Sangakkara injury stuns Sri Lankans

Sri Lanka’s preparations for the First of Two Tests beginning in Brisbane on November 8, suffered a setback when star batsman Kumar Sangakkara had to retire hurt while batting in the first practice game against a Chairman’s X1 at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Sangakkara from whome a lot of runs is expected on this tour, strained a hamstring and cut his innings short after making a run.

But the strain is not likely to keep him out of the Test match. Good that sangakkara retired. Had he continued, he could have further aggravated the strain.

The sudden injury stunned the Sri Lankan camp, and probably rest would see him recover and be in the frame when Test X1 picking time comes around.

In the meantime former Sri Lankan born coach Day Whatmore reckons that self-belief is what has stopped the Lankans from registering their first historic triumph in Australia.

Speaking to the ‘Sunday Mail’, Whatmore who knows the Lankans capabilities says that the Lankans are capable of snatching a Test victory and that Muttiah Muralitheran should go past the Test wicket record of Shane Warne, which should mark a double celebration.

Jayasuriya strikes back

Stung to the quick, by the Sri Lankan cricket selectors admitting that had Marvan Atapattu agreed to tour initially, Jayasuriya would have been the man out, the dashing left hander let his bat do the talking, and stern talking at that by blasting a devastating 154 in 152 balls, 16 fours and six sixes. True the bowling was nowhere near First class, but the manner in which ‘Sanna boy’ hit back at his detractors was the point.

This innings should see him in the all to familiar number 2 spot and with Marvan Atapattu too being in the runs with a fluent 56, indications are that they will open for the Sri Lankans in the First Test.

Atapattu too, was correct in his innings and is out to prove that he has a lot more runs to make in Test cricket. It was also nice to see, the often neglected stylish left handed opening batsman, Michael Vandort also among the runs.

It is obvious that with Upul Tharanga’s poor run with the bat in recent times, that the long running opening partnership between Jayasuriya and Tharanga would be broken.

Thilan Samaraweera too who went missing for some time, made a sedate half century and would be challenging for a middle order spot as an allrounder.

Warm up game victories vital

Coach Trevor Bayliss who is having his first fling in his job as coach of the Test team, reckons that victories in warm up games could give the Lankans the much needed pep to perform better in the Two Tests. Another worry for the Lankans was the failure of skipper Mahela Jayawardena. He failed to score.

In his previous two knocks in the one-dayers against England he failed to trouble the scorers. But Jayawardena has the knack of hitting back and when Test match time comes around, he would be determined to whip the Aussie bowlers. He knows how important it is to make runs for his side in this series.

A Chairman’s XI made up of leftovers from Australia’s state sides exposed Sri Lanka’s attack on the second day of their three-day tour match here Sunday.

At stumps the Chairman’s XI were 262-4 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 368-6 declared. The Sri Lankans left out pace spearheads Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga, with their replacements struggling to fill their shoes.

Opening bowler Farveez Maharoof went wicketless in his 19 overs, while Chanaka Welagedara claimed the wicket of opener Greg Moller caught behind for 33, but pulled up in his next over with an apparent hamstring injury and only bowled six overs for the day.

In positive news for the tourists, likely Test first change bowler Dilhara Fernando picked up two wickets and although off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (1-87 in 30 overs) had to wait until the second last over of the day for his first scalp, he troubled the batsmen throughout.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Sunday

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 
(335-4 overnight) 

M Atapattu c Hughes b Heal		 56 
S Jayasuriya c Moller b Heal		154 
M Vandoort c Plant b Bollinger		 55 
K Sangakkara retired hurt		  1 
M Jayawardene c and b Heal		  0 
T Samawareena c Hughes b Bollinger	 71 
J Mubarak c Plant b Bollinger		  6 
M Maharoof not out 			  7 
EXTRAS (6lb 12nb) 			 18 
TOTAL (for six wickets dec) 		368 
FALL: 195, 239, 240, 335, 352, 368 
Bowling: D Bollinger 21.2-3-68-3 (10nb), 
P Rofe 23-5-98-0, M Lewis 16-2-46-0 (2nb), C Bailey 16-1-100-0, 
A Heal 19-5-50-3, C Ferguson 1-1-0-0. Overs: 96.2. 


CHAIRMAN’S XI               1ST INNINGS
 
L Mash c (sub) J’wardane b Fernando	95 
G Moller c (sub) J’wardane b Welagedara	33 
T Plant not out 			63 
C Ferguson lbw b Fernando 		 5 
P Hughes st (sub) J’wardane b M’tharan	49 
L Ronchi not out 			 0 
EXTRAS (5b 12nb) 			17 
TOTAL (for four wickets)		262 
FALL: 79, 165, 171, 261 
Bowling: F. Maharoof 19-3-64-0 (9nb), C. Welagedara 6-2-23-1 (3nb), 
D. Fernando 13-0-40-2, M. Muralitharan 30-5-87-1, 
S. Jayasuriya 9-1-34-0, J. Mubarak 4-0-9-0.