Sri Lankan tailenders take Pakistan to the wire

Pakistan's 184 all out off 48.3 overs was enough to give them a five-run victory in their first ICC Under-19 World Cup game, against Sri Lanka, at Lincoln No 3 today.

Sri Lanka's reply never gained any momentum after the openers were dismissed within the first three overs of the reply. When Jeewan Mendis lost patience when on 39, scored off 84 balls, Sri Lanka were 97/7, and any chance of victory seemed gone.

However, Gamini Chandra Kumara (45) and Dhammika Prasad (24) put on a brave 50 for the ninth wicket to keep the Sri Lankan supporters' drums, and hearts, beating into the final three overs.

A six from Kumara in the penultimate over made the equation six from nine balls, but two deliveries later he tried the same leg side swing and was caught by Asim Butt off the bowling of off spinner Irfan-ud-Din near the rope.

Pakistan coach Haroon Rashid told CricInfo: "They had a tough game, but they didn't lose their nerve. But, I must commend the efforts of the Sri Lankans. They were 118/8 and they fought gallantly which showed they are a good cricketing side."

Mohammad Fayyaz, a 17-year-old all-rounder from Peshawar, who lofted the ball regularly, was alone in reaching 50 in the match, which he scored off 66 balls. In his first innings of the tournament, he hit four fours as well as a six over mid-wicket. He was named man of the match by referee Barry Jarman.

Fayaaz's innings, and some zealous fielding, allied to an outstanding analysis of one for 14 off 10 overs by slow left-armer Kamran Younis were the reasons Pakistan came through, after a hard fought and noisily supported match.

He went when attempting a second from a glide to third man. A direct hit from Ferveez Maharoof beat his dive. It was the second unfortunate run out after Kamran Sajid's (31) hesitancy was his down fall earlier in the innings.

Sri Lanka suffered too from run outs, with a slip accounting for Eashan Abeysinghe, who had not faced a ball, and poor calling for Prasad, who had helped Mendis add 39 for Sri Lanka's fifth wicket.

Their wicket-keeper, Charith Sylvester, had earlier taken four catches, to go with his record four catches and four stumpings in a group game against Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka's right-arm fast bowlers Prasad (four for 30) and Dhammika Niroshan (three for 44) did the damage in Pakistan's innings.

Pakistan coach Rashid's main concern was with his batsmen, who "are giving us a bit of a problem not giving us a good total on the board."

The former international continued, "this is the only time we are getting good weather, and we have not been able to practice outdoors."

His other worry was that "at this level nobody knows each other and the problem you have is to pick a strategy for each team because the players have never played each other."

"Overall it was a good battle," Rashid concluded. "The future of cricket as a whole is good."

Regarding the forthcoming game with India, Rashid bemoans the fact the teams are not playing at full Test level. "It's not good for cricket," he said, adding, "there will be a special feeling for both sides," when they meet on Thursday.