 9.30am start, it was almost certain that conditions would help the bowlers in the first hour. Atapattu’s counterpart Inzamam-ul-Haq, returning to the team after missing a match with a groin strain, was somewhat surprised at this decision, and had to confirm it a second time from Atapattu.But after the early loss of Avishka Gunawardene, always in trouble against the moving ball, Sri Lanka actually prospered in the first hour of play. Although both Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Sami kept the ball up to the batsmen, and runscoring was not easy, some characteristically enterprising batting by Sanath Jayasuriya kept the run rate ticking along at just over four an over. Jayasuriya employed his favourite drive through extra cover and pick-up stroke over square leg whenever he saw the opportunity, and Atapattu also looked in gorgeous touch – he seemed to check one square-drive off Naved, but it beat point and raced away for four – and worked the ball around adeptly for singles. When Shoaib Akhtar came on at first change, Jayasuriya greeted him with a six and a four, and after 15 overs Sri Lanka had reached 71.But as the morning progressed the heat grew stronger and ever more enervating, and seemed to take a toll on Jayasuriya. Shortly after he brought up his fifty, off 78 balls, he gave up his wicket in one of the most disappointing ways possible. Standing at the non-striker’s end, he backed up a couple of yards as Atapattu came down the pitch to drive Malik, and made no attempt to return to his crease as the ball was hit straight back to the bowler. He almost seemed to want an end to his innings, and Malik happily obliged (113 for 2).With Jayasuriya gone, the Sri Lankan innings floundered, and lost its way against Malik’s offspin. Atapattu advanced down the wicket to him again but found himself short of the pitch of the ball and chipped a catch to midwicket (129 for 3); Mahela Jayawardene feinted a forward movement and laid back to cut, only to be beaten by the sharp spin and find his off bail disturbed (165 for 4); and Tillakaratne Dilshan scratched around for a while before edging a cut (177 for 5). With the outfield slower than normal, boundaries were hard to come by, and the batsmen could not work enough singles to keep up an acceptable run rate. When Kumar Sangakkara was bowled for 38 attempting a wild slog, Pakistan knew they were in control of the game, and they bowled out the last ten overs competently without conceding too many.

Malik finished with 3 for 32, but there was more to come from him. Since Bob Woolmer’s appointment as coach of the Pakistan team four months ago, Malik has been not only the first-choice spinner but also the regular No. 3 batsman – in effect he is now the player on whom the greatest responsibility has been thrust. After being on the field for 50 overs, he was out on the ground again in the 11th over of Pakistan’s innings after Chaminda Vaas had trapped Yasir Hameed in front (33 for 1).Sri Lanka soon had another success to celebrate, when Nuwan Zoysa nailed Salman Butt in the next over. Pakistan only managed 49 in the first 15 overs as Malik and Youhana settled in, but thereafter the two batsmen upped the tempo and paced the run-chase to a nicety. With the target not an especially demanding one, it was more important that Pakistan kept their wickets intact, and there was hardly a risky stroke as Youhana and Malik proceeded neck-and-neck to their half-centuries. Atapattu shuffled his bowlers around without reward, and none of his spinners, including the usually reliable Jayasuriya, could get him a breakthrough. But Atapattu was also guilty of not putting enough pressure on the batsmen with fielders in the 30-yard circle. With only four men saving the single for most part, Malik and Youhana were able to rotate the strike more easily than they should have.Youhana hit only two fours on the way to a measured fifty off 70 balls, but then proceeded to attack the bowling with relish and assurance, deliberately lofting drives over the infield, and launching Upul Chandana for six over wide long-on. When he reached 66 he became the second-fastest Pakistan player to reach 6000 runs in one-day internationals, after Saeed Anwar, and quicker than all-time greats like Javed Miandad and Inzamam. He duly completed a superbly-paced hundred off 112 balls, and as Pakistan reached the final stretch Malik joined the fun, hitting powerfully down the ground and walking around his crease to manufacture shots around the wicket. The last scoring shot of the game brought up the 200 partnership. After a point, Sri Lanka were never in the game.Pakistan are now through to the finals, and can enjoy a well-deserved rest while Sri Lanka occupy themselves with the not-so-daunting task of beating Zimbabwe in the next two games to be sure of joining them there.