Sri Lanka V New Zealand – 2nd Test – Sri Lankan Players to watch out for – Part III
Continued from Part II...
Nuwan Kulasekara
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 due to his impressive bowling profile.
Since making his Test debut against New Zealand in Napier, in April 2005, Kulasekara has played in 16 five-day encounters claiming 38 scalps, including career best figures of 8 for 58. He was also impressive with the ball during Sri Lanka’s ten-wicket win over New Zealand in the previous game, claiming figures of 4 for 59.
With a tally of 303 runs, including a half century as well, he is also a useful pinch hitter in the Lankan batting line-up who can be trusted in hour of need.
Being a tried and tested opening bowler, the Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene will rely on him to cause some early destruction to the Kiwis bowling line-up and set up a platform for the Sri Lankans to script their first Test series whitewash in more than three years.
Rangana Herath
More than a decade after making his Test debut against Australia at Galle, Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559 seems to have found his peak form.
The 34-year-old Kurunegala bowler was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers in the previous game, returning with figures of 11 for 108. His capricious bowling style earned him five wickets on Monday morning as New Zealand slumped from an overnight score of 34 for 1 to 118 all out.
He has been the driving force behind the Island nation's improving Test form over the last couple of years. This was admitted by the Sri Lankan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Muralitharan-c1864.
"After Murali, from what I've seen in Sri Lankan cricket, he is the next best thing. Others have chipped in but Rangana has become the leading bowler for us," Jayawardene said after the crushing victory over New Zealand on Monday.
"Rangana knows what he is doing with the ball and he knows what the batsman is doing as well. Because of the pressure he is creating on the opposition and the way he's performed, it has enabled us to be consistent in Test cricket in the last two years or so," he added further.
Herath marked his Test debut in late 1990s against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and has since played 41 five-dayers picking up 165 wickets, including 12 five-wicket and two ten-wicket hauls. Both his ten-wicket hauls have come this year, at Galle International Stadium in Galle.
His heroics against the Black Caps, on Monday, allowed him to become the leading wicket taker for 2012, surpassing ace http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 with 46 wickets from seven matches.
Suraj Randiv
The 27-year-old Sri Lankan off-spinner made his Test debut at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in 2010 and has since established himself as one of the front-line spinners. He has to date played 11 Test matches for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 picking up 40 wickets, including career best figures of 9 for 162.
In the previous match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754, he picked up two wickets in the second innings to help his side bundle out the tourists for just 118. He is likely to shine with his unique deliveries in the second and final Test as well.
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