Sri Lanka will be looking to play patient Test cricket taking each session at a time as they enter the fifth and final day of the first cricket Test against India at Galle today requiring a further 288 runs for victory with six second innings wickets in hand.
At the end of the fourth day yesterday, assessing Sri Lanka’s position fast bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk said, “In our position we bat session by session. Test cricket is an amazing game and the game changes very quickly. You saw that in the first innings with Sonal (Dinusha) and (Niroshan) Dickwella batting putting a partnership together. From our side it’s taking one session at a time and playing some patient Test cricket.”
“This Test has ebbed and flowed quite a lot. As a group we are really proud about the fight that we have shown. After being pushed on the back foot we found a way to respond, whether it was with the bat in the first innings and with the ball in the second innings. The whole group is looking to play consistent cricket across all five days.”
Van Niekerk praised the bowling effort put in by fast bowlers Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara on the fourth day taking seven wickets between them and bowling India out for under 200.
“In Galle, if you look at the history around it, wickets falling is common on days four and five. Spin plays a big part, but in general, as the wicket deteriorates you’ll find it a lot more difficult to bat. We’ve worked really hard, being proactive as a bowling group. The important thing is to find ways to take wickets. Both Asitha and Lahiru stood up today when we really needed it, restricting India to under 200 with the majority of those wickets coming from our fast bowlers.”