It is quite astonishing how quickly Test matches can turn. In both Tests, Pakistan were poised for victory and Sri Lanka’s only chance lay in Pakistan’s unpredictability and the tendency to reach for the self-destruct button. In both matches, Pakistan lived up to their reputation and succumbed to the pressure which was brought on by themselves.

Kumar Sangakkara, in his first Test series as captain, succeeded in leading Sri Lanka to her first home series win against Pakistan, a task which his predecessors had failed to achieve.

Having already won the series, Sri Lanka decided to make one change for the third Test, in bringing Chaminda Vaas in place of Ajantha Mendis who failed to impress in the first two Tests. This was to be the last Test match for Chaminda Vaas – the unsung hero of Sri Lanka cricket. It is sad that the match ended without Vaas not getting an opportunity to bat.

Sri Lanka’s bowling attack looked lopsided with only one spinner in the side. Rarely has Sri Lanka gone into a Test at home with only one spinner. Pakistan on the other hand, brought in experienced leg spinner Danish Kaneria in place of Abdur Rauf and strengthened their spin attack.

Skipper Sangakkara won the toss and decided to field first. Thilina Thushara provided the early breakthrough, getting the wickets of the century maker in the second Test Fawad Alam and the next highest run getter in the same Test, Younis Khan, with the score on 36. But Khurram Manzoor and Mohammad Yousuf batted well against some innocuous bowling as they put Pakistan in control. The score reached 200 for 2 and both batsmen were nearing their centuries.

But both batsmen were dismissed in their nineties. Chaminda Vaas claimed his only wicket of the match, when he had Manzoor caught by Mahela Jayawardene for 93. The young opener missed the opportunity of scoring his maiden Test century. Then Yousuf who was on 89 and needed just one run to score 7000 Test runs, was run out in attempting to make a second run. He made 90 and reached the 7000 mark but failed to make his second century of the series. He also missed the opportunity to equal the record for the most number of Test centuries by a Pakistani batsman held by Inzamam-ul-Haq, who has made 25.

There was a recovery of sorts as Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq added 75 runs for the fifth wicket. Pakistan had reached a respectable 285 for 4 with about three overs left for the day. But the new ball was taken and with it, Pakistan lost three more wickets to end the day on 289 for 7.

Only 3.4 overs were required to mop up the tail as Pakistan were dismissed for 299. Once again, the Sri Lankan bowlers were able to strike back as Pakistan lost the last six wickets for just 14 runs.

But Sri Lanka squandered their chances of obtaining a good first innings lead being bowled out for 233 runs.

The openers failed once again, but skipper Sangakkara, who survived a dropped catch at 16 and Mahela Jayawardene carried on until Sangakkara attempted to sweep the last ball before lunch off Ajmal and was adjudged leg before. After lunch, Samaraweera fell cheaply and at 82 for 4 Sri Lanka appeared to be in trouble. Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews then came together and looked in control until Danish Kaneria decided to step in.

The leg spinner, who had been overlooked for the first two Tests claimed 5 for 62 – his 13th five wicket haul and Sri Lanka were all out for 233. Sri Lanka would have fared much worse had it not been for a heroic knock of 44 from Tillekeratne Dilshan.

Dilshan had to come into bat at number eight due to a fractured right index finger, which he sustained while keeping on the first day. While batting with a broken finger, a ball struck the grill of his helmet and then hit him below his eyebrow which required 14 stitches. Dilshan batted on and was the last man out after scoring 44, which included two sixes. He had to protect the tail enders and did not run at least 10 singles and thus missed a certain half-century.

Jayawardene played well for his 79, until he fell to a beauty from Kaneria.

Pakistan, in their second innings, lost opener Manzoor to the penultimate ball of the day but still had a lead of 82 runs. Pakistan looked in trouble as they lost three wickets in the morning session on the third day, but Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik managed to gain control as the Sri Lankan bowlers looked helpless.

It was Mathews who broke the partnership which had yielded 119 runs, when he had Misbah-ul-Haq caught behind for 65.

Any hopes that Sri Lanka may have had of running through the rest of the batting disappeared as wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who had failed with the bat in this series, joined Malik. Akmal raised the tempo with runs coming thick and fast. He raced to 60 off just 68 balls. Meanwhile, Malik went on to make his second Test century and remained unbeaten on 106 at close of play. Pakistan had scored 300 for 5 at the end of the third day and had a lead of 366 runs. This was a substantial lead as Sri Lanka had never chased more than 352 runs to win a Test match.

On the fourth day, Pakistan’s overnight pair of Akmal and Malik took their sixth wicket stand to 133, the best sixth wicket partnership between the two countries. Akmal was out for 74 with the score on 319. For the first time in the series, the Pakistan tail wagged and when the declaration came, three overs after the lunch break, Pakistan had made 425 for 9 – a lead of 491. Sri Lanka’s target was a massive 492.

Sri Lanka had to bat through five sessions and face 149 overs in chasing this imposing target of 492. The highest successful run chase in the history of Test cricket is 418, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in 2003. Only four other teams have chased more than 400 run targets in the history of Test cricket.

The highest total Sri Lanka had made in this series so far was 292 and the most number of overs faced in an innings was 80.2. The task before them was daunting and defeat seemed inevitable.

At the end of the fourth day Sri Lanka had progressed to 183 for 3, but still required 309 runs for an historic victory. Sri Lanka had to survive 90 overs on the last day with only seven wickets in hand. With Dilshan injured and unable to bat, Sri Lanka really had only six wickets in hand.

Skipper Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera added 79 runs in the first session. More than the runs, it was survival that mattered and the pair found no difficulties in the varied attack. Samaraweera was the more aggressive and was unbeaten on 69 at the lunch break while Sangakkara had advanced to 75. Sangakkara, in this innings, passed the 7000 run mark in Tests.

Soon after lunch, Samaraweera suffered from cramps but carried on with the aid of a runner. But not for long. Having added four runs to his lunch time score, Samaraweera was caught behind off Ajmal. Perhaps Samaraweera’s movements were restricted and his foot wasn’t moving well enough to tackle Ajmal’s ‘doosra’.

Samaraweera’s wicket was the only success that Pakistan had for the whole day. Angelo Mathews joined his skipper and the pair were involved in an unbroken partnership of 114 runs for the fifth wicket which took Sri Lanka’s score to 391.

With the 15 mandatory overs left, both captains decided to call off play. With 20 overs left and Sri Lanka needing about 125 runs for an improbable victory, Mathews struck a six and a four in one over off Ajmal, which yielded 11 runs and it looked as if Sri Lanka had decided to start a T20-style run chase. Such a run chase would have been possible had Dilshan been fully fit and Sangakkara did the correct thing in deciding to save the match.

Sangakkara’s 19th Test century will go down as one of his best knocks even though it contained only seven fours. He did not take any risks for the sake of his team and his eight hour vigil paid dividends. His unbeaten 130 saved Sri Lanka from certain defeat, as Pakistan believed that they could take advantage of the dead rubber.

Sangakkara finished on top of the batting averages with an aggregate of 331 for an average of 66.20. He has once again climbed to the No.1 spot in World Test rankings. Nuwan Kulasekera was adjudged the Man of the Series as he finished on top of the highest wicket takers in the series with 17 wickets at an average of 15.05.

Rangana Herath finished second with 15 wickets at an average of 26.93. Herath’s success has come at a time when Ajantha Mendis, who enjoyed such phenomenal success when he first appeared on the international scene, is experiencing a torrid time.

Thus on the last day of play in every Test match in the series a Pakistan win looked inevitable, but the results proved otherwise. At tea on the last day of the third Test, it looked as if the match could produce any of the three results – a win for Pakistan, a win for Sri Lanka or a draw. How can anyone then say that a draw can be dull?

In these days when cricket is no longer the unhurried, courteous game played by gentlemen and where the game has turned into a fast and furious battle in pursuit of money, this series has proved once again that the pristine purity of Test cricket can be preserved.