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Sri Lanka's Spin Problem
Susantha Jayawardena
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Our think tank applid a wrong selection tactic by picking some experienced spinners like Dhananjaya and Lakshan Sandakan which was totally wrong decision. They will bowl well in SL pitches due to their slow bowling speeds (with more flight) as that is the way you can get more turn due to the very high grip offered on SL pitches. Because in SL we use more sand (less clay) with no grass according to the weather patters and low temperature range. But in UAE due to the very high temperature variation & range and higher shrinkage factor in the soil mixture you must use a short grass cover which will nullify the slow turning effect Only way a spinner can get better results in this scenario is to increase the bowling speed, be very accurate (wkt to wkt bowling like Wanindu and Theekshana)and bowl with more variations. Then only a spinner can deceive the batter. Wanindu and Theekshana are the only spinners (may be Praveen to a little effect) who can bowl like that. But thy also must bowl litt
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But both Wanindu and Theekshana must increase their bowling speeds slightly to get the maximum purchase from the UAE tracks. I do not know why our selectors have picked Dhananjaya in the WC Squad. He bowled so badly in both Oman matches. In the last match 4 sixes were scored. With the present form he will be taken for cleaners I am sure. Since we need only two spinners in the team he can be benched but isn’t that a waste of resources. As Theekshana is so young and inexperienced there is a possibility that he will have to be replaced by the third spinner in the squad. In such scenario Praveen would have been a better option. As most of the teams have more right handers in the batting line ups a left arm orthodox spinner may be more effective.
Also if Dhananjaya tries to bowl better by increasing his bowling speed there is a chance that he will be faulted by the umpires for wrong bowling action..
All in all selecting Dhananjaya as the third spinner I guess is not a good cho
What happened to Praveen? Did he get injured?
I dont think Praveen is injured. But our selectors are more inclined to get Akila into the squad due to his experience. And this is also not a time to adjust his bowling speeds in UAE as its going to be an impossible task in Akila’s case. Now the only possibility is to bench him and use Wanindu and Theekshana in all matches. I hope Akila will improve his bowling during the warm up matches. If he doesn’t do it it will be a waste of resources.
Ah, I see, but yes, I agree that it would make more sense to pick Praveen over Akila as he is in better form and does bowl a little quicker through the air, bowling wkt to wkt. But maybe as you say we will only need two spinners and we can play an extra seamer alongside Dushmantha Chameera, with DDS/Asalanka as extra part-time spin options. Hopefully Akila finds form in the warm-ups.