Sri Lanka will ascertain their true strength against the rampant Australians fresh from a successful tour of Pakistan.
Both teams are currently basking in the glory of series triumphs over Pakistan and Bangladesh away from home, making the outcome of the current two-Test series a defining moment in the Test Championship rankings.
While the tour raises questions about its priority in a country suffering from impending bankruptcy and civil unrest due to political bungling and mismanagement, Sri Lanka Cricket believes it is a justified decision to go ahead due to the revenue it will generate.
The cricket board has pledged a substantial sum of dollars generated from the games towards urgent medical requirements the country is unable to purchase due to the current crisis.
Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan De Silva is quoted as saying it will also create a much needed distraction to a cricket-mad population who are battling severe hardship.
The timely return to form with the bat by veterans Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal has fired the island nation’s hopes of being able to match the Aussies, and on spin-friendly tracks, the Lankans hold a home-ground advantage that could unsettle the tourists.
(Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Sri Lanka’s hopes lie in their batting, which has been poor until a semblance of improvement in Bangladesh.
Up against the lethal Australian pace battery led by skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and backed by off-spinner Nathan Lyon, they will realise how good their technique is against arguably the best bowling attack in the world.
The blanket of gloom hanging over Sri Lanka was given a temporary ray of light when their cricketing heroes pulled off a memorable ten-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second Test to give them a rare series win away from home.
Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando led a refreshing Sri Lanka revival with bat and ball as the Lankans produced a sterling effort to upset the Bangladeshis in their own backyard.
Mathews, in particular, showed excellent form by missing out on a double century in the first Test and then producing a match-winning 145 not out in the second Test.
But it was paceman Asitha Fernando’s heroics with the ball that were decisive and swung the game in Sri Lanka’s favour.
Much against all predictions and expert opinions, I am confident that the pride of the lions will raise its head and snuff out the challenge of the kangaroos in an epic battle that will be long remembered.
jimbo
Guest
spot on - thank god we've moved away from the all-rounder/ bits and pieces obsession
Rellum
Roar Guru
Long time ago
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Ahhh ... another roarer from Warehouse!
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree re our batsmen, will be a great challenge for them, only 2 tests to prove you are up to it....or not.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
In 2016 they served up absolute bunsen burners and we got rolled by Rangana Herath (28 wickets in the series). Sri Lanka have good young spinners (Embuldeniya and Jayawickrama), but they're not yet at Herath's class. Having Pat Cummins available too will be a big difference (Mitch Starc was a one man bowling attack in 2016). The series should come down to whether Australia's batting line-up can handle proper spinning surfaces (as opposed to Pakistan's flat decks). Steve Smith has shown he can do it in India, we need him back at his best, plus Khawaja, Warner and Labuschagne to show they can make runs in these conditions (runs by Head, Green and Carey will be a bonus - especially Head who looks highly suspect v spin). If the pitches are similar to 2016 and Australia can make good totals (350+), they have a great chance. Big if though!
Rellum
Roar Guru
What?
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Can the Pom Josh Inglis open for Australia in England ?
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Australia’s worst enemy is complacency!
Shire
Roar Rookie
I don't exactly see how Sri Lanka's home ground advantage will help them if their spinners couldn't buy a wicket in the recent series vs. Bangladesh. They're clearly in a Catch-22 situation. Either they prepare raging turners which are just as likely to benefit Lyon, Swepson and Agar as much if not more than their own set of inexperienced spinners, or they prepare greener pitches and get demolished by Cummins and co. If I were the Sri Lankan cricket board, I'd be ordering the first pitch to be prepared so that it's as flat as humanly possible in order to take a result out of the equation. Then, I'd be preparing a lottery pitch (turner or greentop, doesn't really matter) that takes as much as possible out of the hands of the batsmen and basically leaves it up to God to decide. That's their only path to a 1-0 victory.
Keith Griffen
Guest
No chance. The only challenges remaining for Australia in the wtc is india and South Africa this year. SL has fallen of a cliff, no magical herath or other X factor bowlers
Rellum
Roar Guru
Those Warehouse tracks, mate!
Chanon
Roar Rookie
It’s a real shame Once & the obvious mistake is the drop in pitches creating a sameness across the country, AFL is clearly a detriment to our cricket ovals. The science behind creating better drop in wickets is essentially the only path forward.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
It used to be the SCG had lots of turn, the Gabba had pace and bounce, the WACA even more pace and bounce, Melbourne had seam movement and/or swing conditions, Adelaide was good for batting while Hobart was sometimes like Melbourne, sometimes like Adelaide. This was an ideal situation for producing quality players to succeed in different overseas environments.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Don’t count on that last statement Paps … I can’t see the selectors having enough brains to leave Warner at home when we go to England next year.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Very true this obsession with pace is a negative influence on the complexity of our great game. Spin bowling and the art to combat it with a patient mindset is what’s required for our future generations. Speed kil.s a most obvious flaw, correct this mismanagement is an easy task like you suggest with SCG & even the GABBA would be ideal for turning wickets.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Whatever they do, the squad seems to have at least avoided the trap of including bowling allrounders who don't get a bowl and score stuff all. The final test of 2016 (I think) only had 4 specialist batsman or something like that. Madness. Whatever the sins of Burns and Khawaja on that tour. you need more specialist bats to increase the chances of getting a few on a turning wicket, one , if not both should have played. Not more bowlers. If it's going to turn your specialists will get it done. Picking medium pace allrounders was bonkers. Moises for example in this debacle. Lesson learnt I hope.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I can't see it changing until they put a bit of spin back in the SCG pitch. About 12 years ago, I was reading somewhere that club captains were very reluctant to use spinners as attacking weapons and this was killing a part of our cricket. I reckon the next best spinners in this country after those in the national team are probably playing Warehouse cricket in Brisbane.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
We can’t sugar coat an obvious flaw in our lineup.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
That's a pretty accurate statement. The only proven exception in the current line up is obviously Smith. Labu still has a lot to prove.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
They'll be desperately nice to the poor old Sris. Relief package with every autograph. What a disaster.