Best effort needs for a win, says Bayliss

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said that his team will need to produce their best batting performance in the whole series if they are to save the third and final Test match against Pakistan which is now in progress at the SSC ground in Maitland Place.

He believed that it is not impossible for them to come out with a draw considering the amount of talent and potential and the depth in their batting line up. However Bayliss was quite concerned about the form of his batsmen who have got out in the 30’s and 40’s after having been well set for a big score.

He noted that it is not that they are out of form but the batsmen are not making an attempt to make a big score which has been the main feature throughout the series. Bayliss stated that now they are up against a real challenge and will need to accept whatever the target Pakistan would set during the fourth innings.

The Sri Lanka coach said that their first task will be to capture the last five wickets in the Pakistan innings and set out a plan to salvage a draw. He believed that this was probably the best batting surface in the whole series although there were a couple of deliveries that turned a fare amount.

Bayliss agreed that his team badly felt the absence of a second spinner with Rangana Herath doing the bulk of the bowling while sending down a marathon spell of 37 overs. Sri Lanka of course went in with four fast bowlers while leaving out the mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis.

Meanwhile the centurion Shoaib Malik said that he is delighted to be among the runs and especially to make a hundred when his team really needed his services at a crucial stage of the game. The 27 year old right hander from Sailkot said that the SSC ground has a great amount of significance because his maiden century too was compiled at the same venue three years ago.

On that occasion Malik opened the batting and came into his team’s rescue while stroking an unbeaten 148 in their second innings.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s wicket keeper batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan is a doubtful starter for the five-match one-day international series against Pakistan starting on July 30 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Dilshan fractured his right index finger while keeping wicket during the ongoing third test against Pakistan and also required stitches above his left eye after being hit while batting in the first innings on the second day of the Test match. The Sri Lankan medical team is monitoring Dilshan’s progress carefully, and believe that at the moment he is doubtful for the first three one-day internationals. They are expected to take a final decision on his fitness later and he will bat in the second innings only if it is really necessary.