Plays of the Day from the third day of the Galle Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Kanishkaa Balachandran in Galle24-Jun-2012Akmal lashes out
Pakistan might have been at the wrong end of an umpiring error or two in the morning session, but there was one wicket they couldn’t blame on external factors. Adnan Akmal swept to fine leg, ran hard for the first run and then called for the second and set off, but his partner Mohammad Ayub wasn’t so sure. Ayub obliged rather late but hesitated and then headed back to his crease. By then it was too late for Akmal to head back as he was already more than halfway down. A peeved Akmal gestured to Ayub and gave him an earful as he walked back. The stump microphones picked up: My call, my call, I said ‘yes’. Not the warmest welcome to Test cricket for Ayub.No-DRS moment of the day I
If Pakistan thought they had seen the worst of the umpiring on the second evening, they were mistaken. A struggling Younis Khan was trying to play himself into form and resurrect the innings. His knock was cut short when he faced Rangana Herath. The flighted delivery drew him forward, the ball went straight through but Younis played for the turn, and the umpire failed to notice an inside edge onto the pads and gave him lbw. A stunned Younis stood his ground for a few seconds, but the decision was made. Pakistan had lost their most experienced batsman. Just another argument in favour of the DRS.No-DRS moment of the day II
This one went against Pakistan in the field. With Tillakaratne Dilshan racing away at nearly a run-a-ball, and the lead swelling, Pakistan were finding it hard to contain the hosts. Saeed Ajmal tossed one up from round the wicket, down the leg side and Dilshan, attemping to sweep fine, got a glove to it. Akmal and Ajmal knew they had had him, but the umpire wasn’t so sure. The following ball, Dilshan added further insult to injury by glancing it to third man for four. The coach Dav Whatmore took off his cap in frustration, Ajmal kicked the turf in disgust and Mohammad Hafeez came over and put an arm on his shoulder.Akmal rides piggyback
It was a day of contrasting moods for Akmal. When Thilan Samaraweera slashed Junaid Khan towards slip, the ball dipped to Younis’ left, where he took a sharp low catch. Akmal too could have gone for it but he wisely left it for the experienced Younis. Akmal went out of his way to extend his gratitude by clambering onto the prone Younis’ back – he refused to budge even after Younis had got to his feet and started walking. His mood a world apart from the morning then, when he lashed out at Ayub.
