Tuesday 3rd April, 2012 Second Test begins today at P. Sara Oval Mahela questions workload of fast bowlers BY REX CLEMENTINE need to get into shape. Things like strengthening and rehab England’s are important as well,” he When talking of Sri Lanka’s historic Boxing Day added. Test win in Durban, people Sri Lanka require to have remember the heroics of their fast bowlers fit as in the Sangakkara, Samaraweera, next eight months the team Herath and Chandimal, but will play nine Test Matches Chanaka Welagedara hardly and several ODI competi- number one gets a mention. With a five- tions. wicket haul in South Africa’s “We are giving the bowlers first innings, it was programmes so that they will Welagedara, who set things maintain bowling fitness. We up nicely for the Sri Lankans. try to have six or seven guys They will miss his services in fit. The good thing is most of today’s second Test after the the guys who got injured are rank at stake seam bowler was ruled out of coming back to the side. They the game with a groin strain are in a very good regime BY REX CLEMENTINE Tim Bresnan to partner James following the Galle Test. now and hopefully they will Anderson, leaving left-arm spinner In the last two years or so, play in the next few months Four successive Test wins Monty Panesar out. almost all leading fast without any major issues,” against overrated India last sum- Samit Patel, who made his debut bowlers in Sri Lanka have Mahela went on to say. mer helped England achieve the in Galle, is expected to be the sec- been injured with most of The Sri Lankan captain number one rank in Test cricket ond spinner, partnering Graeme them proving that they are stressed the need to keep up and after four successive defeats in Swann. unable to play back-to-back the intensity against the winter; Andrew Strauss’ side is For Sri Lanka, fast bowler Test Matches. Sri Lanka’s England, following the first in danger of losing that prestigious Dhammika Prasad will come in for captain Mahela Jayawardene, Test win, to ensure the team rank in world cricket. left arm seamer Chanaka addressing a media briefing secured a series win. “To try The tourists need to win the sec- Welagedara, while Angelo Mathews yesterday, spoke of the need and win the Test series 2-0, ond Test against Sri Lanka that gets has been ruled fit to play. He will to monitor the workload of we need to play our best underway today at the P. Sara Oval come in place of Dinesh fast bowlers to ensure their cricket. When you are play- to hold on to their top rank. Even a Chandimal. longevity. ing a team like England you draw knocks England out of their Although the Sri Lankans won “We need to look at our have to be aggressive and top position, which will be taken by the Galle Test, there have been con- structure and the amount of play to win trying to get in South Africa. cerns about their batting. A century workload the fast bowlers are front of them.” Prior to the Test series against by captain Mahela Jayawardene in putting in,” Mahela said. A draw is sufficient for Sri Sri Lanka, England were white- the first innings and a fighting half- “Unfortunately what we have Lanka to knock England out washed 3-0 by Pakistan. century in the second innings by seen in club cricket is that as world’s number one The Sri Lankans meanwhile, will wicketkeeper Prasanna from the third or the fourth ranked team, but Mahela be celebrating 30 years of Test Jayawardene helped to obscure Sri over, the spinners come on to said his side had not spoken cricket, having played their inaugu- Lanka’s batting problems. However, England’s Team Director Andy Flower, right, chats with Kevin Pietersen, during a training bowl and that reduces fast of knocking the tourists out ral Test at the same venue that’s captain Jayawardene remained session ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the P. Sara Oval on Monday. (Pic by bowlers’ workload. Then of the top rank. hosting the second Test of the unperturbed. Gemunu Amarasinghe) when fast bowlers are called “We will try and control “It was just that the bowlers had series. Sri Lanka has not won more played here. England (Probable XI): up for a Test Match, after things that we can, which is the upper hand in Galle. In any than one Test match in a series Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss bowling 20 to 25 overs a day, try and win the Test Match game, all batsmen are not going to against England and this game pro- Sri Lanka (Probable XI): (Captain), Jonathan Trott, Kevin they find it a problem. We and with that, the series. get runs, but it’s the responsibility vides them with an opportunity to Lahiru Thirimanne, Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior need to set up a structure to Whatever happens after- of those batsmen who have got in to put that record straight. Tillekeratne Dilshan, Kumar (Wicketkeeper), Samit Patel, Tim ensure that they have a good wards with ranking and all go on, to make a big one. Everyone England also have selection wor- Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James workload in domestic cricket that is beyond our control. is batting well out in the nets and ries after Stuart Broad, who twisted (Captain), Thilan Samaraweera, Anderson and Steven Finn. so that their bodies are used We have had a good Test hopefully that form will continue,” his ankle, ahead of a warm-up Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pak) an to play at this level consis- Match in Galle and we need Jayawardene told journalists. game, was ruled out of the second Jayawardene (Wicketkeeper), Bruce Oxenford (Eng) tently. For them to play 12 to try and improve and win The Sri Lankans have an excel- Test. England are likely to strength- Dhammika Prasad, Suraj Randiv, Third Umpire: Rod Tucker (Aus) Test Matches a year, they the series.” lent record at the P. Sara Oval, hav- en their seam bowling department Rangana Herath and Suranga Match Referee: Javagal ing won five of their last six Tests by playing both Steven Finn and Lakmal. Srinath (Ind) Former cager Strauss keeps faith captain forms amidst tough times academy BY REX CLEMENTINE nalists yesterday. England had a perfect summer when they won a The pressure is on England Test series against Sri Lanka before whitewashing Former Sri Lanka basketball cap- captain Andrew Strauss head- India 4-0 to secure the world’s number one rank. But the winter turned sour as they suffered a 3-0 tain Faizal Mohammad has formed a ing into the second Test Match against Sri defeat at the hands of Pakistan in UAE and basketball academy and will conduct Lanka at despite meticulous preparation ahead of the his first training session on Saturday the P. Sara Galle Test, they lost the game by 75 runs from 7.30 a.m. onwards at the YMCA Oval today. last week. basketball courts at Dehiwala. “Every Test Match is important. Not only Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welagedara, on left, has developed into ‘Arren Academy of Basketball’ will have When you get into the last Test of a consistent performer in Test cricket, but injury has forced him cater to basketball players from the England a series, you need to win to get something out of the series. We out of the second Test against England. Most of Sri Lanka’s fast age of five to 17. lost their last four desperately want to win this bowlers have suffered injuries in the last two years. A product of St. Peter’s College, Test Matches, Test and make amends for Faizal currently plays for Colombo the last time what happened in Galle. I am Basketball Club and Union the England cap- very confident we have got Assurance. tain made a century the ability and the skill in To enroll please call 077-459 85 17. was 17 months and 16 our side to do that,” Roche Fernando elected Tests ago. Only a win Strauss added. against Sri Lanka in the sec- “The winter hasn’t ond Test will help England to gone to plan for us. But KLTC President if you take the four Test hold onto their number one rank Roche Fernando was elect- The office-bearers elect- matches this winter, we in Test cricket and if they lose ed President of the Kalutara ed at the KLTC 74th AGM: have got opportunities here, Strauss’ job will be under Lawn Tennis Club at its 74th President: Roche to win those games. fire. AGM held at the clubhouse on Fernando There have been some However, despite the pres- Saturday, March Vice Presidents: outstanding perform- sures, the England cap- 31. Sumanasiri ances in those four tain reminded the need to Fernando has Fernando and Dulip Tests. It’s impor- remain positive and keep been former Wijayanayake tant not to lose fighting. Treasurer and Secretary: R. S. sight of that fact. “One of the challenges of Tennis Captain of Silva We have a chance leadership is that it’s easy the KLTC. He suc- Assi. Secretary: to salvage some- when it s going well. Everyone ceeded Laksiri Roshan Fernando thing out of the is happy and patting each other Peiris as the 28th Treasurer: Sunil winter and go into on the back, but when times are President of the Geeganaarachchi the summer with tough, that’s when that you KLTC which has Assi.