da doce： West Indies’ hopes of staging a comeback in this three-Test series in theSecond Test at Kandy, however unlikely they may seem to the rationalobservers in Galle, are being boosted by a much talked about hill-countrycurse on the home team
Charlie Austin20-Nov-2001West Indies’ hopes of staging a comeback in this three-Test series in theSecond Test at Kandy, however unlikely they may seem to the rationalobservers in Galle, are being boosted by a much talked about hill-countrycurse on the home team.Sri Lanka have lost their last three Tests in Kandy, all of which followedthumping wins in Galle, prompting fears amongst superstitious local fans andplayers that the team is the victim of a hoodoo.In a country where marriage dates are set according to the alignment of thestars, the politicians sound out astrologers when deciding on strategy, andwhere minted palm readers lurk in every hotel foyer, apparently irrationalfears pose a serious hurdle for the Sri Lankans.The Sri Lankan cricket board was so concerned about the trend that they hadplanned to re-jig the itinerary and hold the Second Test in Colombo. Theplan had to be abandoned, though, for security reasons when an election was called for early December.Dav Whatmore, whose coaching philosophy is firmly founded on the dictates ofscience, is desperately trying to focus the player’s minds on the processesnecessary for success.”First of all, we have to acknowledge that our record in Kandy hasn’t beengood,” he said.”But a cricket match is not won or lost by any hoodoo, voodoo or horoscopes or whatever. It is won or lost by what you do out in the middle.””The team hasn’t done well here recently (remember, though, that webeat Australia on this ground in 1999) for no reason other than the cricket.The bottom line is that during these games we have made crucial mistakes atcritical times.””During occasional sessions we haven’t done very well at all and whilst youcan’t win a game in that hour or two, you can sure go a long way towardslosing it. Unfortunately, that’s what we have been guilty of.”There are indeed some more rational explanations for Sri Lanka’s recentfailure. Most strikingly, all three matches have been closely fought highpressure encounters where Sri Lanka had surrendered an early initiativeduring short, self destructive passages of play, usually in their secondinnings.The reasons for defeat point towards a vulnerability under pressure. Thepertinent question is whether, with four Test victories in five matches nowunder their belt, their confidence has been buoyed sufficiently for them toperform during these high tensile passages of play.There is another reason for Sri Lanka’s failure in Kandy too – the pitchoffers the faster bowlers extra bounce and lateral assistance if they arewilling to bend their backs. In all three losses, against South Africa,England and India, the opposition’s fast bowlers have played crucialwicket-taking roles.The pitch itself is getting browner by the day, but still has a green tinge,and Whatmore believes “the pitch should be kinder to the fast bowlerswith a little extra pace and bounce which will, of course, also help the spinbowlers.”This should be good news for West Indies, who look set to pick three fastbowlers.Carl Hooper, speaking after the team’s final practice, said: “Ithink we played into their hands picking two spinners in Galle and we wantto stick with what we know best here and play three quicks. Hopefully therewill be something for them in the pitch and we can make use of it. Theresults in previous Test matches certainly suggest that fast bowlers comeinto their own here.”West Indies will be happy with the form of Mervyn Dillon and hoping that hisopening partner in Galle, Colin Stuart, who bowled better as the matchprogressed (not so hard when you start so badly), is finding his form at theright time.The choice of the third fast bowler, however, poses a problem. Reon King isstill unfit and has asked to leave the tour so he can undergo surgery in theWest Indies, whilst Pedro Collins and Marlon Black are yet to play a game inSri Lanka. Collins, a left-arm fast bowler, who last played in Zimbabwe as areplacement, is considered favourite to play.Sri Lanka have boosted their spin bowling with the recall of 29-year-oldleg-spinner Upul Chandana, who played the last of his five Test matchesagainst South Africa 15 months ago. But he is unlikely to play as left-armspinner Niroshan Bandaratillake is rewarded for his key wickets on the lastmorning in Galle.The one likely change is the recall of left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa, whois fully fit again after seven months on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Hehas played only one first-class match since then, but has impressedsufficiently to be given a chance in place of Charitha Buddika Fernando.Likely teams:Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara,Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Thilan Samaraweera,Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Niroshan Bandaratillake, Muttiah Muralithathan.West Indies: Carl Hooper (capt), Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan,Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Colin Stuart,Dinanath Ramnarine, Pedro Collins.