Australia will be forced to contend with a new-look spin attack in Galle with Sri Lanka young guns Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage called into the hosts’ squad.
Fresh off spinning Australia into a web in the white-ball matches, AAP understands Theekshana and Wellalage have both entered Sri Lanka’s camp.
Their arrivals come after Sri Lanka’s reserve spinner Praveen Jayawickrama tested positive to COVID-19, ruling him out of the contest.
Sri Lanka have also made the call to drop finger spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, who enter 2022 as the team’s best bowler but was hit apart by the Australians in the first Test.
A spinning wicket is again expected for the second and final Test, however it will likely be slightly more friendly than the one served up for the series opener.
Teenager Wellalage shapes as the most likely option for the hosts, given he would be a life-for-like replacement for Embuldeniya as a left-arm finger spinner.
Wellalage was Sri Lanka’s best bowler in the one-day series win over Australia last month, taking nine wickets at 22.33.
The left-arm orthodox bowler troubled Australia with his variations, just months after starring for Sri Lanka at the under-19 World Cup.
He had initially been left out of the main squad, only picked as a stand-by member and released out of the camp before the first Test.
However he has now returned to the group and is set for a potential debut.
Uncapped mystery spinner Theekshana would also present a different challenge for the visitors if selected after being added to the team’s extended squad.
Theekshana is aged 21 but was effective in the white-ball series after being a revelation in last year’s Twenty20 World Cup.
Along with Wellalage, he is seen as the future of Sri Lankan spin.
The hosts also called a third new face into their extended squad on Tuesday, with spinning allrounder Lakshitha Manasinghe added.
Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood admitted after the hosts’ 10-wicket loss in the first Test that his four-pronged spin attack had underperformed.
Ramesh Mendis was by far Sri Lanka’s best, while spinning allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva was grossly under-used.
Jeffrey Vandersay took 2-68 with his leg spin on debut while Embuldeniya went wicketless.
“Our spinners failed to put pressure on the opposition,” Silverwood said.
“We failed to push them.”
Meanwhile Jayawickrama’s positive test came after Angelo Mathews also contracted the virus in the first Test.
Mathews is free to play in the second, while all other Sri Lanka players have since tested negative.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
if the hip is that bad good with pain to get it done even at 63 the upside is you can. do all the physio whilst younger the downside as you say is you get a tad more limited to a few sports but if it's significant daily pain then it's time as it will only get worse .
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
63, yesterday in fact
Pierro
Roar Rookie
your doing well to get through it all rowdy well done . not easy . be good to yourself . what age are you again to be getting hip done?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He passed away 2 weeks ago. He was a straight up bloke, stubborn as a donkey and in the mold of Plugger. Prostate op was 10 weeks ago. Getting slowly better. It got rid of the 4 month long E. coli infection. I believe in democracy and hold elections. I get the hip done August. I'm going to play tennis as I think AF or :football: is out of the question. Even :cricket: would be a risk so the doc says.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
rowdy just checking in on you via an old thread hope your brother is now out of any pain and suffering swiftly if he passed and youve been hanging in there yourself . thoughts are with you mate
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Did you post a message to me recently? Seems like it was deleted on the basis of inappropriate content within minutes of it being submitted, so unfortunately no one saw it. :stoked: Guess you could try again with a modified message? Though sadly nobody is still reading that article :thumbup:
Pierro
Roar Rookie
We will find out re starc . it didn't turn as much early on but I missed last session and a half
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Nope. Ends up being Starc. They a) better use him and b) he better do something. Otherwise it has to be considered poor selection given what was not only known after the First Test, but speculated upon by the Aus camp themselves ahead of the Second Test.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Cummins starc. hardly bowled in fact Cummins didnt even bowl second innings so if pitch is similar quicks barely needed Cummins and green fine to bowl 5 over stints and be lucky to bowl 12 to 15 each probably less in a days play
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I saw it finally mentioned overnight . wasted at 8 surely 6 or 7
Clear as mud
Guest
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/glenn-maxwell-australia-xi-second-test-sri-lanka-galle-pat-cummins-starc-swepson-head/2022-07-07 Playing him at 8 seems a bit bizarre tho. Could be lost in a tail collapse? Just send him in when the moment is right/ (I think there is no way Cummins will risk himself getting injured and Green being the only quick. Where is a Hilton Cartwright when you need him.. actually surprised M Marsh not in play as second seamer allrounder, he and Green and Cummins and Maxwell - with one of Warner or Smith “rested”.)
Pierro
Roar Rookie
finally Cummins mentioned Maxwell may play although he also declared on tv he's hopeless at reading the Sri Lanka pitches
Pierro
Roar Rookie
sadly.no mention so far of Maxwell playing for starc
Pierro
Roar Rookie
still zero mention anywhere of starc being rotated for Maxwell . they seriously are daft selectors if they don't go for the extra batsman
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
Agree with Maxwell in, Starc out. one extra 50 is a game- changer in Galle, ( assuming they get the team of ladies with wire brushes to “ groom “ the pitch the night before again. And yes, that is really what happens!)
Ace
Roar Rookie
It's mouth watering to think of that combination. Eight and a half batsmen (Cummins) And Manus could also bowl medium pace if required
Ian
Roar Rookie
It doesn't matter what spinners Sri Lanka play, if they're going to bat like they did in the 1st Test they'll get another thrashing. They were beyond pathetic.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
They're on the Inertia Bus 2022.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I was #2,781,125 person to die of the Bubonic Plague
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I co-habited with Bodicea.