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Sri Lanka wandered aimlessly, underachieving like a minnow nation
Ian Healy • February 4th, 2025 12:23 pm
The Australians earned several days off in lieu of what should have been on the field in Galle.
We've got it again starting Thursday, Sri Lanka in Galle again.
The current Sri Lankan 11 have five of the top 18 capped players in Sri Lankan cricket history but they're surviving on their predecessors’ feats.
Taking the money and it's not the money as we know it - the Australian cricket level of money - but they're taking the money and not leaning into the fiercest of contests, those against the best teams in the world.
This was the worst performance I've seen at home by Sri Lanka. Before I continue with Sri Lanka's failures, I want to praise Australia’s specific relevant preparation in Dubai. So much thought over a year or more on what wickets we're going to need on a camp before we go to Sri Lanka, and team selections, and then what spin support will Nathan Lyon need.
Quite often it's only the bowlers who get jumbled around at the selection table but it's much bigger to move batsmen. That's what the Australian selectors did, so well done everyone, it all worked and our young 19-year-old rookie towed the line beautifully. He spent much time in the nets and learning about the subcontinent conditions and how you go about great performances over there.
Back to the Sri Lankans. On a day when Australia got to bat first, their fitness levels were exposed, the spinners were very normal and got no support from clumsy catchers and behind the wicket fielders making DRS misjudgements as if DRS was absolutely brand new.
They should be better than that. That's a way you can get a wicket. Travis Head was trapped in front of the stumps and no one even thought to have a DRS review of the umpire's not out decision.
Head, Steve Smith and Usman Khawja could all have been out early with great attitudes of the Sri Lankan team but they wandered aimlessly for two days underachieving like a minnow nation.
There's Angelo Mathews, he's played 117 matches, Dimuth Karunaratne was playing his 99th match. Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya De Silva, all very experienced cricketers who need to do more.
Because guess what? Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland are always searching for Test match pathways to the bigger nations. And here's Sri Lanka now playing at home like they have away, way too often as well.
Be careful, Sri Lanka, and don't wait to win the toss before you show talent and energy. To Australia, be careful as well, at Sri Lanka's natural improvement come Thursday and that maybe they'll win this toss.
Exploit their low confidence levels right now, give them nothing once again and just see if they know how their pioneers did it.
Maybe they'll be a handful for Australia as well if they do.
