Amjid Javed
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Sri Lanka have never won a Test in the West Indies. Their pre-series talk has centered around how they have started to win overseas and how this is a great opportunity to notch up a first victory in the Caribbean. The hosts' last Test series was another defeat in South Africa, after they won the first match of the contest emphatically, and they would be all too aware of their slipping reputation. (They have languished at No. 8 in the ICC Test rankings for long.) West Indies are captained by Chris Gayle, who has recovered from injuries sustained in South Africa, and welcome back Ramnaresh Sarwan, who warmed up for Sri Lanka with a big first-class hundred.
The strengths of the two sides lie in their middle orders. Gayle has scored just 112 runs in nine Test innings against Sri Lanka, including four ducks, a highest of 44, and an average of 12.44. The bulk of experience comes with the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Kumar Sangakkara - who is Sri Lanka's most successful Test batsman against West Indies, with 595 runs in seven Tests at an average of 59.50 - and Mahela Jayawardene. If either side wants to get on top, its imperative they get rid of these names early.
West Indies have a potent new-ball attack whereas Sri Lanka are reliant on the untiring Muttiah Muralitharan. Though Chaminda Vaas has dismissed Gayle six times in nine innings, the other pace options - Ishara Amerasinghe, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welegedara - have limited international experience. Sri Lanka's batsmen accustomed themselves to the surface well during their warm-up match against the Guyana Cricket Board President's XI but the host batsmen handled Muralitharan reasonably well too.
It would be tempting to say West Indies hold the edge with home advantage and all, but the stats indicate something else. Sri Lanka's two top bowlers have excellent records against West Indies: Muralitharan has taken 70 wickets from ten Tests at an average of 17.34, while Vaas has 43 from seven at an average of 15.72. A slow track awaits the two teams and it is expected to play similarly to the way the old Bourda Oval did, so Muralitharan will once again be licking his lips.
(source - cricinfo)
The strengths of the two sides lie in their middle orders. Gayle has scored just 112 runs in nine Test innings against Sri Lanka, including four ducks, a highest of 44, and an average of 12.44. The bulk of experience comes with the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Kumar Sangakkara - who is Sri Lanka's most successful Test batsman against West Indies, with 595 runs in seven Tests at an average of 59.50 - and Mahela Jayawardene. If either side wants to get on top, its imperative they get rid of these names early.
West Indies have a potent new-ball attack whereas Sri Lanka are reliant on the untiring Muttiah Muralitharan. Though Chaminda Vaas has dismissed Gayle six times in nine innings, the other pace options - Ishara Amerasinghe, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welegedara - have limited international experience. Sri Lanka's batsmen accustomed themselves to the surface well during their warm-up match against the Guyana Cricket Board President's XI but the host batsmen handled Muralitharan reasonably well too.
It would be tempting to say West Indies hold the edge with home advantage and all, but the stats indicate something else. Sri Lanka's two top bowlers have excellent records against West Indies: Muralitharan has taken 70 wickets from ten Tests at an average of 17.34, while Vaas has 43 from seven at an average of 15.72. A slow track awaits the two teams and it is expected to play similarly to the way the old Bourda Oval did, so Muralitharan will once again be licking his lips.
(source - cricinfo)
