Sri Lanka emerge from from post-World Cup slump
Sri Lanka's Caribbean tour started under a cloud of criticism
Wisden CricInfo
26-Jun-2003
Sri Lanka's Caribbean tour started under a cloud of criticism. The failure
to qualify for the final of the Sharjah Cup and the Bank Alfalah Cup had
prompted a media bashing. Some of the more sleazy columnists felt so
empowered that they even had the audacity to print wild (and wholly
inaccurate) stories of player sex orgies in Dambulla.
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Fickle advertisers sensed this despondent mood and slashed their cricket
budgets. Broadcasters did their sums and realised that to buy the television
rights for the West Indies would be a huge financial gamble, surmising that no one wanted to advertise and few people would watch. They were better off showing their prime-time soap operas.
But the Sri Lanka team responded. Thousands of kilometers away from home,
they pulled together as a team. An indifferent batting performance was
followed by an inspired bowling effort in the first game. West Indies,
cock-a-hoop after a trio of wins against Australia, lost the first game emphatically.
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Then came Sri Lanka's finest one-day run chase for years. This time the
bowlers were collared, leaking 312 runs their 50 overs as Brian Lara cut
loose. On the basis of recent form only the mentally unstable would have
betted their rupees on a Sri Lanka victory. But Sri Lanka marched home with
four wickets and three balls to spare thanks to a splendid 89 from Upul
Chandana and a hardworking fifty from Mahela Jayawardene.
The third one-day international was lost but that matters little - who cares
about dead rubbers? After a post-World Cup slump, confidence had returned.
The team was smiling once more. Of course, there were still areas of
concern, particularly the batting and fielding, but there was light at the
end of the tunnel.
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"It was important for me to get runs, and Murali had to bowl a number of
overs to get his wickets. Some of our batsmen have to adapt very quickly in
the second Test match, because he is going to be coming at us strong again,
along with (Chaminda) Vaas. It was a great contest out there; on many
occasions, I felt I found myself wanting when he was bowling, and I wasn't
all there. It was nice to tough it out and get some runs." (Brian Lara)
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It helped, of course, that Sri Lanka had settled upon the right combination.
At Sharjah the selection - just five batsmen - was suicidal. During the Bank
Alfalah Cup it improved, with Tillakaratne Dilshan slipping into the middle
order and Romesh Kaluwitharana moving back up to the top. The introduction
of Chandana in the West Indies, a move that stiffened the batting and perked
up the fielding, was the icing on the cake.
Marvan Atapattu breathed a sign of relief afterwards, admitting that he had
been under real pressure since the unfathomable decision to spilt the
captaincy. Finally, he felt more at ease and he celebrated in the opening
Test, compiling his 11th hundred - another knock of high-elbowed elegance
and unflappable concentration.
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Sri Lanka finished the first day in the box seat on 250 for 4. But although
they finished the Test on a high, as Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya knocked
up an unbroken 126 run stand in the second innings, the middle three days
were disappointing: the middle order crumbled on day two, the support
bowling lacked penetration, the fielding was sloppy, and Kaluwitharana's
glovework was erratic. Fortunately, the rains tipped down on day four,
condemning the match to a draw.
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So all is not entirely rosy, although the top order batting is gelling again
with the top four all in good form. Nevertheless, assuming the rains clouds
steer clear of Sabina Park, Sri Lanka can make history and win their first
Caribbean Test series. This Test marks the end of a grueling 14-month run of
non-stop cricket and Sri Lanka's players will hold nothing back as they
contemplate a four-month break from international action. They will want to
sunbathe in glory not defeat.
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"We wanted to get a formidable score after winning the toss. But 354 was
just not good enough on this track. We want to rectify the mistakes we made
in this Test and come back strongly. I am disappointed the way we played
this Test. We could have had more than 400 runs, we didn't bowl well, and
our fielding was very poor. We dropped a few chances at the beginning. Had
we taken those, it would have been a different story. We didn't play to our
potential. We need to pick ourselves up." (Hashan Tillakaratne)
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Changes are being considered. Some radical. Kaluwitharana, who missed Lara
on 94 and Omari Banks on 0, could be axed to allow Tillakaratne Dilshan into
the middle order. Kumar Sangakkara would then re-take the gloves. With six
specialist batters in the side the management would then be more inclined to
bolster the bowling, ditching Thilan Samaraweera for a third seamer -
probably Dharshana Gamage. That would provide the bowling more teeth.
But to win, of course, they must dismiss Lara early - the bete noire of Sri
Lanka's bowlers having scored 897 runs in the last four Tests between the
two sides. If they can do that then they can win the series and take another
important step up the confidence ladder.