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Mickey Arthur
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
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Dimuth Karunaratne is on the cusp of equalling a world batting record
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Sri Lanka will expect a fight back from a wounded West Indies unit if Nkrumah Bonner’s assessment of the first Test is followed to the very letter, in the Sobers-Tissera Trophy second Test starting at the Galle International Cricket Stadium today.
Bonner was left last man standing with a resilient knock of 68 not out off 220 balls when West Indies were bowled out for 160 in the second innings to lose the first Test by 187 runs. From a hopeless position of 18-6, it was his century partnership with wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva that gave the total some respect and delayed the inevitable going into the fifth day.
“The ball is spinning a lot, so we've got to be more precise in our footwork – whether we're gonna come forward or go back. These are small things we need to work on if we want to be sure in our defence, and when we attack,” said Bonner speaking to media on Saturday.
“It's difficult when players don't get a start. In the first innings, the ball was holding and spinning. It was a different challenge in the second innings when the ball was sliding at times, and spinning too. We have to come up with smart tactics in order to play all the left-arm spinners.”
Sri Lanka’s three-pronged spin attack, consisting of left-armers Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama and off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, as well as the part-time off-spin of Dhananjaya de Silva, accounted for 19 of the 20 West Indies wickets in the first Test, and they will be looking to do the same in the second Test on a Galle surface that is expected to be even drier than in the first, as confirmed by former captain Dinesh Chandimal during a virtual media conference yesterday.
Sri Lanka are expected to make one change for today’s Test with fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera rested and either a batter or a bowler taking his place. The chances are, with the wicket suited more to spin, a fast bowler playing would be less likely than Sri Lanka including a batter. If that happens, young Charith Asalanka will be in line to make his Test debut.
Bonner also noted that Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne had a lot to do with the Sri Lanka’s success with the bat.
“He probably made 250 runs in the first Test match. Take him out, their batting is not that long to me. (Angelo) Mathews is a good player and Chandimal is a good player, but Dimuth is really the player we need to get out early.
“In the last Test he got a few chances that haunted us for sure, because they made a big first-innings total. In the second Test, if we take our chances, we have a better chance. Getting him out is a big thing for us.”
Karunaratne scored a big hundred (147) in the first innings to help his team to a substantial total of 386 – from which they built their platform for victory – and he followed that up with another score of 83.
Karunaratne, though, did give away some glimpses of his wicket. He was dropped at slip on 14 in the first innings and West Indies also failed to review a not-out lbw decision they would have had overturned early in Karunaratne's second innings.
The in-form left-hander is in sublime form having scored at least 50-plus in his last six Test innings and is on the cusp of equalling the world record of seven consecutive 50-plus scores, one incidentally achieved by another Sri Lankan cricketing giant Kumar Sangakkara in 2014 and five others – Everton Weekes, Andy Flower, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Rogers and Lokesh Rahul.
The second Test will also mark the final appearance as head coach for Mickey Arthur, who will complete his two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket before heading for Derbyshire.
“Mickey Arthur emphasised more on fitness, he has a lot of experience having coached Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. He wants to win every match we play. As players we have benefited a lot from his experience. We want to send him off on a high,” said Chandimal speaking ahead of the game.
