Dilshan ton powers Lanka to 188-2 at tea

GALLE (Reuters) - Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan struck his 13th test century to steer Sri Lanka to 188 for two wickets at tea on the opening day of the first test against Pakistan on Friday.

Dilshan (101) cracked 13 fours and a six in his 180-ball knock before Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan's only successful bowler so far in the match, removed him in the penultimate over before tea.

Kumar Sangakkara, who shared a 124-run second wicket stand with Dilshan, was unbeaten on 56 at the break while captain Mahela Jayawardene was yet to open his account.

After a productive morning session, right-handed Dilshan looked equally fluent after the lunch break.

Once he reached 81, Dilshan's next five scoring shots were all boundaries as he raced to 101 before off-spinner Ajmal trapped him leg before with a flighted delivery.

Dilshan found an able ally in Sangakkara, who hit six fours in his patient knock and allowed his partner to dominate the stand.

With Pakistan new ball bowlers Umar Gul and Junaid Khan failing to exploit the early life on the pitch, Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana (24) put together a 63-run opening partnership after Sri Lanka had won the toss and decided to bat first.

Ajmal gave Pakistan their only breakthrough of the morning session when he had Paranavitana stumped by wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal off his fifth delivery.

Azhar Ali, at silly point, had dropped a bat-pad chance offered by Paranavitana off Ajmal's third delivery.

Otherwise, it was a poor morning session for Pakistan as neither Gul nor Khan could provide them an early breakthrough.

Stand-in captain Mohammad Hafeez introduced spin as early as in the eighth over by bringing himself on but could not break he opening partnership until Ajmal was pressed into service in the 16th over.

Pakistan's regular captain Misbah-ul-Haq is serving a one-test ban because of his team's slow over-rate in Monday's one-dayer in Colombo. (editing by Amlan Chakraborty)