Sri Lanka recovered quickly from losing an early wicket to wipe out the first-innings deficit on the third morning of the first Test against Pakistan in Galle.

Umar Gul had given the visitors a bright start in a session which was shortened due to overnight rain, snaring opener Malinda Warnapura with just the second ball of the day. But Gul's bowling unravelled thereafter as Tharanga Paranavitana, who made a maiden half-century in the first innings, consolidated Sri Lanka's position with an unbeaten 42.

Pakistan regained some of the initiative with the wicket of nightwatchman Rangana Herath as Sri Lanka reached 70 for two at lunch - a lead of 20 runs.

Gul had bowled an immaculate first over and was rewarded with the wicket of Warnapura, dismissed for a second-ball duck.

The paceman maintained a probing line outside and lured the left-hand batsman into edging one to captain Younus Khan at second slip.

Gul then decided to attack Paranavitana from around the stumps, but his bowling degenerated into a mixture of no-balls and loose deliveries.

In between, he did slip in a couple of testing deliveries, including one which jagged back from well outside off-stump and sailed just over Paranavitana's stumps.

Gul gave way to Abdur Rauf after three overs - he conceded 22 - and Rauf immediately rapped Herath plumb in front, but had his appeal turned down by umpire Ian Gould.

Younus, who tested the batsmen with his gently swinging medium pace, finally struck just before the break, trapping Herath lbw for 15.