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Monday, 10 December 2012

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Good limb loosener for Lankans at Manuka Oval:

Batsmen impress, but not bowlers

The long awaited three-day game between the visiting Sri Lanka team and the Chairman’s X1 ended in a farce when it was decided to call off the game at the lunch interval on the final day at the Manuka Oval, on Saturday. While this game was going to be a practice for the Lankans for them to try out the players who are likely to be considered for selection the First team against Australia beginning in Hobart on Friday, there was a lot of hype because this game was going to decide the fate of Usman Khawaja and Alex Doolan.

With the retirement of Ricky Ponting, top of the names pencilled for selection were Philip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Alex Doolan. Hughes and Khawaja after being dumped were teasing the selectors with their successful batting exploits in Sheffield Shield cricket.

Great importance

For Left hander Khawaja and right hander Alex Doolan this game was of great importance. While Khawaja obliged with a half century 55, Doolan cut a sorry figure failing to make a significant score.

But while this game was on came the news that the Australian selectors John Inverarity, Rod Marsh, Andy Bichel along with coach Mickey Arthur and Captain Michael Clarke had given Hughes a return to Test cricket call and included him in the squad for the First Test.

So Khawaja, especially will stay in the picture and whether the selectors will give him a chance if Hughes fails will be interesting to watch. But Hughes says now that he has been given the opportunity again, he is determined to succeed by scoring big runs and hugging on to the one drop slot left vacant by Ponting.

Hopelessly out of touch

With regular opener Tharanga Paranavitana hopelessly out of touch, the Sri Lankans used this game to give new kid Dimuth Karunaratne an opportunity to continue his good run which started with a run-a-ball 60 in the First Test against the New Zealanders in Galle which Sri Lanka won. It was obvious the manner in which Karunaratne batted that he was going to impress the tour selectors into picking him for the Test. It was a different Karunaratne we saw facing the Chairman’s X1 bowlers.

He held back his dashing strokes and instead played like an opener watching the seam and swing on to the bat with good footwork and worked the ball around skilfully and went for fours only when the loose ball was presented.

The 40 runs were well made and he will partner the experienced Tillekeratne Dilsha Century maker Dilshan played the bowling with his ease of old with strokes all round the wicket. If he can take this form into the Test, should whip the Australia attack that seems to lack sting. But he must curb his impetuosity.

Feel of bat on ball

Good that Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayewardene, Prasanna Jayewardene and Dinesh Chandimal all had good knocks and got feel of ball on bat and scored runs. It is a must that Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayewardene score big runs in Test to keep the team’s chances alive.

Chandimal showed good touch in making his half ton. But it is unlikely that he will play unless a top order batsman is injured.

With his potential, it is sad that he has to be benched.

But he should not be disappointed, he is still young and his time will come. Wicket keeper batsman Prasanna Jayewardene must believe in his batting ability. He is a competent batsman and he must make it his business to score and add muscle to the middle batting.

He did not play the sweep shot that has brought about his downfall on many an occasion.

It is the pace bowling department that is of worry for the Lankans. Of the bowlers on show only Shamindra Eranga impressed.

A left armer is good to open bowling. But Chanaka Welegedera coming back from injury looked a bit rusty yet.

The team left for Hobart, Tasmania where they will have four days of practice fine tuning their game before facing the Australians in the First of Three Test matches at the Bellerive Oval starting on Friday.

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