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Thursday Dec 12, 2024
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Prabath Jayasuriya with his Man of the Match award in the first Test against Ireland at Galle
The Galle International Cricket Stadium has always been a spinner’s paradise and over the years, bowlers in the calibre of Muttiah Muralidaran, Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera had immense success bowling on those surfaces and bringing Sri Lanka quite a number of victories.
Now it is the turn of two other trundlers who are following in the footsteps of the past cricketers and bringing the country victory – left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and off-spinner Ramesh Mendis.
Sri Lanka’s innings win over Test newcomers Ireland in the first Test at Galle was all about these two bowlers, after the batsmen had given them the comfort of a massive total to bowl at. They grabbed it with both hands to take 15 of the 20 Irish wickets to fall in the match.
For Jayasuriya it was like continuing from where he left off. Having made his Test debut at Galle with a memorable 12-wicket haul against Australia helping Sri Lanka to an innings win to tie the series 1-all, and continuing that form against Pakistan also at Galle taking 17 wickets in the two Tests of another 1-all drawn series, Jayasuriya helped himself to another ten-wicket haul against Ireland to give Sri Lanka their biggest win in their Test history. Thus, in his brief Test career of six matches Jayasuriya has taken 39 of his 43 wickets at Galle.
What makes Galle so special to the spinners?
“I try to do my basics right. If you get them right, then you can bowl under any conditions anywhere in the world and survive. You don’t have to do too much because you always get a lot of assistance from the Galle wicket. The key is you must know how to use it and use it correctly,” said Jayasuriya after winning his second Man of the Match award.
“Ramesh and I always try to do our basics right and give the batsmen a lot of pressure. Invariably the chance of one of us getting a wicket is greater. It worked out well in this Test. Ramesh gives me his full support during the match. If there is any shortcoming on my part he comes and tells me and I also do the same. We share our thoughts and experiences. As a bowling unit what we always speak about is to support each other because during the match the roles of each bowler can differ. As a bowling unit we did very well.”
Jayasuriya although a late starter has begun his Test career rather prolifically but he knows there are tough times ahead of him as a spinner, like he learned on his maiden tour with the national team to New Zealand last month.
“I learnt a lot from it. I managed to get only four wickets in the two Tests. Conditions in New Zealand are helpful for the fast bowlers. It’s not easy playing there, but you cannot give that as an excuse. As international cricketers in whatever conditions, we must always try to do the right things and help the team to win,” said Jayasuriya.
Looking ahead at his future, Jayasuriya said, “Personally, I have just begun to play Test cricket. I have played only six Tests and have a long journey ahead. Once a match is finished it’s done. I focus on what I am going to do in the next match and how I should prepare for it. I always look ahead of what I can do in the future. How I can develop my game, how to adapt to different conditions and all that is what I focus on.” Jayasuriya’s success has been his accuracy to put the ball in the right areas all the time and creating pressure on the batsman.
“A lot of it is done during practices but at the same time we must keep in mind what has to be done and how we should apply it. If you have any shortcomings, you must on your own try to analyse it, then it is easy for you to correct it. You must be able to understand what mistakes you have made and try to correct them on your own.”
Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said: “When I played with Prabath in the NSL, I noticed the line and length which I saw from Rangana Herath. Prabath doesn’t try to do much with the ball but puts the ball in the right areas and tries to spin it. I expect my bowlers to do the basics right because we know we can get a lot of support from the Galle wicket for the spinners. However, to get that support you cannot be an ordinary spinner, you have to bowl in the right areas.”
“When Prabath first came into the team I told him to bowl in the right areas, lessening the mistakes and keep bowling the right lines and lengths. He has been maintaining that. I don’t tell him much, but just give him the ball and tell him to do his basics. He knows what is required of him for the team, his field setting and all that. He comes prepared for the match and gives us 100%.”
