Only vigorous batting by Kiwis can stop 2-nil Lanka win!

By Ranjan Anandappa

Sri Lanka will go flat-out to press home the advantage and have a clean 2-0 sweep in the Test series, but the Kiwis seem determined to stop it. The New Zealanders would have to have a vigorous shake up of their batting and offer a strong challenge when the second and last Cricket Test starts today (Sunday) at the P. Sara Oval.

In fact Sri Lanka too, who did not live up to expectations while batting in the first innings, of the First Test, will have to be more purposeful for the second and final Test for it to go the full distance of five days.

In a low scoring Test, Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand within two days and two sessions and the visitors went down meekly crumbling to the spin of left-armer Rangana Herath who had the startling match figures of 11 for 108. Herath who hails from the Kurunegala district, was once a forgotten figure and was playing in the county circuit in England and was suddenly called to strengthen the spin department of the Sri Lanka team some time back. Since then, Herath has not looked back and has been the frontline spinner after the departure of Muralitharan. New Zealand’s problem still remains to be lying with Herath’s spin and he was their ‘bug bear’ in the first Test.

Kiwis to counter attack Herath?

The Kiwis are still finding ways and means of a counter attack to Herath’s spin and hopefully should give a better display in the second Test.

The problem with the ‘black caps’ has been their batting that has been unable to cope with the conditions and facing Herath’s spin. New Zealand’s batting has been ailing for sometime with their batsmen not living up to expectations. They have passed the 300 run mark only thrice in 17 innings and have been dismissed below the 200 run mark on six occasions, including the last 118 runs they scored at the Galle Esplanade.

This was their sixth defeat on the trot and the New Zealanders have come under heavy criticism at home for their dismal show. To overcome their problem in Sri Lanka, the Kiwis should inculcate the habit of mental toughness and the will to score runs. Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptil, Kane Williamson and skipper Ross Taylor their accredited batsmen should bat with more determination to salvage the side’s batting.

The Kiwi bowlers - medium pacers Tim Southee (4 for 46) and Boult (4 for 46) did a fine job in restricting the Lankans to 247 in reply to their 221 in the first innings. But New Zealand’s batting in the second innings was a disaster.

Lankans must brush-up batting

The Sri Lankans too, cannot be satisfied with their batting. They were at one stage reeling with 5 for 50 till the skipper Jayawardene (91) and deputy Mathews (79) resurrected the innings with a useful partnership. In the final analysis it was the sixth wicket stand between Jayawardene and Mathews and the bowling of Herath that was the key to a Sri Lankan win.

Anticipating another turning wicket in Colombo, the visitors are hoping to bring in leg-spinner Todd Astle, who most probably will make his Test debut replacing medium pacer James Franklyn.

Astle, started as an opening batsman in 2005, but later switched on to leg spin and will bat in the middle order. The Sara Oval wicket seems a hard and dry one which is expected to take spin during the latter stages of the match. The Lankans will most probably stick to their winning combination,subject to the fitness of opening batsman Tillekeratne Dilshan who was out of the first Test in Galle due to injury. If Dilshan has fully recovered, it is interesting to see as to who will partner him as the opener , Paranavithana or Karunaratne?

Karunaratne, another addition to the bevy of left-handers, struck an impressive unbeaten 60 in the second innings of his Test debut while Sri Lanka was in pursuit of a relatively easy victory target of 93.

Joes trio

Few may be aware that the Josephain trio Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne (2001 to 2006) and Thisara Perera (2004 to 2007) were members of the Josephian cricket team for a fairly long period of time prior to winning their Test ‘caps’ for the country. They were coached by former Josephian cricketer Harsha de Silva who later took over as the coach of the national women’s cricket team.

Peterite trio

One could hardly remember an occurrence of this nature taking place in the immediate past . In the 1980’s the Peterites produced three contemporary cricketers who went on to don Test ‘caps’, namely Rumesh Ratnayake, Amal Silva and Vinothan John.

Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera and Dimuth Karunaratne like many other Test players had to undergo the rigorous process on their path towards national recognition . While at school, they represented the under 19 national team and thereafter their respective clubs, the Colombo Colts CC, NCC and the Sri Lanka ‘A’ sides home and away.

Dimuth Karunaratne first started his junior cricket career at Susumayawardene MV Borella, then he joined Asoka Vidyalaya for a short while and thereafter joined St. Joseph’s from year 8 where he played for the Darley Road school from 2001 to 2007. Mathews, Karunaratne and later joined by Thisara Perera formed a strong combination for their school who remained unbeaten during the school cricket season.

Mathews and Karunaratne have been playing more together as Thisara Perera had joined the duo a couple of years later. The trio were recognised as potential future players even at that time, which seldom happens these days.

‘Karu’ 131 not out in Joe-Pete

Dimuth Karunaratne will be well remembered for his heroics in the Josephian-Peterite ‘big encounter’ when he struck a blistering 131 n.o. on the first day, partnered by Angelo Mathews as the Joes went on to amass 242 for 3 in the session between the start of play and lunch against a strong Peterite outfit. He is also in the Test squad for the next months tour of Australia as an additional opening batsman and expressed his confidence playing on hard bouncy Australian wickets.

He said that while in Australia on an previous ‘A’ team tour he had the opportunity of facing some of the present Aussie pacemen. Dimuth being, essentially a back foot player, thinks it should help him while facing the Aussie pace barrage.

He further said that the support and the encouragement given by his teammates and senior players skipper Mahela Jayawardene and former skipper Kumar Sangakkara and former schoolmate and the deputy of the side Angelo Mathews, gave him tremendous confidence for him to bat in the second innings to score a-run-a-ball-60 after scoring a first innings ‘duck’ in the first Test against New Zealand on his debut at the Galle Esplanade.

Beginning one’s Test career with a ‘duck’ will also go down in history as the present Sri Lanka batting coach and former skipper Marvan Atapattu had to go through the same agony obtaining a ‘pair’ on his Test debut against Australia in 1992, and the present manager Charith Senanayake, too had to undergo the same misery a ‘duck’ on debut against New Zealand in Kiwi land some years ago.

Teams

New Zealand (from): Ross Taylor (Captain), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptil, Rod Nicol, Daniel Flynn, James Franklyn, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee, Kruger Van Wyke (WK), Kane Williamson and Neil Wagner.

Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice Captain), Tillekeratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavithana, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardene(WK), Shaminda Eranga, Dammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedera, Suraj Randive, Tharindu Kaushal, Rangana Herath and Dimuth Karunaratne.