Rahim feels that this is the opportunity
Not having won any of the 16 Tests played against Sri Lanka home and away, Mushfiqur Rahim feels that this is the opportunity Bangladesh have been waiting for. The reasons for his optimism are three-fold. This is a good side at his command and they have been doing well over the last couple of years, especially in the shorter format.
The second factor is that Sri Lanka is rebuilding. Moreover, the skipper has been rendered hors de combat. Thirdly, the Sri Lankan factor – Hathurusinghe has turned things round for them and, latterly, Samaraweera has joined the coaching staff. Quite apart from their expertise as coaches, Hathurusinghe and Samaraweera have loads of input on Sri Lankan pitches, players and conditions. Thus, the test matches won’t be a walk in the Park for Herath’s side.
When the teams come out in Galle on the 7th, it will be at all most four years to the day they last met (March 8th), also at Galle. It was the first test as skipper for Mathews and what a baptism of five it turned out to be. Initially, it went according to the script. Winning the toss and batting, Sri Lanka churned out a total of 570-4. Sangakkara, who else! made 142 – his 81st century. The now discarded Thirimanne got and unbeaten 105 and Chandimal – The subject of controversy currently reached 116 not out. Dilshan 54, Karunarathna 41 and Mathews swelled the score. Three for 166 for off spinner Sohog Gazi.
Then came the turn around. Ashraful (190) and Rahim (200) were involved in a fifth wicket stand of 267. Nasir Hossain also entered three figures and, for good measure, Monimul Haq got 55. Bangladesh reached 638, Kulasekera, Eranga, Mendis, Herath and Dilshan picked up two each. But three of them conceded over a hundred while a fourth was in the nervous nineties.
A lot of the interest had gone, but Dilshan (126) and Sangakkara (105 – his second of the match) made certain they had a good work out. Debutante Vithanage and Mathews 59 and 38 not out respectively, had a good bat.
The visitors played out time and ended on 70-1. The impish Mushfiqur was the man of the match. The talking point was, about the pitch. Celebrated as a dust bowl and a spinner’s paradise, the Galle track had suddenly metamorphosed in to a Faisalabad (or SSC) sleeping beauty.
The second test played at the Premadasa Stadium with go down as Herath’s match. Bangladesh made 240 towards which Monimul (64) Jahumul Islam (38) Nasir (48) and Gazi (32) contributed. Kulasekera had three, but Herath 5-65 upstaged him.
Sri Lanka took a lead of 166, Sangakkara made it three out of three by scoring 139, Chandimal (102) scored his second successive hundred. Gazi 3-111 was the best bowler on view. Rubel Hossain (2) and Abul Hassan (2) got among the wickets.
Marginally more successful, the visitors reached 265 second time round. Jamin 59, Jahurul 48, Mushfiqur 40, Ronimul 37 and Gazi 26 all got starts. Rangana moved them down with a superb effort of 36-9-89-7.
The Sri Lankans got 160-3 to record a seven wicket win, and take the two match series 1-0. Dilshan and Sangakkara made half centuries and contributed to making Mathew’s first series in-charge, a successful one.
Will Herath’s second series in-charge also be as successful?