Sri Lanka staring down the barrel at SSC

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka have a tried and tested formula for SSC. Big runs in the first innings and then check the opposition with scoreboard pressure. That formula has served them well for decades. But in this Test match, after the first innings collapse, they are playing catch up and Pakistan are calling the shots.

The tourists ended day three on 563 for five and have a first innings lead of almost 400. Rain has won more sessions this Test match than Sri Lanka and they will be hoping for more rain dominated sessions to get out of jail.

SSC despite being a batting paradise, overseas batsmen haven’t succeeded here as much as they would have liked. Only the two greatest batsmen of our generation had previously scored double hundreds at SSC among the overseas batters – Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and Brian Charles Lara. Now a rookie named Abdullah Shafique has joined the two greats. Sums up Sri Lanka’s bowling.

Want more proof about Sri Lanka’s toothless bowling? Alright then. Pakistan have been travelling to Sri Lanka for nearly four decades to play Test match cricket. Together with them they have not only brought experts of reverse swing, but some terrific batters too – Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf Younis Khan and Azhar Ali to name a few. None of them had scored a double hundred in Sri Lanka.

But on this tour, in two Tests, two relatively unknown players have notched up double hundreds. Before Shafique there was Saud Shakeel in Galle. One from Karachi and the other from Sialkot, the city that produces textiles.

Two double hundreds in two Tests should sum up Sri Lanka’s bowling.

Catching has been poor too this series. Sri Lanka paid the price for dropping Shakeel twice in Galle. Here at SSC Prabath Jayasuriya failed to hold onto a return catch with Shafique on 42.

Kamindu Mendis, the substitute fielder also put down a tough chance with Agha Salman on 12. He went onto post his second Test hundred.

Every Pakistani batter in this Test barring Imam-ul-Haq have made it count and Sri Lanka had to grab the half-chances.

The task ahead of Sri Lanka is a tough one. Their batting has barely clicked this series and they need to put up a big effort to save the game. Of course, they can do it with a bit of help from rain.