Come Tuesday both the Lankans and the Windies will tread to the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium to engage themselves in the Second Test. Just a minute, you have not entered the Coliseum in Rome, this is just the final preparation of a 2011 World Cup venue.
SLC’s chief curator Anuruddha Polonnowita having a close look at the Premadasa Stadium wicket.
(Pic by Sanka Vidanagama) |
After being subjected to a rude shock at the Galle Stadium, the Lankans will pay a bit more attention to the skills of the visitors who outshone them with both bat and ball.
Though there have been six previous Tests played at this venue Tuesday’s game will be a trip to the unknown as they face a newly laid ground. Explaining the situation, chief curator Anuruddha Polonnowita told the Sunday Times, “This is a brand new ground which we have lifted by three feet. However I am confident that the new pitch will behave well and yield a lot of runs especially in the first three days before it becomes spin friendly during the final six sessions.”
Besides this, Polonnowita also added that the Premadasa wicket will have more bounce than the Galle strip and the fast bowlers could get more life while the spinners too have more bounce off the wicket. However he added that this strip is a ‘win toss and bat first’ one.
Shaminda Eranga |
After their below par performance the Lanka selectors have dumped both Thilina Thushara Mirando and Dhammika Prasad and brought in experienced work horse Nuwan Kulasekera, who will in all probability share the new ball with Dilhara Fernando. However new kid on the block, twenty four-year-old Shaminda Eranga from the Chilaw Marians, who has impressed chief selector Aravinda de Silva, also has been called in along with Southern lad Suranga Lakmal.
Eranga who hails from St. Mary’s College Chilaw has turned out for Sri Lanka ‘A’ and has bagged 34 wickets in 23 outings in first class cricket.
Selection chief Aravinda de Silva airing his views said, “We do have to do some experimenting with these young bowlers especially in the longer version of the game where we find the more established ones becoming reluctant to play Test Cricket fearing injury. But this young lad Shaminda is fit and looks a willing horse, but it is the final composition of playing a specialist wicket keeper that will compel us to go with a two-two combination.”
Even in the spin combination it would be the final inspection of the wicket that would decide the duo that will cross the boundary line from the trio of Randiv, Mendis (off spin) and Rangana Herath.(Left arm orthodox).
Though being outplayed in the first game, the Lankans cannot grumble about their batting line-up as almost all their batsmen came up with worthy contributions in either innings. But if the Premadasa wicket is going to have more life, then the pace of Roche and Russel would pose a few problems to the frontliners.
Also in the opposing camp the pick of the bowlers was off spinner Shane Shillingford who posed more than a few problems to the Lankan batsmen. This time there will be the likelihood of lanky left armer Suleiman Benn, who missed the first game through an ICC ruling, coming back into the side.
Meanwhile a high ranking SLC source said that these games being played at the Premadasa, Hambantota and Pallekelle Stadiums, which are still under construction, is purely to get the Lankan cricketers more familiar with the pitch conditions at these newly constructed venues that are earmarked for the World Cup.
He also said that as a result of certain facilities at the stadium, being only partially constructed, some spectators would find their match viewing experience slightly marred.
Sri Lanka squad: Kumar Sangakkara (Captain), Mahela Jayawardena (Vice captain), T.M. Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavithana, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardena, Suraj Randev, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Heart, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Kaushal Silva and Shaminda Eranga.
West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Brendan Nash (Vice-captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (w/k), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, Nelon Pascal, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith and Devon Thomas.
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