All posts by h716a5.icu

With Gianluigi Buffon retiring on Saturday, Goal takes a look at where the Italian icon ranks among the best ever, in terms of longevity and legacy

10Iker Casillas

A prodigious talent with wonderful reflexes, Iker Casillas broke into the Real Madrid starting line-up at 18 years of age. He had only just turned 19 when he helped Los Blancos win the 2000 Champions League final.

The Spaniard would go on to become a regular for both club and country for over a decade, becoming the captain of the greatest international side the game has ever seen, which helped him win the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award for five successive years between 2008 and 2012

Casillas led La Roja to two European Championships and one World Cup and although his time at Madrid ended on a rather sour note, his place in the history books had long since been secured.

Advertisement9Peter Shilton

When it comes to longevity, no top goalkeeper can compare with Peter Shilton, who spent just over three decades in between the sticks. Indeed, he was still England's first-choice goalkeeper at Italia '90, even though he was 40 at the time. 

At the peak of his powers, Shilton was a truly exceptional shot-stopper, the last line of defence in the Nottingham Forest side that won back-to-back European Cups, in 1979 and 1980.

Shilton remained at the peak of his profession though the 1980s, though, and only called time on his incredible career in 1997, some 31 years after he'd broke into the Leicester City team.

Getty Images8Edwin van der Sar

Despite his height (6'5''/1.97m), Edwin van der Sar was one of the first of a new breed of goalkeepers who were excellent with the ball at their feet.

The Dutchman was a part of the wonderful Ajax team that won the Champions League in 1995 and although a subsequent switch to Juventus did not work out well, he resurrected his career at Fulham before then moving to Manchester United, with whom he tasted further Champions League glory, in 2008. 

Indeed, it was Van der Sar who decided the final in the Red Devils' favour by stopping Nicolas Anelka's penalty in the shootout, after making several crucial saves in open play that deservedly earned him the man of the match award. He would then go on to become the oldest player to win the Premier League, at the age of 40, in 2011.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images7Manuel Neuer

While Manuel Neuer may not have invented the role of 'sweeper-keeper', he is arguably its greatest exponent. 

With his wonderful exploits for both Bayern Munich and Germany, Neuer has completely changed the entire perception of shot-stopper by essentially serving as an extra man in defence and a key distributor of the ball from the back.

Indeed, whereas once goalkeepers were overlooked when it came to individual accolades, Neuer is now widely lauded for inspiring a new generation of goalkeepers, as underlined by the fact that he finished third in the 2014 Ballon d'Or voting after winning the World Cup in Brazil.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that Vinicius Jr. could "improve" his attitude amid criticism from Barcelona legend Carles Puyol.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Puyol hit out at Brazil internationalAncelotti appears to agree with his takeVinicius victim of repeated racist insultsWHAT HAPPENED?

Puyol claimed that Vinicius needed to "change his attitude" in order to gain the recognition he deserves. Vinicius has been at the centre of multiple racist incidents in La Liga, with the most recent flashpoint coming against Sevilla.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ancelotti has repeatedly defended Vinicius, saying that he was "disrespected" against Athletic Club in January, but he appears to have changed his tack and has seemingly agreed with Puyol's sentiments.

WHAT THEY SAID

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Real's Champions League clash with Braga, Ancelotti said: "If Puyol wants to talk toVinícius, let him do it, he has a lot of experience. Vini is a difference-maker, that’s obvious. Maybe his attitude could be better in certain circumstances. But he has improved a lot, and continues to improve. We are delighted with him. He does his best, in the last few games he hasn’t quite been on top form, but he has improved a lot.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Madrid face Braga in the Champions League before returning to domestic action against Valencia this weekend.

Roy Keane was left fuming at Goodison Park as a fan kept filming him instead of watching Manchester United's clash against Everton.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Keane rages at fan for filming him during Everton vs Man UtdAsked the person to stop filming and start watching the matchMan Utd thrashed Everton 3-0WHAT HAPPENED?

The United legend was seen raging at a fan at Goodison Park as the person kept filming him instead of watching the Premier League match between Everton and Red Devils.

As the fan zoomed the camera towards Keane, the former United skipper could be seen making angry gestures pointing to the ground while telling the person to concentrate on the game instead of filming him.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

On the pitch, the Red Devils picked up a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Toffees courtesy of goals from Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

The Argentine youngster opened the scoring for his club in the third minute of the game with a fabulous acrobatic bicycle kick that evoked memories of Cristiano Ronaldo's famous strike for Real Madrid against Juventus in the Champions League in 2018.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Erik ten Hag's side will next take on Galatasaray in a must-win Champions League group stage clash on Wednesday in Istanbul.

South Africa are uncertain over the fitness of their captain, Faf du Plessis, ahead of their match against New Zealand in Chittagong

The Preview by Firdose Moonda23-Mar-2014Match facts March 24, 2014, ChittagongStart time 1530 (0930GMT)Mitchell McClenaghan could enjoy bowling to South Africa’s top seven, four of whom are left-handed batsmen•AFPBig Picture March 25, 2011. The Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, 250 kilometres from Chittagong. New Zealand dumped South Africa out of the World Cup they had looked on course to win.A day short of three years later, the teams will meet at an ICC event again. In between, they’ve played each other in five Tests, six ODIs and six T20s – a total of 17 matches. South Africa have lost just four of those. They’ve had the better of New Zealand in bilateral series but the memory of coming unstuck against them in a game that mattered more than any of the others is still fresh. Specifically, it will be stirring in Faf du Plessis’ mind.On March 25, 2011, du Plessis was one of the team’s relative youngsters and a key protagonist in the choke. He ran AB de Villiers out and was involved in an on-field altercation with Kyle Mills that reeked of blood rushing to the head. On March 24, 2014 du Plessis will captain the side – whether on the field or from the sidelines, nursing a hamstring injury – in a game that they don’t to win.The pressure is on South Africa but it need not stifle them. They do not have to beat New Zealand to keep their hopes of qualifying for the final four alive but if they don’t they will make their own task much harder. Defeat will also mean they will have to rely on other results, something no team is comfortable with.Similarly, New Zealand cannot confirm semi-final spots with victory but will be in an enviable position if they win a second game in succession. They triumphed over England in a rain-affected encounter and will look forward to the prospect of a full game to prove their summer of plunder was no fluke.Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLLLW
New Zealand WWWLWWatch out for With emphasis on the middle order’s ability to accelerate, South Africa are expecting their top-order to lay a solid enough platform. The spotlight will be on Hashim Amla in that role because he will have to up his aggression while keeping his head, something that a lean patch of form won’t help with. Amla’s last three T20 scores are 4, 2 and 23 and he seems to be struggling for his usual silken touch. Amla was the only South African batsman whose strike rate against Sri Lanka was under 100 but he was part of decent opening stand of 32. South Africa will bank on him to get going and bat a touch deeper to give the likes of David Miller less to do.Mitchell McClenaghan made his T20 debut against South Africa and impressed from the outset. He took four wickets at an average of just 19.00 in the three-match series against them in December 2012. He has since developed into one of New Zealand’s danger men and they’ll be looking to him to do some damage to a line-up laden with left-handers. South Africa have four in their top seven – Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Miller and Albie Morkel – and Amla has succumbed to left-armers more often recently, which will give McClenaghan hope he can run through them.Team news South Africa are still uncertain about the availability of their captain Faf du Plessis, who is recovering from a hamstring niggle. Du Plessis missed their tournament opener but trained at optional practice on Sunday and will have a fitness test on Monday morning to determine whether he can play. South Africa are being cautious not to rush him back too early.If he is still out of action, Farhaan Behardien will bat in the middle order with JP Duminy at No.3, with South Africa adamant AB de Villiers will not be promoted up the order. With Dale Steyn fully fit, South Africa will stick to their three-pronged frontline seam attack with Imran Tahir the specialist spinner but may consider slotting in Wayne Parnell for Albie Morkel.South Africa: 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis/JP Duminy 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy/Farhaan Behardien, 6 David Miller, 7 Albie Morkel/Wayne Parnell, 9 Dale Steyn 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 11 Imran TahirTwo-thirds of New Zealand’s squad attended their voluntary training on Sunday and they have no injury concerns. That means there’s have no reason to break with a winning formula and will likely field the same XI that beat England.New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson, 3 Brendon McCullum(capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Colin Munro, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghanConditionsThere was some extra bounce on offer during the first match of the tournament played in Chittagong between South Africa and Sri Lanka. The pitch used for that clash had a generous grass covering and although the matches will rotate among seven strips through the competition, similar can be expected. Batting will be tricky for incoming batsmen but should get easier with time at the crease, even though it will take turn. Morning showers are expected but the afternoon should be dry and chances of a full game are good.Stats and Trivia New Zealand and South Africa have played each other 11 times in T20 internationals with South Africa winning 8 of those matches. That includes both meetings at previous World T20s: by 1 run at Lord’s in 2009 and 13 runs in Bridgetown in 2010. Martin Guptill has scored 300 runs in seven innings against South Africa, at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 135. No other New Zealand batsman has scored 300 runs against an opposition team in T20Is.Quotes “There’s always going to be that added pressure on us now, depending on how other results go we’re probably going to have to win all three””We’ve never tackled them on the cricket field. We have got a lot of respect for them, they’re a very good side in all formats. We’re looking forward to the challenge of playing against some of the best players in the world.”

Alastair Cook has acknowledged that time may not be on his side as he battles to turnaround his form after two more disappointing innings against Sri Lanka

George Dobell at Headingley24-Jun-2014Alastair Cook has insisted he has no intention of resigning the England captaincy despite his side slipping to the first home series defeat in their history against Sri Lanka.Under Cook’s captaincy, England are now without a win in eight successive Tests – six of which they have lost – which is their worst run since 1996-97. They have also dropped two places to fifth in the Test rankings.Cook’s own batting form is also causing concern. Since the start of the 2013 Ashes series, he has played 12 Tests and batted 24 times without making a century. In that period he has averaged just 25.04.But, asked about his position after England slipped to a 100-run defeat against Sri Lanka at Headingley, Cook was adamant that, unless the ECB decide to sack him, he will not step down.”I’ve never quit on anything I’ve done,” Cook said. “I’ve given it my all, all the time. Every 104 games I’ve played for England, I’ve left everything out there”It’s the same situation here. Until that moment somebody tells me they don’t want me to be captain, I’ll still be here. I’m incredibly proud to be England captain. I’ve been selected to do it.”If someone decides I’m not the right person for the job and the results don’t justify me doing it, then fine. But until that moment, I’m desperate to try to turn English cricket around.”Cook conceded, however, that his batting form was a concern and accepted that the pressure on him to justify his place in the side was mounting.”No one’s guaranteed a place in this England team,” he said. “You’ve seen with the young players around now, they’re pushing for places. That’s the way it should always be.”When you’re not batting well, you start to look at a few things technically. I’m sure there’s something not quite right there I can work on.”With runs at the moment hard to come by, it does put more pressure on me. I think I’ve got to go back to what I’ve done in the past. Bowlers do get tired. I’ve got to be so strong mentally and let them come to my areas, I believe. But it comes down to being mentally strong at the crease. I’ve done it in the past. I’ve just got to drag that mental strength out again.”It’s an incredibly tough challenge, a tough job, there’s no doubt about it, especially opening the batting.”While Cook accepted that aspects of England’s play in this game – especially their batting and bowling on the fourth day – had fallen well below standard, he did find some encouragement in the performances of some of the younger players. During the match both Sam Robson and Moeen Ali hit their maiden Test hundreds.”I don’t think you can fault any of the guys with the way they’ve played on the final day,” he said. “We lost this Test match with a really bad day yesterday. We had one of our worst days, with both bat and ball, and lost this game because of it.”Obviously, as a captain, you are responsible. We didn’t bowl very well. It wasn’t for lack of trying. We knew we had to bowl that fuller length. We knew what we were trying to do, but we just didn’t get it right.”If you look at the whole series, I think we probably had the better of eight, maybe seven, of the 10 days.”With the fifth ball of the last day of the first Test, it was taken away from us and with the fifth ball of the last over, we’ve lost this Test match.”It doesn’t change the fact we’ve lost the series. But I think it would be wrong to look at it as such a negative series, just because we lost it.”We’ve seen some amazing things from some young players who’ve come in, and announced themselves in international cricket. It was an incredible effort on the final day, with Moeen’s hundred. To play like he played, for a free-flowing batsman to be so controlled, measured and calm under that pressure can only bode well for the future.”But we can’t look past the fact that, in this game, we were 300 for 3, with a lead of 60, and we haven’t been able to nail Sri Lanka down. We should have got more than 360. We needed 450, 500 on that wicket. That’s what’s cost us.”It was noticeable on the final day that several of England’s batsmen, notably Matt Prior and Joe Root, struggled against the short ball. But while Cook admitted that a hangover from Australia, and the beating that England took at the hands of Mitchell Johnson in particular, might still be affecting some players, he took comfort in the obvious pain that defeat caused his players, suggesting it showed the passion that remained within his side. James Anderson, who battled for more than 20 overs as part of the tenth-wicket stand with Moeen, was in tears at the post-match ceremony.”Probably what happened over the winter is still there, getting hammered in Australia,” Cook said. “There is that lasting effect, even with a different side. It’s still the England side.”But you saw Jimmy, right at the end. I think that just shows to everybody who doesn’t really know us as blokes what it means to us to play for England.”You sometimes get accused of not caring that much, especially when things don’t go that well. But that was the raw emotion to a guy who has put everything into 83 minutes of batting. If it was 84, we’d be sitting here with a smile on our faces.”

Abdur Razzak’s five-wicket haul sent Old DOHS Sports Club crashing to an eight-wicket defeat against Kalabagan Krira Chakra at the BKSP-4 Ground in the first of the three relegation league play-off matches

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-2014Abdur Razzak’s five-wicket haul sent Old DOHS Sports Club crashing to an eight-wicket defeat against Kalabagan Krira Chakra at the BKSP-4 Ground in the first of the three relegation league play-off matches in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.Old DOHS are virtually relegated having lost all their eleven league matches. The Kalabagan-Partex Sporting Club encounter will decide which team will accompany Old DOHS to the Dhaka First Division Cricket League next season.After play started at 12:15pm due to heavy fog, reducing the match to 30 overs per side, Old DOHS, batting first, were bundled out for 115 runs in 29.1 overs. Razzak took 5 for 20 in 5.1 overs, while Shahadat Hossain picked up three wickets. In reply, KKC reached the target in 23.1 overs. Nasiruddin Faruque was unbeaten on 46 off 67 balls, while Jupiter Ghosh (19) and Shamsur Rahman (22) also chipped in with handy knocks to ensure a smooth chase.

The Maharashtra seamers Samad Fallah, Shrikant Mundhe and Anupam Sanklecha picked up 10 wickets between them to bundle Mumbai out for 129 in the second innings and set themselves a target of 252

The Report by Amol Karhadkar at the Wankhede Stadium10-Jan-2014
ScorecardFile photo: Shrikant Mundhe picked up three wickets to help dismiss Mumbai for 129•K SivaramanMaharashtra rectified their mistakes of the first two days to stage a great fightback and give themselves a chance to not only register a rare victory against Mumbai, but also enter the Ranji Trophy semi-finals for the first time in two decades.Starting the day with their backs against the wall, Maharashtra waged a stunning counterattack. First, their last three wickets contributed 61 vital runs to their overnight total of 219 for 7. Then, despite conceding a lead of 122 runs, Maharashtra’s pace triumvirate ran through Mumbai for a paltry 129 in 38.1 overs in the second innings, to get themselves back into the game.Had it not been for Chirag Khurana’s lazy slash outside off stump in the last over of the day that landed in Wasim Jaffer’s hand at second slip, Maharashtra would have been in a much stronger position chasing 252 on a Wankhede Stadium wicket that offered consistent movement off seam even on day three.While admitting that his batsmen lacked application, Mumbai coach Sulakshan Kulkarni said that the pressure was on the Maharashtra batsmen to score the runs. “Scoring 250 is quite a task on this wicket and it up to them to go for the target. If they get it, all credit to them,” he said. Elated with his bowlers’ performance, Kulkarni’s Maharashtra’s counterpart Surendra Bhave was far from being in a celebratory mood. “Let the fat lady sing first and then we’ll think about it,” he said.Despite Bhave’s cautious approach, it was a day to cherish for Maharashtra’s bowlers who rectified their mistakes committed in the first innings. If they were wayward on the opening morning, they were on the ball on the third afternoon. If they were listless on the second morning to allow the Mumbai tail to add almost 100 runs and cross the 400-run mark, they were relentless in attacking the Mumbai batsmen and persuading them into false strokes on the third afternoon. The manner in which the Maharashtra slip cordon backed their bowlers with exceptional catching was indeed heartening to watch.If Mumbai had hoped to kill the game after garnering a sizeable 122-run advantage in the first innings, with Shardul Thakur adding two more wickets to his kitty to register his personal best 6 for 86 in first-class cricket, they would have needed a sound start from Kaustubh Pawar and Jaffer. However, both the Mumbai openers were sent back into the dressing room during a five-over short burst before lunch by Anupam Sanklecha and Samad Fallah. While Sanklecha started the rot by forcing a nick off Jaffer to Chirag Khurana in the second over of the innings, Fallah induced Pawar into an edge to Sangram Atitkar at third slip.Sanklecha continued to maintain the pressure after the break and was backed by aggressive field placements. He was rewarded for his immaculate line outside off stump in the fifth over after the break by getting rid of Vinit Indulkar and Abhishek Nayar off successive balls, with the latter’s dismissal sparking a celebratory sprint that almost saw Sanklecha cross the Sahayadri ranges. Even though Suryakumar Yadav, the only centurion of the match, avoided the hat-trick by driving a full delivery outside off stump past the bowler, Fallah dismissed Tare in the next over to leave Mumbai reeling at 29 for 5.When Shrikant Mundhe, the third musketeer of Maharashtra’s pace troika, got Iqbal Abdulla caught in the slips after he had put on 48 runs with Yadav, Mumbai were in danger of being knocked out for double digits. All the six batsmen had been caught behind the stumps. Though Yadav’s delicious strokeplay helped Mumbai get close to 100, he was stranded in front of the wickets after missing one from Mundhe that was pitched at full length.Thakur then showed his batting prowess by scoring 33 with two sweetly timed sixes to set up a target in excess of 250- a knock that could very well prove to be a decisive factor. However, the young and impressive Maharashtra batsmen would be hoping to negate the hosts’ slender advantage and turn day four into a super Saturday.

[ad_pod ]

Mark Noble has admitted in his Evening Standard column that the endless speculation over not only Marko Arnautovic’s future, but also that of every one of West Ham United’s strikers, has affected the team.

What’s the word?

Arnautovic spent most of the January window with his head seemingly elsewhere when it emerged that clubs in the Chinese Super League were chasing his signature. Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez also had their names regularly spread across the back pages.

Even the injury-prone Andy Carroll was tipped to be heading for the exit door as a shock replacement for Harry Kane at Tottenham. But come the end of deadline day, not one of the quartet actually left the London Stadium.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals what Lasagne-Gate was really like for Tottenham’s food-poisoned stars – Check out the video below…

Now, with the window behind them, Hammers captain Noble has acknowledged in his Evening Standard column that the speculation over their respective futures affected the rest of the squad.

The £6.3million rated midfielder noted: “That [speculation] has to have an effect on everyone, not just the players concerned but all the squad.

“It hasn’t been ideal at all. Everyone knows how it works. Agents are very active during the window, and there is no way players concerned can prepare properly for a game when that is happening.

“I’m not making any excuses for our past two performances, but it must have had an adverse effect.”

Pellegrini’s man-management crucial

When the leader of the pack is stating that the interest in his colleagues has affected results, the captain of the ship must step up and hit refresh on the mindset of his players.

In the case of West Ham, this responsibility falls to Manuel Pellegrini and the end product of his man management will come clear on Monday night when the Irons host the current league leaders Liverpool.

The Reds will be keen to push further clear of the current title-holders with a win, and if Jurgen Klopp can orchestrate such a result, it will be the Hammers’ fourth loss in a row after defeats at Bournemouth, AFC Wimbledon and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There is only so much Pellegrini can do when it comes to outside influences, such as transfer talk and whispering agents – but after Noble suggested this is a common issue at the club in January, it’s something he’ll need to try and prepare for next time around.

For now though, Pellegrini needs to get his squad simply thinking about their football again, rather than potential futures elsewhere.

Fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle have signed for Melbourne Renegades for the next two seasons of the BBL

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2013Fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle have signed for Melbourne Renegades for the next two seasons of the BBL. The franchise also re-signed the former Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan for one year and confirmed two-year deals with legspinner Fawad Ahmed and batsman Alex Doolan.Both Pattinson and Siddle are expected to be on national duty for the 2013-14 Ashes and may only play for the franchise after the fifth Test ending January 7. The BBL, extended from this season, will run from December 20 to February 15.”I want to get back into playing short-form cricket,”Siddle said. “To have that opportunity again in four over bursts, having a crack and getting the pace up there. I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”The Pakistan-born Ahmed, was recently granted Australian citizenship, clearing the way for a possible call-up to the Test squad for the Ashes. Though originally part of the touring squad in England, he is currently with the Australia A squad in Zimbabwe. Ahmed played one game for the Renegades last season.”I worked really hard with the Renegades last season. It was a good six or seven weeks and they really helped me through BBL 2,” Ahmed said. “I [then] got an opportunity with the (Victoria) Bushrangers and it really clicked. For me, I was nervous at one stage but it was a good summer.”The Renegades have now signed 15 of 18 players for the forthcoming season, with the final three places to be filled by December 6.

Angelo Mathews scored a career-best 116 to fashion a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka in the Abu Dhabi Test after they had conceded a 179-run lead to Pakistan in the first innings.

The Report by Devashish Fuloria03-Jan-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews thwarted the new-ball challenge comfortably, adding 138 for the fifth wicket•AFPAngelo Mathews scored a career-best 116 to fashion a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka in the Abu Dhabi Test after they had conceded a 179-run lead to Pakistan in the first innings. He added 138 for the fifth wicket with Dinesh Chandimal, who missed out on his third Test century, and a further unbeaten 96 with Prasanna Jayawardene to transform a delicate situation on the fourth morning into, possibly, a match-winning one. Only thrice before have Pakistan been able to chase down a target in excess of 241, which is Sri Lanka’s current lead.The Pakistan bowlers managed a solitary wicket in the entire day and, for most parts, appeared innocuous with the pitch hardly providing assistance to the seamers or spinners. Saeed Ajmal’s figures of 42-10-96-0 – the most overs he has bowled without picking up a wicket – highlighted the bowlers’ misery.Mathews, though, stayed compact throughout the day, and apart from a brief period against the new ball, was largely untroubled. Unlike his counterattacking 91 in the first innings, he kept the lid on his aggressive instincts, choosing the slow and steady approach. His half-century came off 113 deliveries. His next 50 took even longer as he slowed down as he neared his first Test century as captain, taking 24 balls to score his last four runs.Mathews did pounce on loose deliveries, scoring a six and 11 fours, six of which came against Bilawal Bhatti. He was quick on the pull the moment the seamers pitched it short, but otherwise preferred playing in the V, with a few of his fours coming in the region between mid-on and midwicket. Along with Chandimal, he laid the foundation for Sri Lanka’s revival.Pakistan had assumed a dominant position on the third day after earning three wickets in the last session, and needed similar intensity today from Bhatti and Junaid Khan to restrict Sri Lanka’s lead. They opened with the same pair in their search for quick wickets, but both bowlers lacked the zip that had brought them success the previous day.That made Sri Lanka’s job easier. Chandimal and Mathews collected 24 runs, without being troubled, in the 8.3 overs of Bhatti and Junaid’s first spell. They defended solidly and mainly focused on turning the strike over, choosing only once each to stamp their authority with powerful pulls. The two bowlers had to eventually be pulled out of the attack by Misbah-ul-Haq to keep them ready for the second new ball. That gave Sri Lanka more breathing space.They slightly upped the rate in the last 10 overs with the old ball to accumulate 39 runs as the three bowlers used in that block – Ajmal, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Hafeez – failed to create even a minor flutter. Chandimal reached his fifth Test half-century in the 79th over with a glance to the fine leg boundary, and Mathews smashed a six that illustrated the two batsmen’s growing comfort.Misbah asked for the new ball straightaway and pressed his two best bowlers – Junaid and Bhatti – into service. However, it didn’t have the desired effect as Sri Lanka switched to a measured approach once more.Chandimal stayed fluent, easily picking up singles and maintaining a strike rate of over 50 throughout his innings. In the first over after lunch, he used his feet to drive Ajmal to the cover boundary to register the partnership’s century stand. In the next over though, bowled by Bhatti, Chandimal, on 71, was reprieved by Ahmed Shehzad at second slip after the fielder misread a thick edge which moved to the wrong direction. The relief on Shehzad’s face was palpable when, 10 overs later, Chandimal was sucked in to a hook by Junaid to be caught at deep fine leg. He could only add 18 after being dropped and missed his third Test century by 11 runs, becoming Junaid’s 50th Test victim in the process.Pakistan had an opening after 47.3 overs of toil, but Mathews kept his focus and ensured Sri Lanka kept turning the wheel of fortune decisively towards them. Prasanna Jayawardene proved to be the ideal foil, handling Ajmal’s variations with aplomb and keeping the seamers at bay with ease. By the end of the day, the two had batted for 39 overs, and are likely to push the match away from Pakistan’s reach on the last day.