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| Sunday, 15 August 2004 |
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Kicking at the follow on by Srian Obeyesekere The ensuing rains on the fourth day could well be the decisive factor on the fifth day today - whether Sri Lanka will pull off a memorable victory over South Africa - one of the strong blocs in the Test cricket firmament. To not would, for certain, leave Sri Lankan captain, Marvan Atapattu rueing his decision not to have enforced the follow on on day-three on Friday with Sri Lanka in control having dismissed the tourists for 189. A lead of 281 twenty minutes into the post lunch session on a SSC wicket which had given the spinners 8 of the wickets - Sanath Jayasuriya 5 for 34 and Rangana Herath 3 for 60. And rue, of course the excuse trotted by the Lankan camp that the bowlers were too tired. Seven wickets tumble for 73 runs on day three as South Africa catapult from an overnight 116 for 3, and the Lankan captain is not willing to eat the cake. In effect, win or not the Test match, it is not cricket to go through the rituals which is invariably what Sri Lanka did in opting to bat. Test cricket is not about rituals and ceremonies. It is all about winning and striking when the iron is hot. It is all about bold, decision making captains. Ask Ian Chappell, known as one of the finest post war captains, and he'll tell you. The South African batsmen were at sea, and not to heap it on the tourists again when our bowlers were on a high is indeed surprising as best underlined in the words of Atapattu's oppositte number, Graeme Smith. The decision to bat in quest of a safe 500 or more wasting some of the overs by having Tilan Samaraweera, a slouch with the bat, further reducing invaluable time are some of the negative aspects of Sri Lanka not having gone flat out. For professional cricketers to trot out tiredness is as negative. Moreover, the host country has also turned its back on trying to humble the South Africans, once second only to Australia, in resounding style. Not to win on the final day Sunday at the SSC could well kindle bad memories at the same venue when Sri Lanka lost to Allan Border's Australians in 1992 at the same venue from a winning position. That of course for reasons of bad batting by the locals chasing a modest 160-plus target having dominated a match in which Romesh Kaluwitharana made a fiery entry to the firmament with a swashbuckling debut century in the first innings. |
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