Reducing pressure in middle order is our responsibility: Thirimanne

Lahiru Thirimanne, who figured in a century opening partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne on the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Pallekele, said that as openers their task was to reduce the pressure on the middle order by contributing runs at the top.

Karunaratne and Thirimanne put on 115 for the first wicket that helped Sri Lanka end the day on 229-3 in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings of 541-7 declared.

Thirimanne scored a half-century (58) which was his fifth in six Test matches for this year, making him the second highest run-getter after England captain Joe Root with 517 runs (avg. 47).

The stylish left-hander who has lacked the consistency in his batting has gradually seemed to have found it this year as his figures indicate.  

“I did two or three technical adjustments to my batting. I realised that as a batsman you cannot keep playing the same way because all opposition teams we come up against analyse how to get us out, and therefore we must make the necessary adjustments ourselves to face those challenges,” said Thirimanne at the end of the third day. “I did a few adjustments and it is working well. The coaching department of the team is helping us a lot and they are getting the desired results.”

Thirimanne’s success with the bat is due also largely to the presence of Karunaratne at the other end as his partner.

“Dimuth and I have been playing cricket together from under-15 level and we are of the same age. We both have a good understanding with each other what areas to score our runs from and it helps a lot when you get a pitch like this. The wickets were a bit different in the West Indies and that experience we are putting to good use. We have a lot of youngsters in the side and to reduce the pressure on them is our responsibility. When we score runs at the top there is less pressure in the middle. That is our objective and I think we are doing it well so far,” said Thirimanne.

With regard to the match situation Thirimanne said that the pitch was gradually getting slow due to the heat and was taking a little turn. “The wicket at the moment is still good to bat on, and I don’t think there will be any big turn on it tomorrow (fourth day). We hope to bat the whole day tomorrow and it is not easy to get a decision on a pitch like this.” (ST)