Series at stake for jolted hosts

Wednesday, 9 July 2014 01:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SL vs. South Africa 2nd ODI today in Pallekele ESPNCricinfo: Though the fading Colombo light helped hasten Sri Lanka’s demise in the first ODI, dropped catches and panicked batting marked their road to defeat. As the teams move to the outstations, the hosts must put their game in order or risk being left in the dark in a series they are expected to win.

Of most concern is Sri Lanka’s middle order. Lahiru Thirimanne is still in the grip of the vice-captains’ curse, having not seemed himself since the promotion. Ashan Priyanjan is prone to the indiscretions of inexperience – like his advancing slog against the turn to Imran Tahir. Even Mahela Jayawardene is experiencing a lull in ODIs. He has hit two fifties in his last 20 innings – though it is revealing that one came in the Asia Cup final, and the other in the deciding ODI against England. Maybe two must-win games at home will coax him back to near his best. South Africa have reason to feel more comfortable in Kandy than they did in Colombo. The Pallekele surface often has more bounce and pace than most in the subcontinent. This match will be played in the evening (with any luck, SLC has organised for the floodlights to be switched on this time) and the temperature is two or three degrees lower than at the coast in any case. This venue was also the scene of their only win during their last visit to the country, in 2013.

More importantly, key men have begun with intent, seemingly desperate not to repeat the mistakes of their last tour to the island. Hashim Amla’s Premadasa ton was a delight, as he mixed two good measures of fleet-footed positivity with a pint of watchful defence against the spinners. AB de Villiers was efficient and belligerent. Imran Tahir’s flailing wicket celebrations are in ripping form, just like his legspin, and the seam attack hunted effectively together. Some Sri Lanka players have venues that seem to complete them. Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath shed tears of joy every time they behold the Galle Stadium. Mahela Jayawardene shares such a close bond with the SSC pitch, Kumar Sangakkara gets jealous. Pallekele has so far been Tillakaratne Dilshan’s field of dreams. He has five hundreds in 10 innings there, amassing 682 runs at 97.42, with a strike rate above 92. He hinted at some good form in Colombo, and going by his recent run, a big score is never distant for Dilshan. Like Sri Lanka’s three seniors, Jacques Kallis has taken aim at the 2015 World Cup, and hoped his skill and reflexes will continue to serve him until the end of that tournament. He has been a sporadic ODI player over the past two years, but having retired from Tests, will now be keen to make his ODI presence count. He has not had an ideal start to the tour, putting his back out before the warm-up match and collecting a second-ball duck in Colombo, but he has overcome far greater obstacles in the past.

Play under lights in Hambantota

Sri Lanka Cricket said yesterday that both Sri Lanka’s and South Africa’s teams and their respective Boards are in agreement to use lights in the event the light deteriorates during the 3rd ODI of the South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka ODI series to be played on 12 July at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. It was agreed that for the 3rd ODI at Hambantota, in the event of deterioration of natural light, artificial lights will be used as per the opinion of the umpires, and they shall authorise the ground authorities to use available artificial lights as and when necessary where the match can continue in an acceptable conditions. In the event of power failure or lights malfunction, the provisions relating to the delay or interruption of play due to bad weather or light shall apply.

Mathews rules out reshuffling batting order

If there has been a theme to Angelo Mathews’ captaincy so far, it has been stability. Mathews has largely called on the same pool of players across the two formats he captains. He has been generous with young players, affording them time to bed in at the top level. Bowlers have adhered to proven formula. Batsmen have followed plans rigorously. If the past six months is anything to go by, it is an approach that has brought results. While South Africa have spoken, almost at every turn, about the World Cup in seven months, Mathews has ignored the future-focused chatter. “There’s a long time to go,” he said. “We are not thinking about the World Cup yet.” Mathews prefers to win now, and build his team up gradually. No frills. No experiments. Just every man doing his job. One-nil down in a home series, Mathews deflected suggestions that changes could improve his team’s chances. “We don’t need to panic,” he said. “It’s just one game and we played poorly. We can turn things around if we play better cricket than this. We don’t need to panic or make major changes. Making changes shows the opposition that we are panicking. We just need to pull our socks up and try and perform better.” But despite his reluctance to unsettle the XI, there are thematic concerns Sri Lanka could address. The first is the second openers’ position. Kusal Perera shone brightly, and briefly, as has been his way, at the Premadasa, without truly nailing down his place atop the order. He had played a match-turning innings in Sri Lanka’s World T20 opener against South Africa, but tailed away towards the end of that tournament. There is no doubting his ability and his potential, but there is also reason to question his consistency at present. He had been dropped in England, with Lahiru Thirimanne pushed up to open, only for Perera to return when Thirimanne made little headway. Mahela Jayawardene is a possible opening partner for Tillakaratne Dilshan. He averages 44.47 when opening - significantly higher than his career average of 32.94 – and he has meshed successfully with Dilshan in the past. A move up the order for Jayawardene may allow Perera to drop down to No. 4, where he often bats in domestic cricket, or even for Thirimanne to climb up the order to a position he prefers, but Mathews sees no sense in a batting reshuffle. “I don’t think we are that desperate to open with Mahela because his experience in the middle order counts a lot. We need someone like Mahela to try and control the middle order. Kusal has been doing pretty well up there, and he played a good knock on Sunday. Unfortunately he couldn’t carry on. “Mahela will play at No. 4 but in an emergency, he might play as an opener or at No. 3. We’ve got a set batting order and we’re not going to meddle with that.”