The Hindu : Sport : Weather holds the key

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Monday, Jun 25, 2007
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Weather holds the key

COLOMBO: Uncertain weather remains Sri Lanka’s main concern as it attempts to extend its supremacy over Bangladesh in a three-Test series, starting here on Monday.

Sudden heavy showers, common for the region at this time of the year, have hampered preparations for the first Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) and more rain has been forecast for the entire week.

While the teams have often had to practise indoors over the last few days, Bangladesh’s three-day tour match against Sri Lanka ‘A’ saw just 140 overs bowled due to bad weather.

“There is little one can do about the weather but we should get enough play because the ground dries up very fast,” said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene.

Bangladesh will need more than just rain to keep the Sri Lankans at bay after suffering heavy defeats in quick time in all of their previous seven Tests against the islanders.

Four of those Tests ended inside three days and the remaining three early on the fourth morning as the Sri Lankan bowling attack, led by Muttiah Muralitharan, blew the hapless Bangladeshis away.

The prolific off-spinner, whose career haul of 674 includes 50 wickets in just six matches against Bangladesh, is 35 scalps away from surpassing retired Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne’s world-record tally of 708.

Daunting task

Bangladesh, led for the first time by 22-year-old batsman Mohammad Ashraful, face a daunting task against a side that have proved almost unbeatable at home over the last few years.

Sri Lanka has won seven of its last 10 home Tests, with two draws and just one loss against Pakistan.

Bangladesh, which made its maiden appearance in the second round of the limited-overs World Cup in the Caribbean early this year, is still finding its feet in traditional five-day Test cricket. It has lost 40 of its 46 matches since gaining the Test status in 2000, with five draws and a lone victory against a struggling Zimbabwe in 2005.

Both teams will be without their regular coaches after Sri Lanka’s Tom Moody returned home to Western Australia in May and Dav Whatmore quit Bangladesh at the same time.

Trevor Penney, who was Moody’s assistant, will look after Sri Lanka till newly-appointed Australian Trevor Bayliss takes charge in August.

Bangladesh is being temporarily supervised by another Australian, Shaun Williams, who is director of the country’s junior cricket.

The teams (from):

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (capt.), Mashrafe Mortaza, Habibul Bashar, Javed Omer, Mehrab Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Rajin Saleh, Shakib Al Hasan, Khaled Mashud, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mohammed Rafique, Abdur Razzak, Mohammad S harif, Mushfiqur Rahim.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt.), Michael Vandort, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Malinga Banda ra, Malinda Warnapura, Sujeewa de Silva.

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