Sanath Jayasuriya’s Sri Lanka have enjoyed unprecedented success in Testcricket during recent months, and will start the Asian Test Championship(ATC) final against Pakistan brimming with confidence, but they are alsowell aware that Waqar Younis’s
Charlie Austin04-Mar-2002Sanath Jayasuriya’s Sri Lanka have enjoyed unprecedented success in Testcricket during recent months, and will start the Asian Test Championship(ATC) final against Pakistan brimming with confidence, but they are alsowell aware that Waqar Younis’s talented team represents a real threat to aremarkable run of eight straight wins.Despite the unfortunate last-minute withdrawal of India, which prevented thetournament from capturing the interest of spectators and sponsors, the crownof Asian Test champions is at stake and the finale, no matter how drab theopening one-sided bouts against Bangladesh, promises to be a worthy battle.It’s a crown that Sri Lanka would dearly like to wear. Ambitions have beenbroadened over the past year and Jayasuriya’s men are aiming their sights onbecoming established as one of the top three Test sides in the world. WithSouth Africa being flounced by Australia, the number two position nowappears tantalisingly vacant.Although both have played each other regularly in the one-day game, withalternate success, it has been over 18 months since the two sides last metin a Test match, in Sri Lanka where Moin Khan’s Pakistan romped to anemphatic two-nil series win, and times have changed for both sides.Pakistan’s comprehensive defeat had marked the start of a disappointing runfor Sri Lanka, with a drawn home series against South Africa soon after,followed by a drumming in South Africa and a humbling defeat at home againstNasser Hussain’s England.But, just when Sri Lanka’s Test form was becoming a subject of concerneddebate, Jayasuriya and coach Dav Whatmore engineered a remarkable turnaroundin the team’s fortunes. Spurred on by the ever-prolific MuttiahMuralitharan, with the batsmen enjoying a purple patch, Sri Lanka defeatedIndia, Bangladesh, West Indies and Zimbabwe.Pakistan, meanwhile, have seen a change at the helm, with the talismanicWaqar Younis steeping into the shoes of Moin Khan, a move that revitalisedboth his previously flagging career and the fortunes of the side.Waqar has welded the mercurial talents of his side together into a strong,closely knit unit, leaving an apparent sense of harmony within the side. Noteam relishes a skirmish against Pakistan when all parts are pulling in thesame direction and the Sri Lankans will be wary.The contest is shaping up into a tussle between Pakistan’s battery offirebrand fast bowlers and Sri Lanka’s silky batsmen. With Lahore promisingassistance for the speed merchants it will be a mouth-watering spectacle.Whatmore certainly expects a trial by pace: “The final conditions areobviously difficult to predict, but judging by their squad, which includes anumber of fast bowlers, we are expecting pace and bounce in the pitch and apace based attack.”It will prove a welcome challenge for Sri Lanka as they embark upon a toughyear overseas, during which opponents will be zeroing in on a perceivedfragility against high caliber pace bowling on lively pitches.However, Sri Lanka’s top order is looking in increasingly good shape. MahelaJaywardene has emerged as one of top five batsmen the world, the stylishKumar Sangakkara has quickly settled into the pivotal number three positionand Jayasuriya is back to his belligerent best.The middle order has been bolstered by the recall of Hashan Tillakaratne inAugust, who has scored three Test hundreds and two fifties since, and theintroduction of Thilan Samaraweera, a workmanlike all-rounder whoseperformances have been a revelation since making his debut against India -he currently averages a staggering 103 after eight games.During their last eight Test matches they have rattled up first inningsscores of 610-6, 555-5, 590-9, 228, 627-9, 586-6, 505 and 418, which helpsexplain why four matches were won by an innings and two by ten wickets – theremaining two matches were hardly close run affairs.Whatmore naturally hopes for more of the same: “We just have to carry onwith how we have been performing with the bat and we will be looking toconcentrate on following the same processes that have produced our recentsuccess.”The surprise omission of Wasim Akram from the squad certainly helps. Themajority of Sri Lanka’s batsmen identify Akram as the pivotal and mostpotent member of the Pakistani bowling attack. His supreme control of swingplus the sheer weight of his personality make him a formidable adversary andSri Lanka would prefer that he didn’t play no matter what his present formor fitness.”We were a bit surprised to not see his name in the squad,” admittedWhatmore. “Every side in the world recognises that he is truly world-classperformer and he has played particularly well against us in the past.”Pakistan would be equally delighted if Muralitharan were not playing. Theoff-spinner, who reached 400 Test wickets in record time, has brushed offthe barbed comments made by Bishen Bedi last month about his action and willbe looking forward to locking horns again with Pakistan’s aggressivebatsmen, against who he has enjoyed considerable success in the past,claiming 60 wickets in 11 games at 24.92.But should the pitch offer the life expected, then Sri Lanka’s seamers willhave to share their burden of the workload. The absence of rookie quickDilhara Fernando will be missed, but Chaminda Vaas still leads a disciplinedseam bowling attack with Nuwan Zoysa and Buddika Fernando likely to play.”Our seamers lack the raw pace of the Pakistanis, so we will beconcentrating hard on accuracy, making sure that we get the ball in theright area as much as possible, building up pressure on the batsmen,” saysWhatmore. “If the bowlers are going to get more response from the wicket,then we can exploit that too.”Nevertheless, despite their recent good form and the absence of both Akramand Saeed Anwar, Sri Lanka probably start as the underdogs, partly becausePakistan have the home advantage but, more importantly, due to the timing ofthe final. They are in the midst of preparations for the tour of England andare returning to the competitive fold prematurely.”We are coming straight out of training whereas Pakistan are fresh out of aseries with West Indies,” said Whatmore. “We go into the final a bit shortof competitive action with the players having only played a couple ofdomestic matches and that is going to make it difficult for us.”And he plays down the importance of stretching the sides victorious run tonine matches: “Our focus is never result orientated, instead we look at theprocesses necessary for achieving success. If we do those well, then we willbe happy.” But he remains upbeat: “The boys are very fit now, raring to go,and are looking forward to the challenge of taking on our neighbours intheir own backyard.”