Cricket fans burned the midnight oil and waited eagerly for the start of the second ODI between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Jamaica, but their patience counted for nothing as the match was abandoned after the toss without a ball being bowled.
Sri Lanka had already seized a 1-0 lead in the series and their hopes of wrapping things up will now have to wait.
Still, there was something pleasing about seeing images of Sabina Park beamed across television screens. The historic venue has produced some of the game’s greatest sons – Michael Holding, George Headley, Alfred Valentine, Courtney Walsh, Chris Gayle and many more. The ground holds special memories for Sri Lanka too. It was here that an MJ special in the 2007 World Cup semi-final booked a place in the final and had an entire nation dreaming.
Sri Lanka are not leaving Sabina Park anytime soon either. The final ODI will also be played there, followed by the three-match T20 series.
There were plenty of positives in the opening game and foremost among them was the manner in which Kusal Mendis batted. For the last two years, he has been scoring freely in white ball cricket and is now knocking on the door of the top ten in the ODI batting rankings. He was the standout performer in the Pakistan Super League and carried that form seamlessly into the Caribbean, refusing to take his foot off the gas.
When Kusal walked in, the West Indies quicks had built considerable dot ball pressure. A few maiden overs underlined their discipline and with Pathum Nissanka short on confidence after being dropped off the first ball of the innings, Sri Lanka needed someone to shift gears. Kusal obliged. He took calculated risks, pierced the infield and once the run rate crept above four an over, both batters took complete control.
The way Kusal refused to let the spinners settle was a delight to watch. He picked boundaries at will and forced West Indies to keep searching for answers. He had a hundred for the taking but perished after a less than run a ball 72. By then, however, the stage had been set for Sri Lanka to post a challenging total.
The middle order ensured the good work was not wasted. Janith Liyanage and Charith Asalanka provided the finishing touches, lifting the side beyond the 300-run mark. Against most opposition, 300 remains a winning score and the bowlers did their part admirably to defend it.
Another outstanding feature of the game was Sri Lanka’s fielding. This is an area they have worked tirelessly on in recent years and the improvement is there for all to see. Sharp catches, athletic stops and energy in the field have become hallmarks of this side.
There have been some bold calls from the selectors as well and their backing of Kamindu Mendis at the top of the order deserves praise. He has been prolific over the last 24 months, particularly in red-ball cricket, and there has long been a school of thought that he has batted too low down the order. Few had the courage to push him up because if the move backfired, questions would inevitably have been asked as to why anyone wanted to fix something that was not broken.
But to try him higher up, at least in white ball cricket, is a move worth pursuing. Fortune favours the brave and selectors are paid to make bold decisions.
Another interesting development has been the emergence of Milan Rathnayake. With the next World Cup scheduled for South Africa, a seam-bowling all-rounder brings valuable balance to the side. If the team management are patient and allow him to develop, he could become an extremely useful asset in South African conditions where pace and bounce are likely to play a major role.
Sri Lanka have some tough ODI assignments ahead this year with tours to England in September and India over Christmas. This is precisely the period to experiment, settle combinations and identify what works best for the side.
Currently ranked sixth in the world, Sri Lanka cannot afford to slip too far. March next year will be the cut off point for automatic qualification to the World Cup and they need to remain inside the top eight to secure direct passage to Johannesburg.
