http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Gul-c94604 happy with first ODI performance – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 at his old hunting ground Pallekele.
After an erratic display in the first T20 game, where his figures read 4-0-43-0, Gul was omitted from the team’s win in the subsequent T20 clash but was incorporated back into the lineup for the 1st 50-over encounter against the hosts.
The pressure was on him to perform and he delivered remarkably. With the pitch offering assistance, he ran in with breath taking accuracy and constantly troubled the experienced trio of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779 before accounting for the former two.
Dilshan had already been a beneficiary of a dropped catch by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898 but eventually succumbed to Gul’s exceptional line, and was holed out at mid-on for 5 – in an attempt to hit the bowler out of the park.
Jayawardene too had obtained a reprieve after he was dismissed on a no-ball off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sohail-Tanvir-c90665, but his stay was ended shortly by the leading Green Shirts’ pacer with a ball which nipped back sharply to catch the Lankan skipper in front of the stumps.
His third wicket was of the promising youngster http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LD-Chandimal-c1831, who dragged the ball onto his stumps after trying to punch the ball, off his back foot, through the covers. The early dismissals gave the visitors clear advantage and Gul’s figures of 24 for 3 proved decisive interms of the eventual outcome of the game – the Men In Green chasing down 135 with six wickets to spare.
The premier pacer has achieved plenty of success at this venue in the past. His last two outings at Pallekele came in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 respectively. Currently, his average at this ground stands at an impressive 10.22.
“I am happy with my performance. I am coming back after a long time. My body needs to bowl as much as possible. I was talking with my colleagues that this is my lucky ground. I have taken wickets before too. It (extras and dropped catches) happened, but in the next match we will try to cut it down," Gul said after scooping up the Player of the Match award.
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