Published: Aug 19, 2016, 05:52 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 19, 2016, 05:52 PM (IST)
It was a bleak tour of the British Isles for Sri Lanka. They did not win a single game against England across all formats. They were outdone in all departments. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews ended his post-match routine after the third Test with these words, “…unfortunately we were on the receiving end but we have to move on.” And boy, haven’t they moved on in style? FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 3rd Test at Colombo
Sri Lanka have moved on in style because, there was that inertia that had been constant throughout their stay in England. There were familiar sights at Pallekele, as the entire batting collapsed for a mere 117, merely 38 balls after lunch. Australia ended the day on 66 for 2 as rain washed away the entire third season. Given the Australian pedigree as the team atop the table and the pitiable reputation of the Sri Lankans, the tourists would have been expected to canter to a big total and tighten the noose on the poor Sri Lankan batsmen.
But on Day Two, the tables turned. Mohammad went to the proverbial mountain. Rangana Herath and Lakshan Sandakan pegged the Aussies back with wickets at regular intervals until the last wicket fell at 203.
The fall of the second wicket in the Sri Lankan innings heralded great fortunes. In walked Kusal Mendis, who made runs — 176 of them — runs that can be regarded as the most vital in 21st century Sri Lankan cricket hitherto. Maybe this was their version of Eden Gardens 2001, against the same opposition — a completely against the run of play when they had their backs to the wall. And Mendis followed this knock up with a fighting 86 at Galle. READ: SL vs AUS, Test series: Marks out of 10 for hosts
Since then, Sri Lanka grew from strength to strength. They tormented the Australian batsmen. Herath has been their talisman ever since Muttiah Muralitharan retired. He made hay while sun shone, with 28 wickets in 6 innings. There is something absolutely incredible about how a short-statured man can bowl 6 simple without any fuss and repeat it over and over again, at the age of 38.
At one point, Australian batsmen were falling to deliveries that did not spin. Suffice to say, the demons were not in the pitch but in the batsmen’s minds. What was heartening was the fact that Sri Lanka had found spinners — Sandakan and Dilruwan Perera — who would be able successors of Herath.
The 3-0 result of the series can be ascribed to three things that Sri Lanka did right and Australia did not. One, the Sri Lankan team had 4 dangerous spinners on pitches most conducive for spin, so much so that they relied on them completely, with their fast bowlers picking up only 4 of the 60 wickets across the 6 innings. Australia somehow went in with more faith in their quicks and their spinners did not pose a threat. Mitchell Starc repaid his skipper’s trust with 24 wickets on pitches placid and unresponsive to fast bowlers. READ: How SL achieved their #SquadGoal against AUS
Two, the Sri Lankan bowlers hunted in pairs. The Herath-Perera partnership would definitely be one of the talking points of this series, with Sandakan chipping in when given the ball. On top of it, the close catching was excellent. So were Mathews’ discretion and selectivity in using the DRS. To the contrary, Australia didn’t have a great bowling partnership. Starc was mostly a lone shining star with Josh Hazlewood not being able to pick wickets at his will. Nathan Lyon was not able to make an impact and the rookie Jon Holland did not know how to tie one end up for his senior teammate to pick wickets.
Three, the Sri Lankan batsmen knew well to dig themselves out of a hole. They exhibited better batting skills, scored at brisk rates and also resuscitated the innings with cautious and slow batting when they had to, like Chandimal and de Silva did at the SSC after being 26 for 5 at one stage. Australia on the other hand, neither had the technique nor the doggedness to grit it out against spin. They were woeful in playing spin and miserable getting out to sliders. READ: Herath moves to No. 5 spot in ICC Test bowlers rankings
Like Ian Chappell had written about the chances of the Indian team touring Australia in December 2011 after their drubbing in England mid-2011, Australia might have lost the impending Indian tour due in 2017 even before it has begun. Oracle.
As for Sri Lanka, they might have just turned a new leaf and begun writing a verdant chapter in their history books.
(Madhav Krishnan is a student from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Hyderabad), pursuing M.Sc (Chemistry) and B.E. in Mechanical Engineering)
