Sri Lanka on top but Pakistan retain hope

Sri Lanka still hold the upper hand in the third Test against Pakistan but Misbah-ul-Haq's men showed fight on the fourth day. Pakistan's captain reached 63 in Sharjah, but was unable to prevent his side conceding a first-innings lead of 87 as they were dismissed for 341 in the morning session, with Rangana Herath (5-125) and Shaminda Eranga (4-60) sharing the final four scalps. Sri Lanka, who lead the three-match series 1-0, then made slow progress to 133-5 from 71 overs for a lead of 220 at stumps. Mohammad Talha (2-36) and Abdur Rehman (2-36) pegged Angelo Mathews' side back and Saaed Ajmal dismissed the in-form Mahela Jayawardene (46) late in the day to give Pakistan additional hope of claiming the victory they need to square the rubber. Talha made the breakthrough when he bowled Dimuth Karunaratne for just eight and Rehman got in on the act by dismissing the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara for the same score, reducing Sri Lanka to 37-2. Opener Kaushal Silva was cleaned up by Rehman to end a patient knock of 36 and Talha generated some movement to bowl Dinesh Chandimal (13) with the score on 89. Jayawardene scored a century in the second Test and looked well set again on Sunday before he was caught at short-leg by Azhar Ali off Ajmal three overs before stumps were called. Mathews, who faced 99 balls for 14 not out, and Prasanna Jayawardene (6) were unbeaten at the close and will hope to frustrate Pakistan in the morning. Earlier in the day, Eranga struck with the sixth ball of the morning when he had Rehman caught behind and the seamer also dismissed Talha in his next over to reduce Pakistan to 300-8. Misbah frustrated Sri Lanka, dominating the strike and dispatching Herath for two sixes before trying one big shot too many against the spinner and being caught at wide long-on by Chandimal. Junaid Khan (16) provided brief fireworks as he smashed his first ball for six off Herath and repeated the trick three balls later, but Herath had the last laugh as the number 11 was caught by Chandimal. Herath is the first spinner to take five wickets in an innings in the series and could have a major role to play on day five.