Pakistan v http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – 2nd Test – Match Preview
After a highly competitive affair, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in the second Test match, which will be played at the Dubai International Stadium, today, October 26, 2011.
There are plenty of lessons for both teams, which toiled hard in the opening five-day game. While the Men In Green showed a lackluster fielding performance, they will be heartened by the way their bowlers went with their business and were able to take wickets
on a track, which hardly offered much assistance.
The Sri Lankan have bigger problems to address with their batting faltering badly in the first innings, and had it not been for all the dropped catches, they would have found themselves in a much precarious situation. Their bowlers gave their hundred percent,
however, they still lack the spark after the retirement of spin wizard, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Muralitharan-c1864.
The captains of the respective team have been talking about the psychological advantage they carry into the second Test, and it is fair to say that the Lankan http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 will be much more pleased with their efforts-clawing back a deficit of more than 300 runs
and managing to play most of the final two days, which enabled them to share the spoils.
The main worry for everyone will be fatigue- with back to back Test matches; it will certainly take more than the psychological advantage for the respective team to register the first win, so mental strength will be key.
Under captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Ali-c46890 and the skipper himself, which remains a stern test
for any opposition.
Also, the bowling line-up again has impressed with some precise bowling. Umar Gul’s return to the team has been swift and his stint in the English domestic has helped him find accuracy and rhythm. The left-armer, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037 has been another youngster, which
is destined to have a bright future.
He bowled with aggression and picked up praise worthy five-wicket haul in the firsts innings, and was unlucky after being on the receiving end of some dropped catches from his fielders. It is fair to say that out of the two attacks, the Men In Green rearguards
are the most likely to get 20 wickets.
The Sri Lankan are still in hunt to end their winless streak in the Test arena, and they will have to outperform their opponents in all three departments. The batting line is too heavy reliant on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 and if the either
of them failed to perform (as in the first innings), they tend to surrender easily.
The bowling woes have been well-documented and it will be interesting to note the changes, if any, made to the line-up. Nuwan Pradeep was ineffective on debut and he might get replaced by either Suraj Randiv or Dhammika Prasad.
The form of the skipper is another worry and batting at the key no.5 position, he needs to deliver the goods and ensure that he leads from the front.
The pitch will be another track where the bowlers will have to toil hard and look for the batsman to make a mistake. The temperatures remain in the 30s, so expect another scorching day in the heat for the respective sides.
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