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Two opportunities missed
Sri Lanka missed two golden opportunities to stage a famous comeback in world one day internationals. After a rough sliding ride in recent times they managed a turn around with two wins over hosts Australia and South Africa in the VB series currently in progress.

Then there was the opportunity to chalk-up two more wins, one each against the same opponents. They did not fall short by much, but then, a defeat is a defeat! Being close to victory does not bring in any points.

It was the inability to capitalize and score small victories at crucial stages and the inability to finish on a high that denied them these two wins. To achieve this it requires a lot of self belief and toughness under pressure to hang in and not give-up. The Australians are famous now in consistently playing to that requirement. The South Africans are just ahead of the Sri Lankans on that score but are certainly within catchable distance.

In the first game in Adelaide, against South Africa, the Sri Lankans had their opponents pinned down for forty overs. When that has been done a team cannot lose the advantage, they cannot release the stranglehold. From then they went for around nine runs an over and provided the Proteas with a defendable total. That was the first instance in that game when they failed to capitalize. The pitch on the day required solid, technically sound batsmanship to accumulate runs. Most of the Sri Lankan top order got it right. It was necessary to stay abreast with the required rate throughout the innings. After Sanath Jayasuriya provided a short but useful cameo the runs flowed at quite a steady pace.

Marvan Atapattu’s strange dismissal took place at a crucial stage. He obviously lost his bearings having missed a ball down leg side. Mahela Jayawardena and T.M. Dilshan provided the repair work but once again they were separated at a crucial stage.

From then on the South Africans played the better cricket. Their bowling in the dying overs were spot on. The number of yorkers delivered was almost unbelievable and for the batsmen unscorable. When it mattered Dilshan was not on strike, often kept away by the South Africans. So, the game slipped away.

On the next occasion the Sri Lankans got first lease of a pitch that was considerably slower in pace. It was the same strip that was used two days previously. Run getting was difficult against the spinners. With Jayasuriya absent the task was even tougher. The same approach as on the previous occasion was required. None of the batsmen could reach the half century. They were not permitted to by the accuracy and cunning of the Aussie bowlers.

Ten runs were got off the last over of the innings. There should have been three or four more such overs. Surely thirty more was possible and that would have clinched the issue.The home team did not have it their own way. Their batsmen Andrew Symonds, Damien Martyn, Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke all gave respect to the pitch and worked hard to accumulate runs. Although the innings reached the forty ninth over the Aussies seemed to be in control most of the way. Again, the game slipped away from Sri Lanka.

The big plus point is that the team is being competitive. The form of a majority of players is on the rise. They have two more games against the South Africans. Make most of the recent experiences and win them should be their goal. A berth in the finals will be of immense value.

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