Rex Clementine at Old Trafford
Sri Lanka’s Batting Coach Ian Bell is confident that the batters will show improvement as the three match Test series progresses. In 2002 when Sri Lanka came to England, they played five warm-up games prior to the first Test. This time around, with the international calendar so cramped up, there was only room for one warm-up game and the team arrived in Manchester undercooked.
They struggled to cope with the moving ball and were bowled out for 236 in the first innings. With 122 runs behind in the first innings, they were again feeling the pinch after being reduced to 95 for four, but a 78 run partnership between Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis helped them to recover. Sri Lanka were 204 for six at stumps and lead by 82 runs.
“Firstly, with the bat we have seen lot of courage and the team has dug in. It wasn’t a great start in both innings. You expect that in England against a quality attack. We want to improve on our first hour’s batting,” Bell, a veteran of 118 Test matches told journalists.
The fifth wicket partnership between Mathews and Kamindu was threatening but suddenly the ball was changed and it started moving around and Sri Lanka were back to square one as Mathews was dismissed for 65.
“Ball change you expect that it can happen. The seam looked pretty awful on that last ball. It’s unfortunate but the team is in good spirits. I don’t think we worried too much about it and started moaning. We need to put many runs on the board as possible to put England under pressure.”
Dimuth Karunaratne fell cheaply in both innings and after six Test matches in England over three tours, the former captain has scored only one half-century. Bell expected the left-handed opener to come good.
“When you look back at the two dismissals in this Test match, he was unlucky. You need to have good intent. Sanath and myself we are trying make a positive environment. I don’t think you want to come here against this England team and particularly try to survive. We want to balance that. Have good defense and if they bowl in our areas we want to encourage guys to be positive. I am sure he will come good in the next two Tests.”