Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers struggled for accuracy on day two of their Test against New Zealand in Galle, a venue they hadn’t played in for over a year. Spin bowling coach Craig Howard acknowledged that the bowlers needed time to adjust, but also emphasized the need for better execution.
“If we’d bowled the way we’d have liked to, we’d be in a much better position,” Howard said. “We need to hold our line and length for longer, making it harder for the New Zealand batters to rotate the strike and limiting boundary balls.”
Primary spinners Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya took just one wicket each on Thursday, with Jayasuriya conceding 99 runs in 31 overs. Howard attributed Jayasuriya’s performance to a slight deviation from his usual accuracy.
“Prabath is a very proud man,” Howard said. “He’s averaged 22 at Galle for a reason, so I’m confident he’ll bounce back and have a significant impact on this Test.”
Mendis, who hadn’t played a red-ball game in several months, was more expensive than Jayasuriya, with an economy rate of over four in his 17 overs. Howard suggested that Mendis’ lack of recent match practice may have contributed to his inaccuracy.
“Ramesh Mendis hasn’t played a red-ball game for a few months,” Howard said. “He’s been on an England tour without playing and in the LPL before that. He was probably a bit off from a length-and-line point of view.”
Despite the challenges posed by the New Zealand batters, Howard expressed confidence that Sri Lanka’s spinners could turn the match in their favor with improved accuracy.
“Control of line and length is paramount,” Howard said. “If we do that, there’s enough in this wicket to make a difference. The game can speed up quickly in the back end. We could be one or two wickets away from having a first-innings lead. Ideally, we can go through them quickly and end up with a lead, but if not, we’ll have a small target to catch up.”
