They were thrashed. Yes, Sri Lanka were soundly thrashed by England in the Three Test matches. And now the hope is that as Sri Lanka fronts up to the New Zealanders in the First of Two Test, beginning at the Basin Reverse,Wellington tomorrow will our team erase the Brit bashing and get back to winning ways? If the Lankans believe in themselves remembering that the New Zealanders also have their ups and downs and as we take the field there are fears that the Lankans may not do well. Can we turn the tables?
In the warm up game in Napier, the Lankan batsmen were a sad sight. While picturesque New Zealand has beautiful duck ponds it seemed as if the Lankan’s were competing as six of them having ducks for supper! Maybe the cold conditions would have contributed to the sorry batting effort. But that excuse will not hold.
However the much maligned former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews showed that he is not at all perturbed by the step motherly treatment meted out to him and hit back with a vengeance with a stylishly carved out century. This is the hallmark of a great cricketer and sportsman.
It was a three figure score made ‘According to Mathew’ that brought to mind the film – According to Mathew- running to crowded house in theatres in the country. Mathews will have to spread the gospel to his batting team mates and get them to perform accordingly by showing the way, occupying the wicket and getting the batsmen to score around him.
The Sri Lankan think-tanks will not want to name the playing eleven until they have a look at the wicket and the conditions on the morning of the Test. But hazarding a guess it is likely that vice captain Dimuth Karunaratne will have Dhanushka Gunetilleke with him to face the new ball.
Batsmen following Kusal Mendis, Dhananajaya de Silva, captain Dinesh Chandimal, Roshen Silva and Niroshan Dickwella must make it their business to contribute with big scores.
It is hoped that they have shed their ‘hit about’ sloven approach and will buckle down to playing what is required of the longer version of the game playing straight which is what batting is all about in the established game.
This call goes out to wicket keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella and it hoped that he will play his flowing strokes which he has all round the wicket and not resort to keep playing the ugly reverse stroke. Test cricket demands that it be respected and played that way As for the bowing, with the wicket and conditions likely to be swing friendly, new ball bowlers who are likely to be Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and Lahiru Kumara. While offie Dilruwan Perera will lead the spin
bite, it hoped that the selectors will persist with Lakshan Sandakan. Lakshan, according to the writer can be a match winner with more exposure. What will ultimately matter and stand between victory and defeat will be the fielding. Lanka’s fielding, especially the catching has been below village green. A wag said that their hands could be frozen in the cold in windy Wellington, but spilt catches will have no excuse. Excuses however good are unacceptable once in the big league.
As for the Kiwis they must be having that over the moon feeling after their grand success in the desert where they cut the high riding Pakistanis to size in the Test series. It was a victory to savour and the Kiwis will carry that confidence into this Test.
The Kiwis will be the better team performing on their home turf. They have a fine all round side and are far ahead of the visitors in every aspect led cleverly by the heavy scoring captain Kane Willimson. Williamson signed off with a classic century in Abu Dhabi.
Runs are also expected from Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nichols, Colin de Grandhomme and Will Young if he plays. The bowling will be spearheaded by Tim Southee, with support coming from Trent Boult and Matt Henry.
The Basin Reserve wicket could prove pace friendly and the Kiwis are likely to go in with three pacemen and tantalizing spin coming from left arm spinner Ajaz Patel who met with success in the desert.
All said and done, it is hoped that the Lankans will not crumble in heaps, but endeavor to take the Test to the final day of the five day Test. The news that their off spinning ace Akila Dhananjaya has been suspended from international cricket for an illegal action after testing positive in Brisbane would have proved a damper to the Lankan cricketers in New Zealand. But Akila’s Achilles Heel could well be healed with some correction. He is talented and his bowling genes will not give up easily.
We hope SLC will invest wisely in getting a special coach to bring our Ace back into the pack of our cards.
0 comments:
Post a Comment