Wily spin will decide Test series

India strong in batting, but Lanka can counter:

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

Wily spin bowling will dominate and be the final decider in the Three Tests between Sri Lanka and India with the first one beginning at the SCC grounds at Maitland Place today.

Hosts Sri Lanka have the leading Test wicket taker in Muttiah Muralitharan and the new confusing spin of debutant Ajantha Mendis, while the Indians would not be far behind with proven spinners of the class of skipper Anil Kumble and the controversial Harbhajan Singh.

There is no contesting the fact that Muralitheran is the better of the four who would be seen in action. His record haul of 735 Test victims proves this.

Kumble has 608 and Harbhajan 275 with the new boy Mendis yet to open his Test wicket taking account. That Mendis would be tormentor of the Indian batsmen there would be no doubt.

Test cricket is a different ball game to the limited overs fun and Mendis would no doubt be a bit apprehensive because he would be venturing into a game that is new to him and what cricket is all about.

But Mendis is fortunate to have the able guidance of skipper Mahela Jayawardena who will keep a constant eye on him, nurse him and bowl him judiciously. In addition Mendis will have his teammates encouraging him every time he takes the leather.

To the Test and the teams will be hoping for a wicket fit for Test cricket and one which will allow the best of cricket to be played and give batsmen and bowlers equal opportunity.

It is an unwritten law that wickets are made to suit the home team bowlers but this time round the curators would be in a quandary, because both teams have excellent spinners in their armoury.

With this being the situation Jayawardena and Kumble would be hoping that the coin spins their way so that they could take first strike and allow their spinners to get to work on a wearing pitch.

Spin bowling is best faced and blunted leaving the crease and with good foot work. The batsmen who would dare do this would succeed. The sides are packed with top class batsmen and how they fare only the end of the Test would tell.

Before doing this article I ran into an old opponent at cricket and a guy who played for Sri Lanka former all rounder Ghulam Razick. Asking him for his prediction on the Test Razick said: ‘It would be a tough series with both teams evenly matched.

The side that plays the more aggressive cricket and grab the half chances should win the series. However the Indians have the better batsmen’, said Razick.

I could not but agree with the former allrounder who was one of the finest slip fielders that the country had produced.

As usual the teams would not want to pencil down their playing eleven until they take a close look at the wicket before the toss. But once the captains have a look at the wicket and imagine how it would play, they will settle for the best men to do battle for them and win them the Test.

Being the First of Three Test, both sides would thrust and parry, yet looking to deliver the knockout punch. The side that shows aggression no doubt would call the tune.

The difference between the sides is that the Indians are having a much stronger batting side with some wonderful strikers in Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and V.V.S. Laxamn. All have been big scorers and would be looking to repeat.

While the Lankan batsmen would be expected to contribute, a big burden will be on skipper Mahela Jaywardena and his vice captain Kumar Sangakkara. Both will have to make it their business to be in the runs and keep the team in the game.

While Kumble and Harbhajan would carry the Indian bowling burden, one who could turn up trumps, play an important role and go back jubilating is paceman Ishant Sharma.

The find during the Aussie tour, the tall Sharma is able to get late movement and get the ball to rise disconcertingly off a good length and trouble the best of batsmen. He will be one of the attractions in the series.

With Muralitheran and Mendis to spearhead the Lankan attack, a man who would not to be forgotten and one who would want to show that he has not lost his skill or excellent late movement abilities is that man for all seasons Chaminda Vaas.

It is hoped that five days of thrilling and exciting cricket would be played so that the crowds would come flocking and as for us let the better team win. There is going to be a lot of aggression on the field.

Let it be kept clean keeping in mind that it is not the winning or losing that matters, but how one played the game. It is hoped that Harbhajan would not resort to his Aussie tactics, but play the game.

This series will also see the referral system on trial. It is another unknown quantity and it would be interesting to see how it will work out.

On the topic of the two skippers, Mahela Jayawardena is ahead of his vis-a-vis Anil Kumble. Jayawardena who is now on a roll will be looking to add to his victories and be in the seat for many years to come.

The Sri Lanka/India Test series brings to mind something unique that happened when the Lankans toured India in 1994 for a similar series.

In that series Sri Lanka lost all Three Tests and mysteriously by innings on day three before lunch, if my memory serves me right.

What a coincidence. Hope history would not repeat itself.