Sri Lanka look to Herath for inspiration

Tourists hope for a reversal in 2nd Test from Dec 26.

HOBART: Sri Lanka will be hoping for help from pitches more suitable for spin bowling in the second Tests against Australia after losing the opener by 137 runs on a Hobart track described as a minefield by coach Graham Ford.

Since Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement, who took his 800 Test wickets from 1992 to 2010, Rangana Herath has emerged as the team’s main spin threat and the 34-year-old left arm orthodox bowler has had a stellar year. Even in defeat in Hobart, Herath took a five-wicket haul, which gave him 60 wickets for the year and ensured he would win his personal battle with England’s Graeme Swann for the title of the most prolific wicket-taker of 2012.

“Taking five wickets from here, that’s a good achievement,” said Herath. “This is my first Test in Australia so I’m really happy with the way I bowled.”

One man they will have to shut down if they are to fight their way back into the series is middle order batsman Mike Hussey, who, in the first-innings, scored his third century in his last four matches and a fifth in six Tests against Sri Lanka.



“He is an outstanding player,” said Ford. “Over the years I guess he’s been able to neutralise our main strength – spin bowling – and we haven’t been able to get into him with seam bowling.”

Clarke in race to be fit for 2nd Test

Australian captain Michael Clarke is confident he will be fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka and has started an intensive physio campaign to overcome a hamstring strain.

Clarke suffered the twinge in his team’s win in Hobart this week and he is racing the clock to recover in time for the next encounter in Melbourne from December 26.

“Obviously my preparation will be a little bit different to the lead-up to this Test match but I’ve done a fair bit of batting throughout the summer so I’m confident,” said Clarke.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2012.