Lanka miss chance to move up Test rankings

Sri Lanka's 2-0 loss to Pakistan followed by a drawn 1-all series against South Africa spoilt whatever hopes they had of climbing up the Wisden World Championships Test ranks.

They entered the twin series promisingly placed in fourth place, but despite the loss to Pakistan the retained the position and had a chance to go to third spot (ahead of West Indies) had they won against South Africa, but it was not to be.

Sri Lanka made a confident beginning to the series against South Africa recording their first ever Test win over them in the first Test at Galle. But a seven-run loss in the second Test at Kandy when they almost had the match in the bag, was agonising for all. A win here would have given Sri Lanka an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series. As it was, South Africa were given some breathing space and they survived to draw a series which they could easily have lost.

To the South Africans credit, it must be said that they improved with every game and by the time they came to the third and final Test they had more or less come to terms with the humid conditions and slow turning pitches.

It was not surprising that adjudicator Tony Greig, the former South African-born England captain, gave the man-of-the-match to Lance Klusener, although his heart would have yearned for off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan.

Klusener, the hero and villain of the 1999 World Cup for his country, emerged as his team's best batsman not only to adapt to the conditions, but also to find a way to counter the spin of Muralitharan, who proved a thorn in their side.

After failing in the first Test, Klusener played the spinners very well to remain undefeated on 117 and 95 in the next two Tests providing South Africa with the much needed boost to the batting especially in their lower order.

Klusener helped his side recover from totals of 34 for 5 to 253 at Kandy and from 117 for 6 to 279 at the SSC. His batting was a source of inspiration to the top order which apart from an unbeaten century from Darryl Cullinan in the first Test at Galle, failed to live upto expectations.

Tackling Muralitharan without disgraced captain Hansie Cronje, proved a big challenge to the South Africans. Cronje undoubtedly was the best player of spin, and in his absence, the Proteas needed someone to guide them. Klusener took on that role from the second Test, with Jonty Rhodes providing a good back up.

Klusener's batting average of 68.50 was far superior to his colleagues, the next best being 39 by Rhodes.

Muralitharan revelled in conditions that suited his style of bowling to finish the series with a rich haul of 26 wickets at a cost of only 18.46, equalling his own Sri Lanka record for a series established only four months before in Pakistan. He began the series with a bag of 13 wickets at Galle which brought Sri Lanka their first success over South Africa in six tests, and despite the opposition working out a method to counter his bowling, he still managed to double the figure in the next two Tests.

With South Africa being Sri Lanka's next opponents in December, Muralitharan is likely to reach the 300-wicket mark during the three Test series to be played over there. His present tally stands at an imposing 291 wickets from 57 Tests. The next highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka was leg-spinner Upul Chandana with nine wickets. Given the opportunity, Chandana bowled well in patches and needs to be persisted with patiently, if he is to become the support bowler to Muralitharan.

That Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa and Ruchira Perera bowled only a combined total of 127 overs out of 592 overs (21.45%) sent down by Sri Lankan bowlers in the series, proved how much emphasis was laid on spin.

Mahela Jayawardene has been criticised for not being amongst the runs since he was handed the vice-captaincy. Much of his batting failures was related to that. The selectors took the burden away from him, and the runs began to flow from his bat. He followed two half-centuries in the Pakistan series, with two hundreds against South Africa. The first one - 167 at Galle gave Sri Lanka victory by an innings, and the second - 101 not out at SSC, ensured his side a draw. His batting average of 80.25 was the highest he's achieved in a series in his short career.

Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya continued in the same vein as against Pakistan to come up with an almost similar aggregate and average. He averaged 55 for 275 runs against Pakistan, and 55.60 for 278 runs against South Africa.

Following a successful series against Pakistan, when he averaged 95, Jayasuriya's deputy Marvan Atapattu, must surely be disappointed with himself when he finished with an average of 36.80. It was far beyond what he is capable of getting.

The South African series was the swansong for Sri Lanka's most experienced cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga. The former captain ended his international career by averaging nearly 50 in his final Test series. His most memorable knock did not come in the final Test, but was delivered in the Test prior to that, at Kandy. It would have been a wonderful occasion if this experienced campaigner could have seen his country through to victory. Having got on top of the South African bowling after Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for 21 runs, chasing 177 to win, Ranatunga, a man with over 90 Test appearances got out in the final over before tea for 88. His wicket no doubt, cost Sri Lanka the series.

For Sri Lanka the `find' of the series was Kumar Sangakkara. This 22-year-old batsman/wicket-keeper from the Hill capital, proved beyond doubt that he has in him the talent and determination to proceed further. Although much cannot be said of his wicket-keeping at the moment, he has nevertheless made a promising beginning to his international career.

That South Africa lacked a spin bowler anywhere close to Muralitharan's class was demonstrated by the fact that Nicky Boje was their best spinner finishing the series with 10 wickets, one less than the captain and fast bowler Shaun Pollock. Boje's left-arm spin partner Paul Adams, was severely dealt with by the Sri Lankan batsmen who play spin so well. Adams's four wickets cost him 82.50 runs apiece. Boje had his moments when he ran through the Sri Lanka top order at the SSC to take five wickets, but failed to repeat that performance on a wearing pitch in the second innings.

Despite the pitches being prepared heavily to suit spin, Pollock and Nantie Hayward were able to extract some life out of it to trouble the batsmen. They both sported impressive averages of less than 25 runs apiece.

The umpiring in the series was appalling. One has to question the ICC for allowing Australian Darryl Harper to officiate in two consecutive Tests (Galle and Kandy) without a break in between. Harper was at his worst at Kandy where the Test went down to the wire with South Africa scraping through by seven runs. During the Pakistan series West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor was given a break in between Tests so that he came back afresh. Bucknor stood in the first and third Tests, with Zimbabwean Russel Tiffin officiating in the second.

Sri Lanka introduced two new umpires to the Test scene - Asoka de Silva, the former Test leg-spinner and Gamini Silva, the former Police SC all-rounder.

The umpires were put under tremendous pressure by the television cameras which questioned every decision they made. The TV commentators did not do any justice to the men in the white coat, but only compounded their problems in the middle by giving the verdict themselves after watching several slow motion replays (an advantage the umpires didn't have). This brought forth further wrath on the umpires from armchair viewers.

The commentators should watch the dismissals of batsmen just once and, at the same speed as the umpire does and, try to give a verdict. I am sure they will find themselves in the same situation as the gentlemen out in the middle.