Whenever a touring side arrives on the shores of Australia, drama seems to follow.
Media conferences, expert comments, off-field sledging, dossiers, all sorts of distraction lets the visitors feel the heat even before they hit the practice nets.
Sri Lanka was no exception, yet this time it does looks different.
They’ve been struggling ever since the great Murali retired, despite the occasional victory. Let alone the victory, taking 20 wickets itself has become a reason to celebrate says the state of desperation in the Sri Lankan camp. Not many have put their money on Sri Lanka’s chances here.
In fact, Rodney Hogg has stolen headlines with his comments on the Sri Lankan new ball attack, which he called “the worst ever to arrive at the shores of Australia”. Even here in Sri Lanka, fans only hope that they do better than India!
On the other hand, except for the golden touch of their skipper, Aussies are not impossible to beat. Clarke and Hussey are as good as they ever were, but rest of the batting contingent is a line-up which throws you a chance at any time.
The current Test is hopeful for the Sri Lankan fans. They at least have taken wickets and not let any one player plunder too many runs.
Are the Sri Lankans good enough to grab their chance? With the disappearance of Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga, fast bowling has become a headache for the Lankans.
It’s largely due to the emphasis on limited overs game and the discouraging nature of pitches at home that the fast bowling stock here in Sri Lanka has become a brittle unit. They’ve tested a few in the likes of Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep in the recent past.
Aside from injuries, none of them got a consistent run to get themselves settled in their Test boots. This has happened many a times in the past. Whenever the chance comes up to bowl in friendlier conditions down in Australia, they were not just ready for the task.
The control and the mindset you need to extract the maximum of the pitch were always missing from touring Sri Lankan fast bowlers. We saw them getting carried away, bowling all over the place in the practice game.
Even in the first day of the first Test in Bellerive they couldn’t capitalise the advantages of the breakthroughs as they couldn’t keep up the pressure from both ends. Each of the bowlers had their moments but they failed in bringing it together for the team’s task.
Had they possessed that control they would have had their noses in front instead of producing a below average performance of 299/4 at the end of the first day. Another lapse in this attack is a quality left-armer.
Chanaka Welagedara, when he first came into the scene in 2007, was expecting to be the successor to the great Chaminda Vaas with the ability to move the bowl with reasonable control.
He seems to be confused about things, though. His control seems to be fading away day-by-day.
Lankans also had Thilan Thushara at his peak back in 2009 but he too was never able to settle in the team. The absence of a quality left arm seamer has not only weakened their bowling attack but also it seemed like Sri Lankan batsmen are more susceptible to left armers in last couple of years.
Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Junaid Khan, Mitchell Johnson and Trent Boult recently have all troubled Sri Lankans more than the right arm bowlers. No doubt that the Lankans are well aware of that and will watch out for in form Mitchell Starc in this series.
It is said that the batting is their strength but it is what has cost them matches or series. Remember Cardiff 2011 when they were bowled out for 82 odd when all they had to do was bat out for a draw.
Even in their last series against New Zealand at home it was their batting that cost them a series victory. If they can rectify their weaknesses and not let the Aussie bowlers get on top they will at least be able to avoid the embarrassment.
However, the bright side is that this time around they’ve got a three-match series and they will learn their way as the series progresses. And they’ve got the New Year’s game at Sydney where they share their sweetest memories of ODI’s in Australia.
With all the focus on their weak bowling attack if the likes of Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Samaraweera can live up to their standards in what is supposed to be their last tour of Australia. Who knows, mighty Sri Lankans may well taste their first victory in Australia!
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Editor’s note: This piece was written before the ongoing developments at Bellerive oval, but is published in good faith.
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