The first Test of the three match series between Sri Lanka and Indiaat the Galle International Stadium will be played on a pitch conduciveto fast bowling according to ground manager Jayananda Warnaweera
Rex Clementine11-Aug-2001The first Test of the three match series between Sri Lanka and Indiaat the Galle International Stadium will be played on a pitch conduciveto fast bowling according to ground manager Jayananda Warnaweera.Galle has had a reputation of being a spinner friendly venue in thepast with Sri Lanka tending to bank on their spinners. In fact, thelast Tests played in Galle, against South Africa last year and Englandin February, were dominated by the slower bowlers and both were won bySri Lanka.Sri Lanka though believe that they would be best served by pitcheswith extra pace and bounce against India. After all, MuttiahMuralitharan, the only specialist spinner likely to play, can turn theball on any surface and would also benefit from some extra bounce.Nevertheless, it’s a brave strategy. Sri Lanka came unstuck againstPakistan in Galle last year on a seamer friendly surface when WasimAkram, Waqar Younis and Abdur Razzaq ripped through the batting.Sri Lankan Cricket Board sources have confirmed that the curators ofthe Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy and the Sinhalese Sports Club inColombo, where the second and the third Tests will be played, havealso been asked to prepare pitches with more life than normal.The Sri Lankan selectors have included five fast bowlers in theirsquad and are expected to play three, probably Chaminda Vaas, DilharaFernando and Ruchira Perera. India have four fast bowlers in the squadand are also expected to play three fast bowlers and just onespecialist spinner.Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, speaking after the three-day gameyesterday, claimed to be delighted by the news that the Galle wicketwould be fast bowler friendly."We’ve got some good fast bowlers in Zaheer (Khan) and Srinath. Infact, I was delighted to see Srinath bowling fast in this practicegame after a long time. Then we have Venkatesh Prasad, who is idealfor seaming conditions," said Ganguly.