Twenty four years ago when Lanka recorded its first Test win

CHINTHANA WASALA

Nowadays there are three forms of cricket which some praise and some would not. But without any doubt, the true spirit of cricket lies in Test Cricket as anyone would agree. For a cricket playing Nation, gaining Test Status is the first dream which only 10 teams have been able to fulfill.

Sri Lanka gained their Test Status in February 17, 1982 as the eighth nation to enter the list, and since then lived up with the game. But it took three years and 14 matches for them to smell the winning sweat of good work, their maiden Test victory which they recorded under the captaincy of Duleep Mendis against the World Champions of that time, India.

Sri Lankan team was badly in need of a Test win although they were quite notable performers in the shorter form of the game then, but it was a tough opponent they had in front of them. The One Day International giants, India were on a position to maintain their supremacy after winning the 1983 World Cup and were much familiar with victories after emerging champs at the B & H trophy in Australia and winning the Sharjah Cup just before the stepping onto the Sri Lankan soil.

The start of the tour itself did not meet the expectations of the Indians. The large crowd gathered at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground were in for a great show, expected to be molded by the touring fleet of stars led by the paceman Kapil Dev. But the local talent was too good for them and the tourists barely hung up without a loss as the bad light blocked Sri Lanka’s way for a victory.

That probably made Indians to enter the second match with a bit more awareness, knowing the opponent is not so easy to take on. After winning the toss, skipper Duleep Mendis decided to bat first in a batting friendly Sara Oval wicket.

His fellow teammates did the best to keep his hopes alive with a good start, Amal Silva with a slow yet formidable century (111)and Ranjan Madugalle with a half ton (54) to form a 95 run stand for the second wicket. Then it was Roy Dias who made the second highest score for Sri Lanka in the first innings, a brilliant knock of 95 which included 11 boundaries.

The skipper also contributed with a 51 run knock to swell the Lankan first innings total which was 385. Chetan Sharma took 5 for 118.

India’s first innings total consisted of three half centuries, Srikkanth’s 64, Gavaskar’s 52 and Amaranath’s 60. Once again the Lankan fast bowling attack was the destroyer of the Indian batting line-up. Ashantha de Mel took 2 for 63, Saliya Ahangama 3 for 59 but it was Romesh Rathnayake who wrecked the Indian top order finishing with 4 for 76.

In their second innings, Sri Lankans barely gave a chance for the visiting bowlers, giving away only three wickets to declare their innings at 206 leaving the Indians a target of 348 runs to win with a whole fifth day and few overs of the fourth day remaining. The Lankan second innings total came in a much faster run rate and the top scorer Aravinda De Silva’s maiden Test half century, the knock of 75 included nine boundaries and two sixes. Roy Dias was not out with 60.

Indians did not find it easy to fight back. The Lankan fast bowlers did it again. The pacemen accounted for the wreaking of the visiting batsmen. Kapil Dev, the highest scorer for his team0 with 78, trying to give his best as the captain, was at the crease with Chetan Sharma.

Rumesh Ratnayake delivered a mesmerizer to Kapil Dev, the batsman tossed it up and Ratnayake dived across the pitch in his follow-through to take a return catch. The crowed went wild, teammates rushed in and then the spectators.

The golden moment of Sri Lankan Test Cricket – the first ever Test victory was produced at the Sara Oval, exactly 24 years ago, on September 11, 1985.

A total Disaster for the visitors. The world champs had gone down. Mendis’ men smelled the victory.

India looked good in the third test, but brilliant centuries by Mendis and his deputy Dias saved the day for the hosts to end the match in a draw, and the Sri Lanka team had won their first test series.

An amazing feeling - Mendis

Duleep Mendis, the skipper who led the team to the maiden Test victory, was probably the happiest man on the Island Nation at that time.

”The importance of the Victory did not immediately sink in, but after few days the whole cricketing world was talking about our victory” said Mendis.

President J.R. Jayawardena declared a National Holiday following the triumph. That itself made people feel the importance. The last day of the match was shown live on television.

”We did our best to take the series, the seam bowlers did an amazing job, making the best out of the pitches those made specially for the fast bowlers. Rumesh Ratnayake took 21 wickets, followed by Ahangama with 18 and De Mel with 12 although the Indian seamers did not succeed as they were expected.But we enjoyed the thrill of having good results after a very good team effort.” added Mendis.

Sri Lanka entered the list of Test Victors taking on the neighbours, the cricket giants at that time. The papers made interesting headlines on the wreckage of visitors, in a summarized way, a Traumatic Trip.