The Sri Lankan's rating ahead of England, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in on the line. If they are to maintain this slot, then they must win in the final Test against New Zealand beginning here, tomorrow.
Not to win, means that they will slid down and only be ahead of Zimbabwe which will not do their ambition of being the best Test playing nation by the year 2000 any good.
The Sri Lankans are aware of this and from the way they have been brushing up their weak points, it is obvious that they will be searching for Kiwi blood from the first ball.
At the time of writing the weather is warm and nice which is to the liking of the Sri Lankans, but the wicket is not what it was like in Carisbrook.
WICKET DEVOID OF GRASS
I had a look at the wicket and it is devoid of grass and looks brownish which prompts me to think that Kumara Dharmasena who missed the first Test will be the Lankan starting line-up.
There is no doubt that the Lankans are the better side man for man. They will be playing it hard and looking for that little bit of luck that deserted them in the game in Carisbrook.
Thankfully the Lankans have no injury problems. They are all fit and raring to go. What they must do is believe in themselves and switch on from the first ball.
In probing for victory the Sri Lankans must latch on to the half chances that come their way. Catches win matches it is said and the Lankans must pay particular attention to this vital aspect.
KIWI'S OOZING WITH CONFIDENCE
The Lankans were only half there in all departments in the lost Test. Unless they fire in top form it will not be easy to shootdown the Kiwis who are oozing with confidence after their convincing win.
The Kiwis have injury problems, especially to their bowlers. Heath Davis is doubtful and the Kiwis have plonked in Andrew Penn, a swing bowler and, Gavin Larsen. The Kiwis imagine that the pitch will assist the bowlers and so the call up of Penn and Larsen.
Penn is one of the leading wicket takers in domestic cricket with 34 at an average of 15.97. He has been rewarded for his consistency.
After the Kiwis batted at the nets, the Lankans could not have a knock because the wickets seemed to have been damaged. Batting on them could have caused injury. Instead skipper Ranatunga gave his men a knock on the side of the ground. With a Test match ahead of them, the authorities here should have provided the Lankans with pitches suitable for batting.
VETTORI _ ORDINARY BOWLER
The Kiwi bowling is not up to Test level but the big Kiwis score made them look more than ordinary. Simon Doull who had a match bag of eight wickets and Heath Davis their opening bowlers have speed but not much of control.
Left arm leggie Daniel Vettori who the Kiwis think is a sensation, looks like an ordinary bowler to me and the Lankan batsmen think so too, Kaluwitharane took him apart and the Lankan batsmen if they use their feet to him, could spray him around.
Big scores must also come from the top half of the Lankan batting line-up. Of the bowlers Nuwan Soysa should be spot on in this Test. It was an injustice that he went with only one wicket in Carisbrook.
The Lankans will be sending back Wickremasinghe and Samarasweera and flying in Chandana and Kalpage for the one-dayers.
The Sri lankans who were at the receiving end in Carisbrook will be looking for consistency from umpires Mahaboob Shah (Pakistan) and Doug Cowie (Auckland).
In the meantime, match referee Peter Burge has moved to prevent a repeat of a controversial decision which cost Romesh Kaluwitharne deadly. Burge said that for this Test the ball would be declared dead whenever it become lodged against a batsman's body or his equipment.