Sri Lanka - Australia Test series begins:

Batting first will be advantageous

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting, from Galle,

The Sri Lankan and Australian cricketing cowboys will shed their coloured rodeo outfits and fast track mentality in limited over games, and now don creams and get down to playing what the game is all about - Test cricket when the first of three Tests begins at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, here tomorrow.

The teams have finished their Twenty20 and 50 over one day internationals and will now need to shed the fast track mentality and get down to serious business playing the longer version of the game. Test cricket is the time honoured game and appreciated and applauded by the connoisseurs of the game. With the teams playing a surfeit of limited over cricket, it will be interesting to see how they will accustom to the longer version of the game. Test cricket is a patient waiting game. Wild West shots must be forgotten, because this is different kind of ball game.

Caution with aggression

The Sri Lankan batsmen by nature will play their shots. But they will do well to temper caution with aggression and play according to the dictates of the situation. We hope they will settle down to playing what is required in the longer version of the game and not be caught napping like the Indians in England, unable to get out of the one day mode. At the time of writing, although there were indications that the South West Monsoon would break out, the weather has remained brilliant and at the time of writing, the weather is expected to hold and allow full five days of cricket. Prayers will be in order!

Curator and former Sri Lanka off cutter Jayananda Warnaweera who has been preparing the wicket, said that it would be batting friendly to start with and then begin to be bowler friendly as the Test progresses.

Big score

Warnaweera knows what he is talking about. The captain winning the toss should not hesitate but have first go. And in doing so must endeavor to rattle up a big score and put the opponents in twice and aim for an innings victory. Sri Lanka skipper Tillekeratne Dilshan has the knack of calling correctly and if the coin turns his way must bat first.

The Sri Lankan selectors have named a squad of 16 and in that squad are cricketers with the ideal technique and temperament for Test cricket. But the playing eleven will not be known till before the toss after taking into consideration the prevailing conditions.

The Australian batsmen have down the ages shown a weakness against off spin bowling. In the Ashes series down under they were struggling against off spinner Greame Swann. In the circumstances the Lankans will do well to play both Suraj Randiv and Ajantha Mendis and leg spinner Seekkuge Prasanna for variety.

Randiv and Mendis bowl different styles and a variety of deliveries. With Sri Lanka likely to go in spin heavy, this trio of spinners could bother the Aussie batsmen and lure them to defeat. Drawing first blood in this Three Test series is vital.

Spinners in

The Sri Lankans will do well to go in with either Suranga Lakmal or Chanaka Welegedera and get Angelo Mathews to use the ne ball for a few overs and quickly resort to getting the spinners into action.

Michael Clarke’s kangaroos are in a rebuilding process and will have their guard open. It is up to the Lankans to be positive from the first ball and dominate and not allow the Australians any opportunity to take charge and dominate.

We who have been following Sri Lanka cricket very closely would like to name our team. In doing so we are not trying to fit into the selectors boots. We would like to see Sri Lanka winning and here is how Sri Lanka team will line up – Tillekeratne Dilshan (capt), Tharanga Paranavithana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardena, Angelo Mathews, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal or Chanaka Welagedera, Aajantha Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna.

Galle, Tuesday