CAPTAIN Mahela Jayawardene vowed Sri Lanka will go for the jugular in the second Test against Pakistan as they chase a first series-victory since 2009. Sri Lanka return to the SCC in Colombo, where they are unbeaten in Test cricket since 2005, holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series following their comprehensive 209-run win in Galle.
Jayawardene said: “A lot of hard work is required going into the next Test. We need to handle the conditions at SSC very well. We need to try and get on top of the opposition and keep the pressure.”
Kumar Sangakkara’s unbeaten 199 put Sri Lanka in the box seat and they then bowled Pakistan out for 100, with Suraj Randiv claiming four for 13, to take charge of the Test match.
Sri Lanka went on to record their biggest ever Test win against Pakistan in terms of runs but Jayawardene warned they cannot afford to lose their grip on the series.
“We have to be positive,” he said. “There are two more matches to go and we need to put the Galle match behind and keep improving. We need to be a lot more consistent with bowling, batting and fielding.”
Pakistan came into the Test series on the back of five successive Test victories, including a clean sweep of England, the world’s number one side, in the United Arab Emirates.
But they lost the one-day series and had captain Misbah ul-Haq suspended from the first Test for a “serious over rate offence” in the fifth limited-overs international, but he is set to return to the side for the Colombo clash to bolster a batting line-up that crumbled and struggled in the first Test.
Sri Lanka have drafted fast bowler Dilhara Fernando into their squad in place of the injured paceman Chanaka Welegedara.
Although Misbah has stressed the need for Pakistan’s batting to improve, they were furious with the standard of umpiring from Steve Davis and Ian Gould and have reportedly lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council.
The Decision Review System is not being employed in the three-Test series, much to the disappointment of both teams, although it was Pakistan who were feeling it more acutely after the first Test.
The ICC ruled this week that the DRS would not be made mandatory for every Test series.
Mohammad Hafeez, who captained Pakistan in Galle in the absence of Misbah, said: “It should be made compulsory for every game. I feel as a player, not having the DRS puts a lot of pressure on you and that pressure goes to the umpires. If this technology can improve the game, then why not? The authorities should either go for it, or not at all.”