In praise of Sri Lanka
Amidst all the hoopla of a two win victory, Joe Root’s batting feats and Jimmy Andersen taking 6 wickets in one innings, only Steve James in The Times and James Milton in The Racing Post have noted the emergence of that continuing line of Sri Lankan spin bowlers from Muri to Hersth – who took 433 test wickets – to Lasith Embuldeniya.
The 24 year old bowled Faf du Plessis with his first ball in Test cricket two yearsago in Durban and took 5 wickets in the second innings.
This is only his ninth Test but his return of 7 for 132 made him Sri Lanka’s most effective bowler by some distance ( and iniidentally top scorer with 40) as The Racing Post predicted pre-series.
It must also be noted that Sri Lanka does not get a fair shake in the Test calendar as England, Australia and India garner the spoils.
I was delighted to see that current world number one New Zealand are coming here for two Tests this year.
Sri Lanka will be playing 5 white ball games.
Not that you hear too much complaint.
The Sri Lankan is a cheerful person and, having visited South Africa, Australia, India and the West Indies in the past 5 years, Sri Lanka is my favourite of the competing test countires.
You start in the south – I would recommend Hamarotna – with its glorious beaches.
Then make your slow way to the picturesque Galle ground overlooked by the ramparts of its fort.
Then go up country to the cooler hills to visit the tea plantations and the delightful Kandy.
Finish in modern Colombo with dinner at Sangakara’s and Jayawrdene ‘s Ministry of Crab.
It’s a memorable tour.
Their batting has suffered after the retirement of Sangakara and Jayawardene, though Angelo Mathews is still more than capable, but the left armed Embuildeneya is preserving their great spin traditions.
