Galle, day 2

Pakistan

If we were them we’d be pulling out what was left of our hair. A handful of important decisions went against them and when Ajmal walks in as nightwatchman on day 2, things can’t be going too well.

The spinners bowled well. But it was interesting to note that Ajmal went for more than 3 an over. Was there a game plan to put him off his game. Regardless, no one ever looked set against him. With better support he will still matter in this series.

5 wickets left with a trillion runs for the follow on. Unless the sea comes in, Pakistan better hope for their luck to turn with the umpires. No. They better hope the sea comes in.

Sri Lanka

Sangakkara’s innings was good but it was almost robotesque. There wasn’t anything particularly brilliant about it. He kept out the good balls and just built and built until he started to lose partners. It was an important innings for the King who has started tours poorly for a year now.

The big total hid a few issues that SL will have to front up to at some point in the tour. Mathews’s issues against spin continue. None of the batsmen seemed set against Ajmal. Even on a pitch as slow as this. The tail is still pretty long after Prasanna.

Kulesekara continues to defy us. And logic and general common sense. His one day work is now filtering into the tests. He moved the ball where Gul and Junaid struggled. That doesn’t seem right. But Sri Lanka won’t mind.  Randiv looked like a threat for the first time in his test career. Bounce and spin together make him great to watch. Herath was steady as usual. And all this on day 2.

Balls of the day

Prasanna Jayawardene didn’t come in at the worst possible time but Sri Lanka were stuttering and Ajmal was threatening to run through the rest of the order. We rate Pj’s batting. Particularly against the spinners. Today he looked as solid as any of Sri Lanka’s batsmen. He played late and drove Ajmal through the covers a couple of times which was pretty neat and hard to do. And put his team back in front. He’s been doing this a lot of late. Angelo Mathew’s take note.

Nishantha Ranatunga moment of the day

DRS. And Lack there of.

 

 

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