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Lankans make it at the final hurdle
When it mattered most Pakistani's chocked. Sri Lanka who have a very impressive record, playing in finals struck when it mattered most. It would have been immense achievement for the youthful Pakistan team to beat Sri Lanka three out of three and similarly it was unlikely that their vastly experienced opponents would fumble thrice in three one day outings.

If not for any other reason at least on the law of averages Sri Lanka were fancied to win and their opponents to fall at the final hurdle. In the end it turned out to be a totally one- sided affair, an anti-climax.

Frozen fingers and a wet ball has caused the Sri Lankans to spill catches previously in England and more recently in Pakistan. "Acclimatization" is a word often heard mentioned, connected to the game. So vital to win the crucial points. Such preparation is totally neglected by Sri Lankan teams embarking on tours. It is an area they should think of seriously in the future.

The second game between the two teams was a showpiece of one day cricket. Catches were split by the half-dozen! But the batting erased those lapses from memory.

Chasing and reaching 293 runs is no easy feat particularly when its done with some deliveries remaining. To average nearly six an over for a continuous period of fifty overs is a big task. If underlined, one factor - the pitch was good for batting throughout the one hundred overs.

Unfortunately for Pakistan, Lahore did not offer the same conditions. The ball spun and stopped as they struggled to match the visitors impressive 289 run total. Both on the Thursday when they lost and on the Saturday when they won the Lankans batted positively and purposefully. It is a rare occurrence for a team to score more than two hundred and seventy five runs and end-up on the losing side. It slipped away on the first occasion but did not in the crucial finals.

One of the great challenges of cricket is to bat on deteriorating pitches. Particularly when it is final or a must win game. Sometimes nothing can be done as the game slips away and like caught in "quick sand", the hopes and dreams disappear from in front of your eyes.

Chasing again and fancied to reach the target which was six runs fewer than two days before. An opening stand of forty runs set the pace. Vaas conceded six runs per over in his seven. Mahroof conceded five an over in five and Dilhara Fernando a fraction over five in the same number of overs. Zoysa was required to bowl only four overs. Between their twenty overs they claimed two wickets. Sanath Jayasuriya is enjoying his cricket thoroughly these days. He did not contribute too many with the bat but spun it heaps and claimed five scalps. Upul Chandana supported well to claim three wickets and between them conceded only seventy three runs.

With these two bowlers on the rampage there was no way Pakistan could reach the target. They were beaten fairly and squarely. Another trophy to fit the cabinet at Maitland Place, Colombo 07. Sri Lanka was lucky the third time - Lahore of 1996 was revisited.

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