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by Srian Obeyesekere

The English yet insist Sri Lanka has to do more to find way to the masters lordly kingdom of Lords. As news flits in from England that the Sri Lankans continue to be regarded as small crow as a crowd draw at Lords, the crusade to be counted will indeed become that much more enormous. Certainly, it will border on the herculean for Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya who perhaps faces the biggest challenge in a career that has blossomed more often than not in winning ways. And raising those fortunes of making English eyes take notice must surely centre largely on Jayasuriya himself for his heroics with the bat. An hour's fantasy with his willow so used to making magic with bowlers could be the swaying tide in offsetting the balance between the two sides. A leaf which he could take from his famous match winning century at The Oval in 1998 in adding to a series much more significant. Three Tests to boot for the first time against the English where win the Lankans must.

But with the odds heavily stacked against them. The loss of Muttiah Muralitharan through injury depleting the bowling attack. As much as England starting as favourites - having soundly beaten the Lankans back home 1-nil in the last 3-Test series in 2001 - as much as having to acclimatise with the weather in early spring where it is said no team as toured so early before. England's advantages have been beefed up by recent series' wins away while drawing their last 3-match series versus New Zealand 1-all in raising their standings.

If the odds on recent statistics and form against the Lankans look odd for a starter, the fact that just 4 matches have been accommodated in England from 122 Tests in 20 years of Lanka's cricket history is as awful reading for the liking. An indication that Sri Lankan cricket must be better exemplified to get more where hectic calendars see countries like Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies yet, as the crowd pullers. Of course, Sri Lanka, despite the odds, can count this its best chance yet of reversing fortunes. Much of that also revolves around the influence a Sri Lankan born Australian coach in Dav Whatmore instills in a squad of 16 on how to beat the English. It is the first time Whatmore, highly successful with the Sri Lankans, is guiding them in England, and for a head start no better way than the mecca of cricket to cash on the English.

While the Whatmore effect is expected to throw solidifying weight around the Lankans, Jayasuriya's charges could well draw satisfaction from a superb accountability in the only Test so far played at Lords in 1984. Much as the time gap happens to be 18 long years. That match ended in more than an honourable draw for Sri Lanka skippered by Duleep Mendis. Opening batsman Sidat Wettimuny's epic 194 and Mendis' 111 in a first innings total of 491/7 declared stand monumental. Wettimuny won accolades such as, `Lord Sid' while Mendis, who hammered 94 in the second innings, missed out on what would have been a historic twin century.

This time around Sri Lanka will `bat' heavily on the experience of veteran batsman, Aravinda de Silva, the highest run getter for his country at both levels of the game counting 19 Test centuries, in what is a make or break tour that has not seen fortunes smile favourably the tourists way. They have failed to register a single win from 4 matches and just managed to save the blushes having been made to follow on against a mediocre Durham county XI. The top order batting has not clicked with de Silva at 36 years being his younger colleagues as the mainstay with two half centuries.

It could well be the flair of de Silva combined with the extraordinary talents of Jayasuriya in making the difference in contrast to an English batting line up that must heavily depend on the doggedness of skipper Nasser Hussain and accomplished left hander, Graham Thorpe. While Russel Arnold has tuned up with a century and half ton, the Lanka would bank on Mahela Jayawardene, Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara striking form. It is the bowling England have the upperhand despite not having the services of pacie, Darren Gough for the first Test with a medium pace attack revolving around Andrew Caddick and newcomer, Mathew Hoggard who should revel on ideally seaming English conditions. But the Lankans have seasoned campaigner, left armer Chaminda Vaas supported by Nuwan Zoysa. The concern should be the third and fourth bowlers which should be made up from either Charitha Buddhika Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Ishara Amarasinghe and spinners Upul Chandana or Tilan Samaraweera.

For Jayasuriya, Lords could well be the starter to spearheading his country's campaign to be counted among the giants in the echelon of Test cricket. A monopoly the left hander enjoys over other batsmen in dominating bowlers in hitting over the top, a leaf from his one-day game, that could set the tune. 

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