Malik and Alam seal thriller for Pakistan

Considering that cricket bats have normally been packed away at this time of the year in Toronto, it is hardly surprising that the T20 Canada tournament is proving tough for batsmen, but Shoaib Malik and Fawad Alam combined in thrilling style to steal this match away from Sri Lanka with a ball to spare.

Pakistan had little hope at 91 for 7, following a four-wicket return for debutant Kaushalya Weeraratne, but Malik and Alam added 50 in four overs in front of a packed ground. Malik hit the winning boundary off the penultimate ball to send Pakistan to the top of the table.

This was the glamour tie of the tournament (although a repeat in the final is likely) and the local supporters responded. There was plenty of support for both sides, and they got the match they deserved. Following closely on from the bowl-out win for Zimbabwe, it was a cracking day for the tournament.

Sri Lanka were left regretting their decision to leave out Mahela Jayawardene and Ajantha Mendis, among four changes from the Zimbabwe game. Their absence took something away from the contest, but Jayawardene is probably expecting a rematch in the final, and the finish more than made up for it. Sri Lanka, though, will accept that it was one that got away.

In four matches there has been only one half-century, by Salman Butt, but he went early this time, given lbw to Farveez Maharoof. He seemed far from pleased and appeared to think he grazed the ball, although replays weren't totally clear. Shoaib Khan jnr had already departed and Pakistan were 13 for 2.

Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq played sensibly, adding 48 in seven overs, until the introduction of Weeraratne - as the fifth bowler - changed the game, but not for the final time. He bowled Younis with his fourth ball and two deliveries later had Misbah caught behind. Shahid Afridi only plays one way and his attempt to launch the ball into a neighbouring suburb ended with a boundary catch.

Weeraratne continued to shine when he claimed his fourth as Sohail Tanvir got a leading edge. Between Weeraratne's display, Dilhara Fernando - whose first over cost 16, including a free-hit that went for six - chipped in to remove Kamran Akmal.

But the captain Malik was still there and Alam showed immense power. Alam launched three sixes, including two into the VIP area and, before Sri Lanka knew it, Pakistan needed 13 from the final over. Alam slammed his third six and Malik sealed the rapid reversal with consecutive boundaries off Nuwan Kulasekara.

The first over of the match suggested a good contest was on the cards as Sanath Jayasuriya launched the innings with consecutive boundaries off Shoaib Akhtar, but fell next ball when he top-edged to fine leg.

Mahela Udawatte and Jehan Mubarak added 51 for the second wicket with Mubarak the more dominant, continuing positively after Udawatte was bowled round his legs by Afridi. Mubarak had struck six fours when he came down the track and was beaten by turn from Malik, with Akmal completing a safe stumping.

As has been the case in all matches, scoring off the spinners was tough and the middle order struggled to push on against Afridi and Malik. However, the action came from Umar Gul, who showed why he has developed into one of the most effective death bowlers in the world.

His first wicket was Chamara Kapugedera, who was setting himself for a late assault. Gul then bowled full and straight at the tail - who kept swinging and missing - and finished with healthy returns of 4 for 13 off three overs. For much of the second innings it looked to have been a wasted effort, but nothing can be taken for granted in Twenty20.

Plenty to ponder for Kumble

While Mahela Jayawardene described Sri Lanka's massive win at the SSC a "perfect performance", his counterpart Anil Kumble was left to rummage through the ashes of India's third-heaviest defeat and concede that they played miserably. First and foremost on Kumble's agenda was how India would sort out Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, who shared 19 of the 20 wickets to fall in Sri Lanka's biggest win on home soil.

"Obviously we need to look at our strategy in handling Murali and Mendis," Kumble said. "We have to be a little more positive. They bowled exceptionally well and we did not bowl well. Avoiding the follow-on was always going to be tough. The wicket was not really helping spin but once you bat that way in the first innings it was going to be tough. It was an exceptional bowling performance from Mendis and Murali."

Murali finished the match with 11 wickets as India were shot out for 138 in their second innings, and he was brilliantly supported by debutant Mendis, who took eight wickets. As he had said before this match, Kumble reiterated that India's focus had not been entirely on Mendis. "We are asked more about Mendis in media conferences. Probably the focus was on him but we always knew Murali and [Chaminda] Vaas were the ones. Murali is a champion bowler."

India were thoroughly outplayed, failing to take even one session, and Kumble admitted his side have plenty to do before the Galle Test. "We need to work all three departments of the game and just not one," he said. "We dropped a few catches, Mahela was dropped and so was [Thilan] Samaraweera. Zaheer [Khan] got a wicket off a no-ball. We had to bowl well and also ensure we held the chances that came our way."

India's shot selection has come under fire in this Test - in particular the option to play Murali horizontally. Kumble, however, believed India had no need to press the panic button. "There is no need to look at a change in technique. No other line-up is more technically equipped," he said in regards to India's Fab Four. "They are players who have played for more than 15 years and have more than 100 Tests. You can't get a more experienced line-up than this. It is important for the bowlers to also put their hands up."

It is not the first time India started an overseas series with a loss, as Kumble was gently reminded in the post-match conference, but he did not blame a lack of preparation. "Statistics don't lie but we don't think that way, and we're not thinking on those lines," he said. "We did let them off the hook. We had our chances; it is not that we take time to settle.

"Any amount of planning will hold good. It is question of going out there and performing. It does not mean we were under-prepared ... we were definitely prepared. Just that we didn't get it together. Preparation is also an individual thing."

The numbers sometimes do tell lies, but they paint a bleak truth for Kumble after a match that was his worst for quite some time. Before this Test, Kumble's bowling record in Sri Lanka read 22 wickets from six matches at 42.68, with only one five-wicket haul. After 37 wicketless overs for 121 runs, that has swelled to 48.18. Putting it mildly, the first Test of this series was humbling for India's captain.

"I take it [my lack of form], but we all tried hard," Kumble said. "Nobody goes there not to give 100%. It was not that I was hiding my best. Possibly the way we folded in the two innings was not right."

Harbhajan Singh's lack of bite was also a major concern ahead of the second Test but Kumble said it was too early to pontificate on bowling changes for Galle. "On coming back after a loss, we have done it in the past and it is the same team that has brought some wonderful results. I am confident we will come back."

Jayawardene hundred punishes India

Sri Lanka overcame the shaky start on the first day and resumed normal service, accumulating runs on the placid SSC pitch, and capitalised on reprieves to move into a position of strength. Mahela Jayawardene looked set from the moment his innings began shortly before stumps last evening and, by tea, he had scored a classy 105 and threatened to punish India severely for the opportunities they failed to take.

It was Jayawardene's ninth century at the SSC and he now shares the world record for most hundreds at a single venue with Don Bradman who made nine at the MCG. Jayawardene's has played his club cricket at the SSC and has scored over a quarter of his Test runs here: 2167 runs, another world record at a specific venue, in 20 Tests at an average of 83.34.

Jayawardene's century today was preceded by Malinda Warnapura's second hundred in his fifth Test. His was a more controlled performance: he was sure against the semi-new ball and his confidence grew as the ball got older.

Sri Lanka added 220 runs in two sessions today for the loss of only Warnapura. Their batsmen were rarely troubled and 55 turned out to be their lucky number. In the sixth over of the day, Zaheer Khan had Warnapura, on 55 at the time, caught and bowled off a marginal no-ball. His foot landed on the line and then just slid over. Jayawardene was also on 55 when a slider from Anil Kumble found the bottom edge. Dinesh Karthik, perhaps unsighted by the bat, couldn't hold on to the catch. On 93, Jayawardene was beaten comprehensively - a rare event given his form - by a legbreak from Kumble which might have taken a faint edge. Karthik once again couldn't gather it, and ended the debate right there.

Apart from those three chances, India's bowlers did not have much going for them. Two boundaries in the fifth over of the day summed up the medium-pacers' predicament. Jayawardene moved on to front foot against Ishant Sharma; the bowler consciously shortened the length but Jayawardene had enough time to transfer the weight on to the back foot and cut in front of point. He played an identical shot the next ball and the message was clear: economy might be the best form of attack once the ball lost its shine for the pitch absorbed the pace and offered only slow movement.

After Sri Lanka had scored 38 in the first six overs - Jayawardene contributing 23 -Kumble, the pick of the bowlers, brought himself on to replace Ishant. He conceded only 12 runs off his first 10 overs and India began to exercise some control over the run-flow. By tea, Kumble had bowled 22 overs for 47 runs and should have had Jayawardene at least once.

India's only wicket came in the post-lunch session when Harbhajan, from round the wicket, made Warnapura play at an offbreak and got the edge through to Rahul Dravid. Thilan Samaraweera nearly played on against Harbhajan early in his innings but he settled down and unobtrusively reached a half-century just before the tea break.

Zaheer came for a testing spell in the middle session, getting reverse swing from round the wicket. His stock ball remained the one headed for the pads but he got the odd one to swing away. He even managed to beat Jayawardene with the away-going delivery. By tea, India's medium-pacers had bowled 43 overs between them and that could be the reason that Kumble didn't take the new ball.

Sri Lanka bat as Bopara debuts

Sri Lanka have had time to regroup after their problems in Australia, while England have acclimatised to the energy-sapping conditions which will test them in three weeks. Now the two teams can face-off in an eagerly anticipated contest, at the picturesque Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy, as they both try to lay a sustained claim to being the best of the rest in Test cricket.

The home side struck the first significant blow when Mahela Jayawardene called correctly at the toss, and had decided to bat almost before the two captains shook hands. Michael Vaughan played it typically cool - "If you look at the stats sides have done well bowling first" - but admitted he would have "loved" to have batted first.

Four years ago England clung on for a draw on this ground with Vaughan, one of their two survivors from the game alongside Paul Collingwood, making a 333-ball 105 over the final two days. Sri Lanka have five players from that game, including Chaminda Vaas who plays his 100th Test after being dropped at Hobart against Australia, and Muttiah Muralitharan who is on the brink of Shane Warne's record on his home ground. The locals are certainly confident; the posters are already up and the fireworks primed for when the milestone is passed.

Sri Lanka's side is as expected with Dilhara Fernando retaining his spot ahead of the legspinner Malinga Bandara. The pitch is dry, but not so much as to warrant two specialist spinners. However, with Sanath Jayasuriya's underrated left-arm darts to call upon Jayawardene has extra options should the surface start to break up later in the game.

England's team was shrouded in secrecy during the build-up, but the final decision revealed a debut for Ravi Bopara at No. 6 - ahead of the unlucky Owais Shah - and the safety-first option of James Anderson to complete the fast-bowling trio alongside Ryan Sidebottom and Matthew Hoggard. Steve Harmison steamed in during the final net sessions, but it wasn't enough to allay fears that he could go AWOL at the crunch moment.

This series should be a compelling battle between two well-matched sides, but with three Tests it's vital to make the early running. The forays on this opening morning could set the tone for the next few weeks.

Sri Lanka 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Michael Vandort, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan

England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Michael Vaughan (capt), 3 Ian Bell, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Ryan Sidebottom, 9 Matthew Hoggard, 10 Monty Panesar, 11 James Anderson

Atapattu and Sangakkara frustrate Australia

Sri Lanka saved their most promising partnership of the tour until their final innings as Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara frustrated Australia and guided Sri Lanka to 1 for 139 at tea. Their unbeaten 124-run stand came as Sri Lanka faced a gigantic task in chasing 507 for an unlikely victory.

Ricky Ponting was left searching for ideas during a rare wicketless session for Australia after Mitchell Johnson had removed Michael Vandort just before lunch. Stuart MacGill struggled to find his length and Australia's fast men could not extract much assistance from a pitch that remained good for batting late on the fourth day.

The quality pairing of Atapattu and Sangakkara did not allow Australia any room for error and at tea Sri Lanka needed a further 368 runs from four sessions with nine wickets in hand. Before this series Atapattu had not played a Test for nearly two years but he proved that his class had not deserted him with a composed half-century from 94 balls.

Atapattu's timing was outstanding and he managed nine fours on a ground whose outfield had been slow all day. He reached 74 at tea and was especially effective against MacGill, who sent down few deliveries that seriously threatened the batsmen. Too often he dropped short or overpitched and the batsmen rarely let him get away with it. Atapattu took 12 from one MacGill over, striking a trio of boundaries with an excellent cover drive, a well-timed cut that brought up his half-century, and a textbook pull in front of midwicket.

It helped him enormously to have such a good partner - Sangakkara was on 51 at tea and demonstrated how much Sri Lanka had missed him in Brisbane. He too picked a couple of boundaries off MacGill full tosses with a cover drive and a sweep but also worked runs comfortably against the fast bowlers.

Ponting no doubt wished he could call on Andrew Symonds, whose medium-pacers ended two promising partnerships in the first Test, however Symonds hurt his ankle while batting in the first innings and has not fielded in this match. Michael Clarke's part-time spin was employed but Atapattu and Sangakkara did not succumb.

Sri Lanka suffer Jaques rerun

The first day in Hobart gave Sri Lanka flashbacks of Brisbane as Phil Jaques and Michael Hussey each scored their second consecutive century and Australia went to stumps at 3 for 329. Hussey was in danger of spending a night in the 90s but he relieved the pressure in the final over by pulling Farveez Maharoof expertly through midwicket for four to bring up his hundred from 169 balls.

Sri Lanka had changed their attack by including Lasith Malinga but the results were largely the same as the first Test and at the close Hussey was on 101 with Michael Clarke on 8. Hussey's century was just another way the opening day at Bellerive Oval copied the start of the Gabba game - Australia batted first, Matthew Hayden fell to pace, Muttiah Muralitharan removed Ponting, and Jaques reached triple-figures with Hussey by his side.

But while repeats did not bother Australia, Sri Lanka were frustrated by the Jaques and Hussey rerun. The pair combined for a 152-run partnership that justified Ponting's decision to bat on a pitch that offered some early seam movement but was essentially ideal for batting.

Jaques lost his cool for 100 at the Gabba and this time skied a catch for 150 - Sri Lanka will be glad there is no third Test for him to continue the pattern with 200. While his Brisbane hundred was an uncharacteristic, prolonged effort, his follow-up in Hobart was much more typical of his style.