ZCZC
BSP-24
CRICKET-SRI-NZL
New Zealand look to exploit Sri Lanka’s Oval weakness
COLOMBO, Aug 21, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – New Zealand will be hoping to add to
Sri Lanka’s poor record at their own Oval ground and level the series in the
second and final Test starting Thursday.
Unlike the spinner’s paradise at Galle and the batting haven that is the
SSC, the Oval — the only ground in Asia where Don Bradman played — favours
seam bowlers.
Sri Lanka have been often exposed here by quality seam bowlers and one
up in the two-match series, they will have New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Tim
Southee — and possibly Neil Wagner — to contend with.
In the last 10 years, Sri Lanka have played seven games at The Oval and
lost five, including once to New Zealand. In that game seven years ago,
Southee claimed eight wickets while Boult finished with seven.
“We have some fond memories from last time, and we managed to win that,”
New Zealand wicketkeeper B.J. Watling said at a pre-match media briefing on
Wednesday.
“The boys like to talk about their wickets and there’s a few stunning
catches from memory as well. Having good memories is always good, but it is a
new game, a new day, and we need to be switched on,” Watling added.
Left-arm quick Wagner claimed nine wickets in New Zealand’s last Test
match and was unlucky to miss out in Galle as conditions heavily favoured
spin. He is expected to make a return possibly at the expense of Mitchell
Santner.
The opening Test was a lot closer than the six-wicket margin suggests
and the New Zealanders know that fielding lapses cost them dearly after
setting Sri Lanka a daunting task of 268 runs.
“No one’s trying to drop a catch or miss anything. I still look back on
those chances and they are pretty tough ones. Sometimes they stick and
sometimes they don’t,” Watling said.
“We have to give a lot of credit to Sri Lanka’s batsmen — especially
that opening partnership.
“Hopefully in this Test we can look to make some more inroads through
that top order and hopefully put that middle order under more pressure.”
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will leave out off-spinner Akila Dananjaya, whose
action was reported to be suspect for a second time by match officials after
the Galle Test.
Dananjaya, who claimed a five-wicket haul in the opening game, was
forced to remodel his action after it was first reported in November last
year.
Technically he is allowed to play the second Test, but he is likely to
travel to India instead to test his action. Dilruwan Perera has been drafted
into the squad and is expected to play.
Sri Lanka will move up to the number five of the official ICC rankings
if they win the second Test and the series.
More importantly, it will give them a strong start in the World Test
Championship.
Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella was confident his team will put on a
good show.
“We want to win against world’s number two ranked team. It’s going to be
a different game here and fast bowlers will come into play a lot,” he said.
“It’s a big challenge. Having won one game, we have a big responsibility
to win the series. We need to keep making good decisions at crunch moments,”
Dickwella told journalists.
New Zealand (From)
Kane Williamson (Captain), Jeet Raval, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme,
Todd Astle, William Somerville, Mitchell Santner, Tom Blundell, Tom Latham,
Henry Nicholls, B.J. Watling, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel and Neil
Wagner.
Sri Lanka (From)
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne,
Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal
Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshan
Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando.
Umpire: Michael Gough and Bruce Oxenford (Australia)
Third Umpire: Richard Illingworth (England)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
BSS/AFP/BZC/1930HRS