Sri Lanka unearth another gem from Kalutara

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

Last month in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka unearthed a fine talent in Pathum Nissanka, who became the first Sri Lankan to score a hundred on debut overseas. He learned his cricket at Kalutara Vidyalaya. A few meters from his school, at Holy Cross College, a left-arm spinner was plying his trade. Praveen Jayawickrama is his name. Both Pathum and Praveen are the same age – 22.  As if one gem from Kalutara in Pathum was not good enough, Sri Lanka have unearthed another gem in Praveen. He has claimed eight wickets for 150 runs in the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh at Pallekele and should go onto get a match bag of ten, or more.

Praveen on Saturday claimed the best figures in an innings by a Sri Lankan on debut. He should have the best figures in a match as well by a debutant by the time you have lunch today as Sri Lanka need five more wickets to wrap up the Test match and the series.

Today’s lunch should be good because Sri Lanka have not won a Test match in more than a year now. Since beating lowly Zimbabwe in January last year, Sri Lanka have played eight Tests without a win. That’s going to change thanks to young Praveen.

With just ten First Class games to his name, there were doubts how well he would fare. But credit to the selectors for backing him and it has paid off. Praveen was on the money. Bowling from Hunnasgiriya End throughout the game, he flighted the ball, found drift and with change of angles outsmarted the batsmen.

The delivery that he bowled to dismiss first Test centurion Najmul Shanto was a beauty. Pitched outside off-stump from over the wicket, the ball turned sharply, went through bat and pad of the left-hander and knocked top of leg-stump. The Sri Lankans loved it. It was classical bowling. This was ample indication that the team got their act wrong in the first Test where they backed seam instead of their traditional strength – spin.

Praveen should have claimed a ninth wicket but Lahiru Thirimanne dropped Mushfiqur Rahim at slip when he was on six.

Ramesh Mendis although not as accurate as Praveen was getting extra bounce that troubled the batsmen. He finished with three wickets in the innings. Both spinners play for Moors SC in domestic cricket and there was good understanding between them.

When day four ended 30 minutes before stumps due to bad light with still 12 overs remaining, Bangladesh were down to their last recognized pair.

Sri Lanka do not have any reviews left but that should not be a concern with plenty left in the game.  Reviews are something that the Sri Lankans use so poorly. Bangladesh have been clever with their reviews. Both Mehdiy Hasan and Liton Das who remained unbeaten at stumps had been given out. But they overturned the decisions having successfully challenged the calls.

Bangladesh finished on 177 for five chasing a target of 437. They need another 260 runs.