Second Test slipping away from Sri Lanka

Rex Clementine in Galle

There’s been some spectacular cricket played by Sri Lanka over the last four weeks here in Galle although all the results have not gone their way. They had dominated the second Test against Pakistan and were looking good to square the two match series with a win in the second Test but inclement weather could deliver a cruel blow to their bid.

Only six overs were possible after tea yesterday due to bad light and then heavy rain forced an early end to day’s play with 26 overs remaining.  Bad light forced an early end on day three as well and it could be the same scenario on the final day, which means Sri Lanka need to take nine wickets in two sessions to complete the win. It’s a tedious task on a track where Sri Lanka’s number nine Ramesh Mendis batted like Mahela Jayawardene with some glorious cover drives on his way to a career best 45 not out.

Sri Lanka were also guilty of delaying the declaration. They started  the day with a lead of 323 and by lunch that lead had gone up to 444. No team in the history of Test cricket had chased that many to win a game with West Indies’ 418 against Australia in Antigua being the highest.

Ideally, they should have declared when skipper Dimuth Karunarante fell with a lead of 390. But they looked content in ensuring only two results were possible, a Sri Lankan win or a draw.  That defensive mindset played into Pakistan’s hands.

This is no fault of Dimuth. It’s how our cricketers have been brought up. They tend to play it safe and play for personal glories. Successive Sri Lankan captains have gone that way including Mahela Jayawardene. In that 2012 series also against Pakistan at Pallekele, Sri Lanka could have tried to  secure a 2-0 series win. But the man known as a mastermind  preferred to shake hands with the opponents and settle for a 1-0 series win. The press went to town and MJ called us ‘armchair critics’ writing a column for the website once managed by his agent Charlie Austin. Charlie’s brats knew many ways to skin a cat.

Sri Lanka were waiting for Dhananjaya de Silva to post his century, his ninth in Test cricket. A superb knock with some elegant shots. His 16th boundary, a cut shot bisecting the backward of point and short third man fielders brought up his hundred.

The declaration didn’t come even after Dhananjaya had scored his hundred. Dimuth now was waiting for Ramesh to post his maiden Test half-century. Cricketing gods didn’t look at this kindly. Dhananjaya was run out ending a partnership of 82 runs with Ramesh. At this point, Dimuth declared the innings with Ramesh left-stranded on 45, his career best score.Sri Lanka did dismiss first Test tormentor Abdullah Shafique early. But the pitch didn’t have much demons and Pakistan were comfortable at tackling the spin threat.