Sport

Signs point to an even contest in the opener

— PHOTO: AP

STILL GOING STRONG: Sanath Jayasuriya, 39, scored a smashing hundred against India in the recent Asia Cup final and will be one of the key Sri Lankan players.

Dambulla: After all the talk about turgid, treacle-slow wickets, the ground staff here at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium — 150km of corrugated rock, green cover, and beatific Buddha statues north-east of Colombo — appear to have rolled out a beauty.

The word ‘appear’ is used advisedly, for one is never entirely sure in these matters; for all you know, the shape of the Monday’s ODI, the first in the five-match series between India and Sri Lanka, might turn out to be different from what’s indicated herein.

The signs, however, point to an even contest between bat and ball — not the sort anticipated by local journalists and cricketers, who said run-making would be difficult because the ball wouldn’t come on. Instead it’s likely that the strip will offer bounce, promoting stroke-play, quick bowling, and spin.

“The wicket seems to have a bit in it for both fast bowlers and spinners, a bit of bounce and spin,” said Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain. “It looks a good, fresh, hard wicket.”

Jayawardene also alluded to the role the wind would play. The stadium, because of its open nature, is particularly receptive to the air currents that blow across it all day.

Swing and drift may be had, but the strong gusts could just as easily knock a bowler off his rhythm.

Neither team has finalised its playing eleven, although India is certain of the combination it will field. “We’ll look to play with five bowlers,” said M.S. Dhoni, the Indian captain.

“Who those five bowlers are, we haven’t decided yet. We are looking at two spinners (Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha); you rarely play four fast bowlers in this situation.”

So Irfan Pathan, who appeared to build rhythm in the practice match, will play — the idea of five bowlers in the current Indian context begins and ends with him. Zaheer Khan must lead the attack; he tends to bowl well against Kumar Sangakkara, likely to open the batting with Sanath Jayasuriya, and that battle is one of several India will need to win if it is to take a 1-0 lead.

Jayasuriya, 39, reiterated his fondness for Indian attacks in the Asia Cup, scoring his sixth century against an opposition he has scarred severely in the past.

With Jayawardene at three, Sri Lanka appears top-heavy — a weakness India must exploit.

Indeed, Sri Lanka’s inconsistency after reaching the World Cup final last year has been triggered by spotty batting, something Jayawardene said the home side is working hard to rectify.

Nevertheless it’s the Sri Lankan bowling unit that seems to hold the key to the series. The overwhelming combination of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis from both ends had the Test batsmen choosing between the fire and the frying pan.

How will a middle-order of Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, and Dhoni cope?

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, the two success stories from the Tests, could prove determining for India in the series — it is in this regard that the ankle injury Sehwag suffered on Sunday appears crippling.

The opener twisted his ankle during fielding practice, and will likely miss Monday’s match.

The role of Gambhir, the only Indian batsman who consistently read Mendis and used his feet to both spinners with assurance, turns doubly vital. Not only must he score at his usual clip, he must survive till spin is introduced; India will be even better served if he pre-empts the introduction, forcing Jayawardene’s hand, and then attacks Murali and Mendis.

“You have to take chances against Mendis in the sense that you make sure when he bowls a loose delivery you get the most out of it, so you put pressure on the bowler as well,” said Dhoni.

“The inputs of Sehwag and Gambhir will be crucial to the rest who haven’t played too many deliveries of Mendis. But it is finally up to the individual.”

The sides (from):

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt.), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Malinda Warnapura, Jehan Mubarak, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekara.

India: M.S. Dhoni (capt. & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, S. Badrinath, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, R.P. Singh, Munaf Patel and Pragyan Ojha.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Asoka de Silva.

Television umpire: Gamini Silva.

Match referee: Chris Broad

Hours of Play (IST): 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., and 2.15 p.m. till 5.45 p.m.

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