Pallekele wicket a nightmare for bowlers

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

The first Test at Pallekele saw just 17 wickets fall over five days and it looks like the second Test could be heading for a tame draw too after just one wicket fell on the opening day of the second Test here yesterday. This wicket is so batsmen friendly that even Sanath Jayasuriya, a decade into his retirement, will manage to play his favourite cut shot over point, Wasim Akram even in his prime would have struggled to get a wicket and Ian Chappell, one of the finest cricket brains, would have run out of ideas.

Bat has dominated this series so much that some of the nation’s ardent cricket fans were turning off their television, even though this has been a complete contrast of the national cricket team’s recent sloppy batting performances.

The Pallekele track has already received a warning and there is the danger of the venue being blacklisted. ICC Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle rated the pitch below average and the venue received one demerit point. A similar conclusion could result in another adverse rating. A venue once it collects five demerit points will be banned from hosting international games for one year. Demerit points will remain active for five years.

Sri Lanka’s openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne made most of the docile pitch posting hundreds and their 209 run stand is a record for the first wicket at this ground improving on the 188 run partnership between India’s Shikhar Dhawan and K.L. Rahul in 2017.

Karunaratne, fresh from a maiden double hundred, went onto post his 12th century while Lahiru Thirimanne continued his red hot form this year scoring his third century. Thirimanne has scored over 600 runs in seven Tests this year and only Joe Root with 794 runs in six Tests has scored more than him.

Karunaratne was dropped on 28 by Najmul Shanto at first slip to deny Taskin Ahmed a wicket. The Sri Lankan skipper made most of the reprieve finishing on 118.

Thirimanne was unbeaten on 131 having successfully reviewed a decision after being given out in the last over of the day leg before wicket.

Debutant Shoriful Islam claimed the only wicket to fall on day one

Sri Lanka did two changes from the side that drew the first Test strengthening their spin department. They brought in off-spinner Ramesh Mendis while handing left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama a Test debut. It remains to be seen how the two rookie spinners perform. Mendis has played one Test while Jayawickrama has featured in only ten First Class games. Sri Lanka also have Dhananjaya de Silva as a spin option.

Karunaratne made his intentions clear at the post match interview saying that a total of 600 runs is his target, which means, Sri Lanka would look to bat the whole day today. He also added that the wicket might offer more assistance for spinners than in the first Test.

Bangladesh batting coach Jon Lewis echoed similar sentiments.