Negative batting tactics led to our defeat

Elmo Rodrigopulle

2 June 1998


Arjuna Ranatunga the skipper of the Sri Lanka team must stress on his team the wisdom of the words of that top hit by Sunil Perera of the gypsies in 'Singyore' - Giya dhey giya way..... labanasere api dhemu ko batay... (let bygones be bygones, next time we'll give them the works). when the Second Test against New Zealand begins at the newest Test venue in Galle tomorrow.

We are sure that all involved with the game understand and are aware that no excuse good enough in defeat is acceptable. To win is to be heroes, to lose is to be outcasts.

When this 167-run defeat by Sri Lanka is spoken about and probes are made as to where we went wrong, there is no getting away from the fact that we lost this game due to the negative tactics adopted when we batted a second time chasing a massive 465 to win.

It is time that when a game cannot be won endeavours must be made not to lose it. But the way the wicket was playing the big target did not look an impossibility.

Sanath Jayasuriya especially was going like a jet in the victory chase while Marvan Atapattu seemed to have tagged on until he was unfortunately dismissed.

Then young Mahela Jayawardena walked in and he began to push ball to bowler making the Kiwi bowlers look larger than life and they continued that way till Paul Wiseman pushed one through to have last man Malinga Bandara lbw without offering a stroke, to give them a victory.

We don't blame Jayawardena for this. Apparently he was batting to orders. Those who gave these orders sowed negative seeds in the young mind of Jayawardena and the rest of the batting to follow.

Jayawardena's push ball tactics seemed to have affected Jayasuriya who too went into his shell and after jetting to a quick 50 tortised for his next nine runs becoming utterly strokeless at times and then went dabbing a catch to Bryan Young in the slips.

The first three days hardly saw any human habitation by way of spectators. Saturday saw an appreciable crowd. But if we continue to bat the way Jayawardena was asked to then very soon we will be playing to open spaces.

The wicket continued to get better for batting and had we been more positive there was the chance that we could have got the winning target considering the fact that we allowed ordinary bowlers like Wiseman and 'Danny Boy' Vettori to look bogeymen.

Off spinner Wiseman will not forget his memorable debut of five wickets.

Had the Lankan batsmen been told to go for victory and they failed in the endeavour it would have been satisfying. The manner in which they lost showed scant imagination.

Stephen Fleming led the Kiwis by example from the front. His patient controlled and well throughout innings in the second was on what their victory was built. His confidence rubbed off on young Craig McMillan who displayed lovely attacking batting in his blazing century.

As for the Lankan debutants Niroshan Bandarathilake and Malinga Bandara they can be satisfied with their performance, although we thought that leg spinner Bandara was a little underbowled.

Bandarathilake showed good temperament for a rookie. He got his first wicket with a top spinner - that of Mattew Horne lbw - but thereafter did not seem capable of bowling this delivery. With no spin at all on the first morning the wicket seemed conducive to the top spinner but Bandarathilake did not deliver. Maybe he would have been told by now!

Any debutant must be made to feel important for him to succeed. In this aspect Ranatunga showed why he is labelled the best captain today by bringing Bandarathilake into the picture immediately in both innings. The intelligent captaining by Ranatunga would certainly have given the youngster the confidence he needs in his future flings that shows a lot of promise.

Ruwan Kalpage and his supporters cry that he is not given the breaks. The moment he is given it, he does not seem able to cement his place and misses out again.

Good that Tillekerate has been bought back. He will add muscle to the batting.

Sri Lanka need not panic and make wholesale changes. Failures are the pillars of success it is said. A more positive approach is what is required!


Source: The Daily News

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Date-stamped : 02 Jun1998 - 06:25