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Mahela
keeps Lanka afloat after Harmi’s double strike
Sa’adi
Thawfeeq reporting from Galle
As much as SSC has been his home venue where he has scored the bulk
of the runs in his Test career, the Galle International Stadium
also holds special memories for Mahela Jayawardene on who’s
unbeaten half-century Sri Lanka anchored their innings after Steve
Harmison in a late burst in the final session evened the odds on
day one of the third Test by snapping up two wickets for two runs
off 25 balls.
Sri Lanka finished on 147-4 with Jayawardene unbeaten on a determined
half-century (51 in 177 minutes, 6 fours) when bad light ended play
after 55 of the scheduled 75 overs were bowled. On the captain’s
shoulders lay the big responsibility once again to give his team
a substantial first innings total if they are to win the series.
It is at Galle, almost ten years ago, that Jayawardene scored the
first of his 20 Test hundreds and he has made two further hundreds
here which include a double century.
Galle has many ‘firsts’ and it was no surprise to see
for the first time in the history of the modern game in Sri Lanka,
a Test match being played with the use of a electronic scoreboard,
although it was not quite the proper one. Update of the scores appeared
on the giant screen which is normally used to give spectators replays
of the match. The two official scorers were demoted to scoring from
one side of the media centre while two scorers from India sat under
a makeshift tent next to the giant screen and kept the spectators
updated with ball by ball updates on the screen.
In time to come will a cricket match take place without the two
official scorers? Technology is in such an advanced state that in
the near future it could become a possibility.
Apart from the cricket, the stadium was magnificently done. Kudos
to those responsible for designing it and deciding on its architecture.
The media centre had a state-of-the-art finish and could compare
to one of the best in the world. The only hitch (if it could be
called that) was the complete enclosure of the media centre with
air-conditioning. It shut out the atmosphere outside. To those inside
the comfort of the box, they could not hear the sounds of the spectators
nor the appeals that took place on the field. Considering how hot
it was out there in the middle one had to be thankful for small
mercies. Not only does the media centre receive accolades but the
stadium in its entirety deserves a big bouquet. They say seeing
is believing. You have to be there at the venue to believe the transformation
the stadium has undergone since the 2004 tsunami.
It is certainly clear that Asad Rauf is not having a good series.
One thought that his senses would be attuned very much to making
the right decisions after a break from the SSC Test, but the first
two decisions he gave against Vandort and Tharanga were certainly
dodgy ones. Vandort was unlucky to be given out lbw when he was
struck on the top of his pads. Taking his 6ft 5in in height into
consideration, the ball was well and truly travelling above stump
level. Tharanga’s dismissal was not so clear cut and one cannot
make any drastic comments on that but leave it to the judgment of
the television viewers.
Sangakkara must be kicking himself for getting out to a hook shot
off Harmison which found the waiting hands of Panesar at deep square
leg in the second over after tea. With his captain Jayawardene,
the two most experienced batsmen in the team looked like keeping
England on the field the whole of today with a big partnership.
It was 88 runs old when Sangakkara suddenly lost his composure and
was dismissed for a well-compiled 46 which took him past 6000 runs
in Test cricket after Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda
de Silva and also 1000 runs against England, a feat achieved by
only Jayawardene.
Both sides decided to stick to one front line spinner although there
was much pre-match talk of the pitch, shorn off virtually all the
grass, would be spinner friendly. The captains probably took into
consideration the amount of rain that had fallen on the ground over
the past four days. It had pushed the start of the Test back by
two hours due to moisture on the pitch and some parts of the outfield
being wet. Certainly these areas of concern would have come into
play before the two captains decided to finalise their eleven.
Sri Lanka capped 26-year-old left-arm fast bowler Chanaka Welegedera,
the Matale-born cricketer now turning out for Moors SC in the Premier
tournament ahead of another left-armer Sujeeva de Silva.
Vaughan’s decision to invite Sri Lanka to bat first was a bit
of a gamble. He banked on the moisture underneath the surface to
help his three-pronged seam attack which was strengthened with the
return of Hoggard from injury. But although there was initial movement
for his three seamers Sidebottom, Hoggard and Harmison there was
not much on the wicket for them with the exception when they hit
the seam and bowled the right length.
Harmison’s late double strike dismissing Sangakkara and Silva
has somewhat justified Vaughan’s decision to field first. Today
play is due to commence at 9.30 a.m. to make up for the lost time
yesterday.
Sri
Lanka 1st innings
MG Vandort lbw b Sidebottom 18
WU Tharanga lbw b Harmison 16
KC Sangakkara c Panesar b Harmison 46
DPMD Jayawardene not out 51
LPC Silva c Bell b Harmison 1
TM Dilshan not out 7
Extras (lb 7, w 1) 8
Total (4 wickets; 55 overs) 147
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-44, 3-132, 4-138
Bowling: RJ Sidebottom 15-4-33-1, MJ Hoggard 13-3-48-0,SJ
Harmison 13 2 28 3 2.15 MS Panesar 11-1-25-0, RS Bopara 2-0-6-0,
PD Collingwood 1-1-0-0.
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