Pakistan a shame on the game

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

Imagine a team sitting pretty at 294 for two, losing eight wickets for 26 and presenting victory on a platter to the opponents.

It is not from the movies. But that is what happened at the P. Sara Oval on Tuesday during the Second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The Pakistani batting collapse was a shame to say the least. After being bundled out for 90 in the first innings one expected to see a renaissance from the Pakistani batting line up in the second innings.

Krurram Mansoor, Fawd Alam and skipper Younus Khan showed the way. But when the others were expected to put their heads down and consolidate and challenge the Lankans, they collapsed like a pack of cards and gifted the Lankans a victory they did not imagine was possible when the opponents went for lunch on the third day at 294 for two.

The remaining eight Pakistani batsmen put to zero the fighting knocks of 38 by Mansoor,168 by Fawd Alam and the 82 by skipper Younus Khan.

Sri Lanka"s new skipper Kumar Sangakkara seems to be having the Midas touch. Everything he touches seems to turn to gold. He seems to have the courage to be different and in a moment of genius tossed the second new ball to spinner Rangana Herath and then the left arm spinner worked magic with the ball.

There is no need to shame the Pakistanis, torment and poke fun at them. What happened to them can happen to any team. But what was sad was to note the poor technique of the batsmen.

At this level and this being Test cricket, the level of technique must be tops. How they made it to the top defies understanding. Does not speak well for their coaches at junior level. There were no terrors on the wicket. They seemed out of depth when the new ball was skidding at them. Playing the line with a straight bat would have saved the blushes and the ignominy of surrendering well inside five days in Galle and at the P. Sara Oval.

When David Morgan, President of the International Cricket Council made the ridiculous suggestion of reducing Test cricket to four days, he sure would have had the Pakistanis in mind. When Tests end inside five days, the loss all round is enormous.

The excuse by Khan that it is the lack of regular Test cricket that led to the defeats must be told to the marines. They must remember that they are professionals and they must raise the bar and perform that way. Excuses however good, once in the big league cannot be accepted.

Rangana Herath once again stood out and asked the question as to why he was left out of the original squad in the first place. He has shown that he is indispensable and that is how he must remain in the future plans of Sri Lanka cricket.

Medium pacer Nuwan Kulasekera too gave his all and should lead the pace pack in the future.