Having graced Sri Lanka's last Test match
visit to Hobart with an unforgettable century on a pitch that retained
its good humour throughout, Kumar Sangakkara is hopeful of an
altogether different surface when the tourists meet Australia in the
first Test at Bellerive Oval on Friday.
Sangakkara's fourth innings rearguard in 2007, against an Australian
bowling attack then featuring Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Stuart MacGill
alongside Mitchell Johnson, took place on a surface far less capricious
than the strip that has furrowed plenty of brows since being relaid
before this summer.
After the fashion of last season when New Zealand regrouped after a hiding in Brisbane to capitalise on a green seamer with a dramatic victory,
Sangakkara reasoned that another "sporting" wicket in Tasmania would be
of similar benefit to Sri Lanka. Any lateral movement may be exploited
quite handily by the thrifty Nuwan Kulasekara, the slippery Shaminda Eranga and the left-armer Chanaka Welegedara.
"We've seen some of the games that [Australia] has played. There's been a
bit of nibble about but it's been sporting to both sides," Sangakkara
said. "Wickets like this make fast bowlers really enthusiastic to play,
and it elevates guys who don't have that much pace. If it stays the
same, I think our fast bowlers will have a really good chance against
the Aussie batsmen."
While Sangakkara's hopes may yet be fulfilled, the surface appears to
have settled somewhat in recent weeks. It also appeared to be quite
friendly to Australia's players when they inspected it on Tuesday
afternoon, and trained local eyes reckon it is flat enough to reap
plenty of runs once the extra bite offered by the new ball has been
negotiated. The other variable is the weather forecast, with rain and
cloud slated to arrive in time for day one.
Sri Lanka's batsmen have some considerable adjusting to do over the next
two days, as the wicket they were presented with at Canberra's Manuka
Oval was amenable to centre wicket net practice but almost devoid of the
kind of life commonly associated with Australian pitches. Sangakkara
admitted the tourists would have liked something a little more lively
for their only warm-up fixture: "We probably would have preferred a more sporting wicket for the practice game but that's the way it goes."
One young batsman seeking to make an impression will be the opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who blazed a rapid, unbeaten 60 on his debut
against New Zealand in Galle, rebounding from a first innings duck in
the process. Karunaratne was subsequently dropped for the second Test
when Tillakaratne Dilshan returned from injury, but Sangakkara said the
tour selectors would consider the 24-year-old's merits against those of
Tharanga Paranavitana, who has been only moderately successful in his 32
Tests to date.
"There' a spot up for grabs to open along with Dilshan, and Dimuth would
be looking forward to trying to grab that particular spot," Sangakkara
said. "It's between him and Paranavitana I think. Paranavitana has
played 30-odd Tests, Dimuth is pretty fresh and has played just one Test
match but he's shown a lot of intent and good things. I think it will
be a tough battle."
"I thought Dimuth batted really well in the second innings. We had to
get 93 to win in Galle and he knocked it off almost at a run a ball, so
that was fantastic to watch. It shows that he has confidence and the
ability to bounce back from disappointment."
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