Fast bowlers set to dominate Galle Test
Rex Clementine - 11 August 2001
The first Test of the three match series between Sri Lanka and India
at the Galle International Stadium will be played on a pitch conducive
to fast bowling according to ground manager Jayananda Warnaweera.
Galle has had a reputation of being a spinner friendly venue in the
past with Sri Lanka tending to bank on their spinners. In fact, the
last Tests played in Galle, against South Africa last year and England
in February, were dominated by the slower bowlers and both were won by
Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka though believe that they would be best served by pitches
with extra pace and bounce against India. After all, Muttiah
Muralitharan, the only specialist spinner likely to play, can turn the
ball on any surface and would also benefit from some extra bounce.
Nevertheless, it's a brave strategy. Sri Lanka came unstuck against
Pakistan in Galle last year on a seamer friendly surface when Wasim
Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdur Razzaq ripped through the batting.
Sri Lankan Cricket Board sources have confirmed that the curators of
the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy and the Sinhalese Sports Club in
Colombo, where the second and the third Tests will be played, have
also been asked to prepare pitches with more life than normal.
The Sri Lankan selectors have included five fast bowlers in their
squad and are expected to play three, probably Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara
Fernando and Ruchira Perera. India have four fast bowlers in the squad
and are also expected to play three fast bowlers and just one
specialist spinner.
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, speaking after the three-day game
yesterday, claimed to be delighted by the news that the Galle wicket
would be fast bowler friendly.
"We've got some good fast bowlers in Zaheer (Khan) and Srinath. In
fact, I was delighted to see Srinath bowling fast in this practice
game after a long time. Then we have Venkatesh Prasad, who is ideal
for seaming conditions," said Ganguly.
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