Sri Lanka leaves tomorrow on important assignment:

Oh! to win a Test in South Africa

by Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: Since Sri Lanka were granted full Test status thirty years ago, they are still to win a Test match on South African soil. They will be in search of that elusive target when they leave for South Africa tomorrow (Monday) to meet their counterparts.

There will be three Test matches and five ODI series. Sri Lanka has defeated the Proteas in a home series, but not in an away series.

Likewise the Lankans have also not defeated India and Australia in an away series. The formula will no doubt lie in the batting line up of Sri Lanka which looks extremely fragile besides Kumar Sangakkara who has been consistent. Throughout the previous tours Sri Lanka had to keep reminding themselves that they faced a future without Muralitharan or even Chaminda Vass. With the departure of these two great players from the arena, they lined-up for many years of Test cricket and aggravated problems started staring at the SLC selectors.

Sri Lanka’s declining power was seen by unstable and indecisive batting which started from the tour of England in May and there after in Australia in a home series and recently in Pakistan at a neutral venue. The limitation of the bowling resources too, were also exposed.

Lanka’s point of vulnerability seem to be the lower order batting which has the tendency to crumble under pressure after being in winning positions.

The continuous batting failure of the Sri Lanka lower order batsmen have reached a point of ringing the alarm bells for the cricket establishment as the cricketers will embark on another vigorous cricket tour.

Lanka’s batting flops

At a recent discussion between the players and the Cricket Board authorities, it was highlighted that lack of confidence in the batsmen have been the main reason for the dismal batting performances which have been seen in the recent past. It first started from England and has been haunting till the recently concluded tour of the UAE where the Sri Lankans were beaten by Pakistan in all three formats of the game.

The Sri Lanka batting line-up consists of several seasoned players. Besides the former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena up to a certain extent the rest look a pathetic sight at times.

The younger batsmen should grab the opportunity with both hands and take the responsibility and produce long and weighty innings in Test matches. Vice-Captain Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne cannot be considered as entirely newcomers. Chandimal struck a hundred at Lord’s while Mathews has been missing Test hundreds at least twice. The replacement stumper for injured Prasanna Jayawardena, Kaushal Silva, too, has played enough ‘A’ team exposure to prove his worth in the side. So, it is time that these batsmen throw in their weight and see the Lankans through. The batsmen’s failures in scoring runs in the first innings have caused the side to struggle for survival and finally concede defeat which was quite apparent in the last two series against Australia and Pakistan.

Samaraweera recalled

The National Selectors have brought back Thilan Samaraweera to beef up the middle order . He has proved that he still has the ability to stabilize the middle order batting.

Sri Lanka batsmen will also have to encounter different type of pitches from the one’s they get at home and in the sub-continent. The wickets abroad will assist the South African fast bowlers where their bowling strength lies. Fast bowlers Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Nuwan Kulasekera and Dammika Prasad were not considered for selection due to injuries. But the selectors hope that at least one of the fast bowlers should recover in time for the Second Test which begins on Boxing Day at Kingsmead, Durban.

Sri Lanka squad: Tillekeratne Dilshan (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice-Captain), Tharanga Paranvithana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva (wicket-Keeper), Lahiru Thirimane, Dimuth Karunaratne, Chanaka Welegedera, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Thilan Samaraweera.

Itinerary :

December 9-11: 3-day game Vs South Africa ‘A’ at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.
December 15-19: 1st Test at Super Sport Park. Centurion.
December 26-30: 2nd Test at Kingsmead, Durban.
January 3-7: 2012: 3rd Test at Newlands, Cape Town.

One-day Internationals :

1st ODI: January 11 - (D/N) at Boland Park, Paarl.
2nd ODI: January 14 - Buffalo Park, East London.
3rd ODI: January 17 - (D/N) Chevrolet Park, Bloemfontein.
4th ODI: January 20 - (D/N) De Beers Diamond, Oval, Kimberley.
5th ODI: January 22 - New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.