How an unfancied Sri Lanka attack got the better of New Zealand's top order
Sri Lanka's seamers tend to be modest in foreign conditions, but they put together an impressive stretch of bowling on day two in Christchurch
Andrew Fidel Fernando
10-Mar-2023
Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara shared three wickets • AFP/Getty Images
Before we begin, a quick appraisal of the Sri Lanka seam attack:
Lahiru Kumara, 26
Pros
- Is rapid. Bowls above 140kph on the good days. Can touch 150kph on his best ones
- Top inswinger (to the right-hander). Good bouncer
- Appears to be built like a Toyota HiAce
- Has tended to lack control, relieving pressure that other bowlers have built
- Maybe a LADA in the shell of a HiAce. In December 2020, he broke down in the middle of a Test. Then did the same in the only Test he started the next year. Then did the same in the only Test he started the year after that
Kasun Rajitha, 29
Pros
- Tall, reasonably sharp (mid 130kph range)
- Has shown good control, across formats
- From the Suranga Lakmal school of seam movement, in that he is able to move it either way
- Broke down in that same December 2020 Test that Kumara broke down in, and didn't play a Test for 17 months
- Inexperienced, having played only 13 Tests before this one
- From the Suranga Lakmal school of growing facial hair
Asitha Fernando, 25
Pros
- Has a mean yorker
- The kind of high-effort bowler who can summon life even out of dead pitches
- Has the best bowling average of the three Sri Lanka frontliners in this game (24.55 before this match)
- Even less experienced than Rajitha (seven Tests)
- Looks the least like a fast bowler of the three Sri Lanka frontliners (i.e. the man's not tall)
This is not a bad set of seamers. There is variety here - Lahiru Kumara's pace, Kasun Rajitha's movement, Asitha Fernando's intensity. But it is not a set of seamers you expect wonders from either. They are without a serious spearhead, Lakmal having long since retired. And attacks more promising than this one have gone to New Zealand and failed to keep the hosts in check.
There is perhaps less heft and grit to this New Zealand batting order since the likes of Ross Taylor and BJ Watling retired, but there remains some quality. Tom Latham averages over 41. Kane Williamson is almost inarguably their greatest ever. Devon Conway had a rollicking start to his Test career. Daryl Mitchell has perhaps had an even better one.
But aside from the brief period of about 40 minutes after tea, in which Sri Lanka opted to bowl Angelo Mathews and spinner Prabath Jayasuriya in tandem, there was no stretch of day two in which New Zealand's batters had it easy.
In fact, on either side of tea, these seamers put together an impressive stretch of bowling, frequently testing the outside edge, often prompting brave leaves on length, raising lbw appeals, needling relentlessly. New Zealand lost three wickets for nine runs in that period. And that is without Rajitha - the best bowler in that passage - even managing a breakthrough.
Mitchell (who was most severely tested by Rajitha) and the set Latham fought through that examination, but just when that partnership appeared to be settling into a comfortable rhythm, Asitha produced the delivery of the day. Coming around the wicket to Latham, he beat the batter in the air, rattling his stumps.
Not long after, Rajitha claimed a wicket off the kind of delivery he specialises in - angled in at the right-hander, straightening in the air just a touch, then leaping up off the seam. Tom Blundell (who averages 45, by the way), had to play at that delivery, and had a faint edge collected. New Zealand were 151 for 5 at that stage, then 162 for 5 when play ended.
And where two of New Zealand's four frontline seamers had gone at more than five an over, each of Kumara, Rajitha, and Asitha ended day two having maintained economy rates of less than 2.5.
There is a school of fast bowling that is about glory balls, and banana swing, sending stumps cartwheeling, and veins popping out of your face in celebration. Then there is diligence, discipline, and patience. We know which one Sri Lanka's seamers subscribed to on Friday.
A day-two appraisal to finish:
Cons
- Sri Lanka seam attacks tend to be cute, but ultimately modest in foreign conditions, partly because they play there infrequently
- On day two, Sri Lanka's seamers had the better of a pretty good New Zealand top order
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf