COLOMBO – Resolute Sri Lankan batting and wet weather frustrated Pakistan's bid to drive home the advantage on the third day of the second Test in Colombo Monday. The tourists, who declared their first innings at 551-6, dismissed opener Tharanga Paranavitana for zero before the hosts recovered to post 70-1 by stumps at the Sinhalese Sports Club. The experienced duo of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara led the revival by adding 59 runs for the second wicket on a pitch that continued to assist batsmen. Dilshan was unbeaten on 46 with nine hits to the fence and Sangakkara was on 22. Just 27 overs of the stipulated 90 were bowled during the day as rain washed out play in the last two sessions. The second day had also seen only 44 overs sent down. With more rain forecast over the next two days, the match appeared headed for a draw with Sri Lanka set to retain its lead in the three-match series after winning the first Test in Galle by 209 runs. A fired-up Pakistan attack was rewarded with the breakthrough in the fourth over when left-handed Paranavitana was snapped up at short-leg by Azhar Ali off Junaid Khan. But Dilshan and Sangakkara, who both scored centuries in Galle, settled down to deny the tourists further success. Pakistan, who resumed on the overnight score of 488-4, batted for an hour before skipper Misbahul Haq declared the innings. Misbah himself remained unbeaten on 66 after Asad Shafiq was run out for two and Adnan Akmal was caught in the covers to give left-arm spinner Rangana Herath his third wicket in the innings. The third Test will be played in Pallekele from July 8. West Indies claim series win West Indies notched up their second crushing Twenty20 victory over New Zealand in as many days at lauderhill, florida, Sunday. After winning the first shortened overs match by 56 runs Saturday, West Indies again had explosive batsman Chris Gayle and spinner Sunil Narine to thank for a convincing 61-run win over the Kiwis. West Indies made 177 for five off their 20 overs with Gayle striking a fluent 53 off 39 balls, featuring three fours and four sixes, and Jonathan Charles and Dwayne Bravo chipping in with useful knocks of 36 and 35 not out respectively. New Zealand were then bowled out for 116 in the 18th over with Daniel Flynn top-scoring with 22 as Narine followed up on his 3-32 in Saturday's match with a startling 4-12 in four extremely tidy overs. Brief scores: West Indies 177 for 5 (Gayle 53, Charles 36, Dwayne Bravo 35). New Zealand 116 (Flynn 23; Narine 4-12). — Agencies
