The bowlers dominated the opening day of the first Test on Saturday, with Pakistan slumping to 15 for two after Sri Lanka were bowled out for 292. The visitors were on top for most of the day before Sri Lanka fast bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara picked up a wicket apiece before the close. Kulasekara bowled Salman Butt for a duck when the opener shouldered arms to a delivery that cut sharply off the seam and left-armer Thushara trapped Khurram Manzoor leg before for two with another inswinger. Earlier, Tharanga Paranavitana top-scored for the home team with 72 while all-rounder Angelo Mathews contributed 42 in 57 deliveries. Opener Paranavitana's maiden Test half-century rescued the hosts after 17-year-old paceman Mohammad Aamer had struck twice on his debut to leave Sri Lanka reeling on 21 for two on the first day of the three-match series. The 27-year-old left-hander, who faced 125 balls and hit 11 fours, added 75 runs for the third wicket with former captain Mahela Jayawardene (30) who fell just before lunch when he was caught behind off another debutant fast bowler, Abdur Rauf. Jayawardene's dismissal was a relief for wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who dropped the right-hander before he had scored. After lunch Paranavitana put on 43 with Thilan Samaraweera (31), who was making his first-class comeback after being injured in the Lahore attacks four months ago. Paranavitana then edged a rising delivery from Rauf to Misbahul Haq before Samaraweera clipped a gentle outswinger from part-time medium pacer Younus Khan to the keeper. Aamer was the pick of the attack with three for 74 while captain Younus, Rauf and debutant off-spinner Saeed Ajmal all took two apiece. Vaas denies retirement reports Sri Lanka bowler Chaminda Vaas has denied reports of his retirement from Test cricket after his board said on Saturday the paceman had told selectors he was quitting the longer form of the game with immediate effect. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said that Vaas, a veteran of 110 Tests, who has taken 354 wickets in a career spanning 15 years, informed selection chairman Ashantha de Mel of his decision earlier in the week. However, Vaas responded to the news of his retirement by telling cricket website crinfo.com that he had not made “any such decision yet”. Earlier, Ranatunga explained Vaas's plans to focus solely on limited-over cricket. “Chaminda told him (De Mel) that he wanted to concentrate on ODI's (one-dayers) and T20's (Twenty20s) in the future and he would be forwarding an official letter to that effect when he returns from abroad,” Ranatunga said. Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara believes the 35-year-old Vaas still had a role in the limited-overs game. “I had a very good one-on-one chat with him (Vaas) before we went for the World Twenty20,” Sanagakkara said on the eve of the match.
