Indo-Lanka battle for cricket supremacy

By our Sports Correspondent

The Indian cricket team will make a full Test and one day international tour of Sri Lanka commencing later this month. The Indians will play three Tests and five one day internationals during their six-week tour of Sri Lanka.

The visitors will open their tour with a three-day practice game against Sri Lanka Board X1 in Colombo. This will be followed by a three-Test series between Sri Lanka and India. The first Test between the two teams is due to commence at SSC grounds in Colombo on July 23.

The two teams will then travel down to Galle to play the second Test at the redeveloped Galle International Stadium from July 31 to August 4.

Galle International Stadium, which has been a happy hunting venue for Sri Lanka, was destroyed by the 2004 Tsunami and is now redeveloped to international standards once more.

P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, which hosted Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test (against England) way back in 1982, will get an opportunity to stage the third Test between the two teams from August 8 to 12.

Sri Lanka has an unimpressive Test record against India, losing ten of their 26 previous meetings. Sri Lanka has beaten India in only three Tests since their inaugural meeting at Chepauk Stadium, at which Duleep Mendis created history by scoring twin hundreds. He made identical scores of 105 in each inning.

The touring Indian team will play a one day practice match at NCC grounds on August 15 before travelling to Dambulla to begin the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

The first two matches of the ODI series between Sri Lanka and India will be played at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on August 18 and 20. The two teams will then travel to Colombo to play the three remaining ODIs, which will be day-night affairs at Premadasa Stadium on August 24, 26 and 29.

Prior to the 2008 Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India share honours in their 688 one day international meetings since 1974. Both teams have won 327 matches each with three games tied. The five-match ODI series between the two teams should turn out to be a thriller with the new Asian champions making every effort to maintain their superiority in the region.

The home series against India has also helped Sri Lanka Cricket to overcome its financial constrains. It was reported that the Sri Lanka Cricket was able to settle its massive Rs. 600 million overdraft after they received a staggering amount by marketing television rights of the series.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene feels that the new umpire decision review system that will be implemented on a trial basis during the home Test series against India should be utilized in a manner that shows respect to the on-field umpires. In a recent media interview, Jayawardene welcomed the trial but admitted that it would place more responsibility on the captains.

The Lankan skipper revealed that the home team would hold extensive discussions prior to the series on how to utilise the system in the “best possible manner”. “We will take the views of everybody on what is best for the team. We want to keep it simple and not make it into a complicated issue,” he was quoted as saying.

Sri Lanka’s champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan could well become the first man to capture 750 Test wickets during the three-Test series.

Playing in 120 Tests since 1992, Muralitharan has so far captured 735 wickets at an attractive average of 21.95 apiece.

Follow Indians in Sri Lanka:

July 18-20: Three-day match vs. Sri Lanka Board X1

July 23-27: First Test vs. Sri Lanka at SSC grounds

July 31-Aug 4: Second Test vs. Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium

Aug.8-12: Third Test vs. Sri Lanka at Saravanamuttu Stadium

Aug.15: Limited over match vs. Board X1 at NCC grounds

Aug. 18: First ODI vs. Sri Lanka at Dambulla

Aug. 20: Second ODI vs. Sri Lanka at Dambulla

Aug. 24: Third ODI vs. Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium

Aug. 26: Fourth ODI vs. Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium

Aug. 29: Fiith ODI vs. Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium.