Taking stock of the positives

As I write, it is still only the fourth day of the third test in Galle and the outcome of the game is yet uncertain mostly because of the weather but there are more reasons than one for us to be happy about our performance here. Even before the game, there was a lot of speculation as to how the Galle wicket would play as the ground had been rebuilt after the Tsunami with a new wicket. Whether it would be the spinner’s paradise it had been in the past was the big question.

However we decided to cap Chanaka Welagedera as the third seamer and opted for a single spinner in Murali. That was because we had decided after inspecting the wicket that had we won the toss, we too would field because the first impression was that the conditions would help the bowlers more at least in the first session of the game.

Chanaka does remind me of myself when I was younger. He has a nice rhythm and is well balanced before his delivery stride. He has many more years of cricket ahead of him but he needs to look after himself well-and take success in his stride. Usually, when a player is awarded his first test cap, it is given by the captain or the manager. But in this instance Mahela asked me to do so. It was a generous gesture and I did tell Chanaka that he has been given the privilege of representing his country but that with such privileges, there is a great amount of responsibility too.

In retrospect, it was perhaps a good toss to lose. Initially though when Michael Vaughan decided to send us in to take first lease of the wicket and both openers were back in the pavilion at 44 for two after one hour of play, it seemed as if he had taken the correct decision.

Then Mahela took charge and resurrected the innings first with Sanga and then with Dilshan. Dilshan had a point to prove and he did this in his characteristic fashion, not only with the bat but with his electric fielding too. Now that Jayasuriya has retired, we need someone like Dilshan- a utility player who can bat, bowl and field as the occasion demands-in the team.

When I walked in with the score at 287 for 6, we were out of danger but could still have been bowled out for just over 300 and I was determined not to let that happen. I was also keen to prove my prowess with the bat, having spent a lot of hours in batting practice and having improved my technique, especially playing county cricket in England.

It was frustrating to get out at 90, just ten runs short of what would have been my second test century-especially when Vaughn juggled the catch- but still, I felt I had done my job-a 183 run partnership with Mahela that ensured that we had a 450 plus score which guaranteed that we had batted England out of the game and sealed the series.

Mahela of course has let the bat do the talking and he led from the front, showing how a test match innings should be grafted. It was as if he was continuing from where he left off in the second test where he missed a double century by just five runs. If my batting performance was satisfying, my bowling was even more gratifying. I know that at this stage of my career, I am expected to perform at almost every game; or else, questions about my value to the team will be raised.

But that is exactly what motivates me-the challenge to justify my selection to the playing eleven. My omission from the second test in Australia spurred me on and it just proves that if you are to succeed, new challenges are a necessary tool. England may have been demoralised after spending the better part of three days on the field and conceding nearly 500 runs but still we bowled and fielded exceptionally well as a unit, targeting the right areas to have them all out for 81.

It must be remembered that England had the best conditions to bowl in but they didn’t, whereas we made the most of the prevailing circumstances. Eventually, when England folded up for 81, there never was any question of enforcing the follow on.

In their second essay, England have responded well and are now 102 for the loss of Vaughan. The big question mark though is whether the weather will permit a full day’s play on the final day. We need to look for early wickets but the wicket is easier to bat on now. Ultimately Murali may be the decisive factor but we are all desperate to win knowing it will get us to No.2 in the world, a rank we have not enjoyed before.

Even if we do not win this game-and England will have to thank the weather if this happens-we would be taking away many positives from this series. Our two best batsmen, Mahela and Sanga are in peak form and we were able to dictate terms in all the games. Our bowlers turned in a creditable performance despite the absence of Maharoof for the series and Dilhara for the last test. And of course, Murali set his new world record.

And end of a series is also a time to look back and take stock and I am now even more convinced that I should retire after one more year of test cricket. What I would like to do is play to the best of my ability until then and quit while I am still at the top of my game. I will look at staying in the one day game for another year after retiring from test cricket.

Having been the spearhead of the Sri Lankan pace attack for well over a decade, I have had as many as 32 new ball partners: Champaka Ramanayake, who is my bowling coach was my first partner! Now, I feel our pace attack has the depth and variety it earlier lacked.

There is Dilhara, Malinga, Farveez, Chanaka and Sujeewa de Silva competing for places and that competition is necessarily healthy. But fast bowling is an injury prone risky business and needs to be managed carefully and I can only hope that this will be done in the future.

Nevertheless, all of us in the squad will take confidence and positive memories from this tour when we embark on our tour to Australia for the one day series at the end of next month, after the Provincial cricket tournament where I will be captaining the Western Province. And having been there only a few weeks ago, we hardly need reminding that it would be a tough tour indeed!