Rookie paceman rocks Lanka in Abu Dhabi Test

Rookie paceman Junaid Khan on Tuesday said he wanted to fill the void left in Pakistan's pace attack by the absence of his close friend and one-time bowling partner Mohammad Aa

The 21-year-old took a maiden five-wicket haul to help Pakistan dismiss Sri Lanka for a low score of 197 on the opening day of the first Test at Abu Dhabi stadium.

"I will do my best to fill the void and do as well as my team needs," said Khan, whose 5-38 rocked the formidable Sri Lankan batting. "I am delighted with my effort but all the bowlers did well as no one man can get a team out."

Khan hails from Abbottabad in North-Western Pakistan, a town where Osama Bin Laden was killed by American Special Forces in May this year, played most of his cricket with Aamer.

The duo, both left-arm pacemen, toured various countries with Pakistan junior teams between 2005 and 2009 before the more talented Aamer was picked for Pakistan's seniors.

Khan said the pitch at Abu Dhabi stadium was responsive.

"There was a little bit of seam early but otherwise, I used the yorker and mixed the bowling up and it's pleasing to get them out for a low score," said Khan, who hoped Pakistan put up 300-350 for a winning lead.

Khan got just one wicket on his debut Test, against Zimbabwe last month.

Khan said legendary Pakistan pacemen Imran Khan and Wasim Akram were his idols but he developed into a good bowler only under Waqar Younis's coaching.

"I am quite lucky that way. During the World Cup (2011), there was Aaqib Javed and Waqar and alongside them Wasim also gave tips when he came on how to bowl. I started playing cricket only after watching Imran.

"When I went to Lancashire, Wasim used to call me and tell me how to bowl, how to use the conditions," said Khan. "That stint was very helpful. I learnt there how to seam, how to swing the ball, how to bowl a yorker."

Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who topscored with 52 not out, was disappointed with the overall batting performance.

"We lost our way in the second session and the batsmen did not bat well.

"The second session made a huge difference where we lost six wickets in four five overs and that was bad," said Mathews, who added 54 for the eighth wicket with Suranga Lakmal (18).

Mathews denied the pitch was difficult for batting on.

"It was a pretty good batting wicket. Whoever hits the wicket hard had a bit off a nip off the wicket. All in all it was a very good wicket and Khan did hit the deck hard and got the reward," said Mathews.

"Obviously it's the first day of the Test match and we have got four days left. I strongly believe that our bowlers can still get us back into the game," said Mathews, whose fifty was his fourth in the last five innings.

Sri Lanka bundled out for 197

Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan chipped in with a maiden five-wicket haul to help Pakistan bundle Sri Lanka for a mere 197-run total on the first day of the opening Test here on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old, playing in only his second Test, with 5-38 and was ably supported by pace partner Umar Gul (2-37) and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-56) after Pakistan put Sri Lanka into bat on a greenish Abu Dhabi stadium pitch.

Pakistan finished the day at 27-0, with Mohammad Hafeez on 17 and Taufiq Umar unbeaten on eight.

Sri Lanka, who were confidently placed at 51-1 at lunch, could never recover from the loss of six wickets for 65 runs between lunch and tea, as Khan produced a burst of three wickets in the space of just five deliveries.

Vice-captain Angelo Mathews cracked four boundaries and a six in a fighting unbeaten 52 to avoid total disaster, putting up innings' highest partnership with Suranga Lakmal of 54 after Sri Lanka were tottering at 114-7.

Paceman Aizaz Cheema (1-51) had opened the gates by dismissing former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara (two) in the second over after lunch, forcing an edge off the left-hander which was smartly held by a diving keeper Adnan Akmal.

Opener Tharanga Paranavitana then gloved a short-pitch delivery off Gul to Akmal to leave the Islanders struggling at 79-3. Paranavitana hit three boundaries during his patient knock of 37.

Skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan, who demoted himself to number five against Australia last month, hit the first ball he faced for a boundary and added 33 with Paranavitana before Sri Lanka lost the way.

Dilshan was unlucky to be given out, caught behind off Ajmal by New Zealand umpire Tony Hill when replays showed he clearly missed the ball.

Khan then ripped through the middle-order, dismissing Mahela Jayawardene (28) with the third ball of his ninth over, had Parasanna Jayawardene (nought) three balls later and then Rangana Herath (nought) off the first ball of his next.

Khan expressed delight at his performance.

"The ball was seaming and I am happy that I played my part well, but all bowlers did bowl perfectly as you can't get the whole team out with one man's effort," said Khan.

Mathews said getting out for a low score was disappointing.

"It was disappointing because the pitch was good for batting," said Mathews, who hit his fourth fifty in the last five innings. "Still, four days are left in this match so I am sure we will stage a comeback."

Khan, who took only one wicket in his debut Test against Zimbabwe last month, returned for his third spell to take the last two wickets, getting Chanaka Welegedara (11) and debutant Nuwan Pradeep (one) to wrap up the innings.

Before Khan's final acts, Gul had dismissed Lakamal (18) to end Sri Lanka's resistance.

Khan, preferred over more experienced Wahab Riaz, justified his selection as both Pakistan and Sri Lanka decided to enter with three pacemen and one specialist spinner, with the Islanders giving debut to Nuwan Prasad.

In the first session Sri Lankan openers were cautious, as Misbah brought on spinner Hafeez in the eighth over. But it was Ajmal who gave the breakthrough dismissing opener Lahiru Thirimanne for 20 before lunch.

The three Test series was shifted to United Arab Emirates after Sri Lanka refused an invitation to tour Pakistan in the wake of terrorists attacks on a military base in Karachi in May this year.

Sri Lanka First Innings

Tharanga Paranavitana c Akmal b Gul 37

Lahiru Thirimanne c Younus b Ajmal 20

Kumar Sangakkara c Akmal b Cheema 2

Mahela Jayawardene c Hafeez b Junaid 28

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Akmal b Ajmal 19

Angelo Mathews not out 52

Prasanna Jayawardene b Junaid 0

Rangana Herath lbw b Junaid 0

Suranga Lakmal c Hafeez b Gul 18

Chanaka Welegedara c Taufeeq b Junaid 11

Nuwan Pradeep c Akmal b Junaid 1

Extras: (3lb, 1w, 5nb) 9

TOTAL: (all out) 197

Overs: 74.1.

Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-51, 3-79, 4-112, 5-112, 6-112, 7-114, 8-168, 9-193, 10-197.

Bowling: Umar Gul 11-1-37-2 (3nb), Aizaz Cheema 15-5-51-1, Mohammad Hafeez 9-3-12-0, Junaid Khan 14.1-3-38-5 (1nb, 1w), Saeed Ajmal 25-5-56-2.

Pakistan First Innings

Mohammad Hafeez not out 17

Taufeeq Umar not out 8

Extras: (2nb) 2

TOTAL: (for no wicket) 27

Overs: 8.

To bat: Azhar Ali, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan.

Bowling: Chanaka Welegedara 2-0-9-0 (2nb), Suranga Lakmal 3-0-8-0, Rangana Herath 2-1-2-0, Nuwan Pradeep 1-0-8-0.

Toss: Pakistan.

Umpires: Rod Tucker, Australia, and Tony Hill, New Zealand.

Third umpire: Ahsan Raza, Pakistan. Match referee: David Boon, Australia.

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