SL’s Run Rate Control Lacked Focus

Craig Howard emphasised that Sri Lanka's spinners required time to find their rhythm in Galle, where they hadn't played a Test in over a year. One of their key spinners had also been absent from long-format cricket for several months, which may explain their inaccuracy on day two of the Test match against New Zealand.

While Howard acknowledged the need for improvement, he made it clear that the spinners needed to regain their touch. "If we had bowled the way we intended, we’d be in a much better position," he noted. "By maintaining our line and length for longer periods, we would have made it harder for the New Zealand batsmen to rotate the strike and minimise boundary balls. We typically focus on controlling the run rate, which we failed to do today."

In a Galle pitch offering significant turns, Sri Lanka's lead spinners, Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya, only managed one wicket each on Thursday, with Jayasuriya conceding 99 runs in 31 overs. "Prabath was just a bit off his game. He's a proud player, and with an average of 22 at Galle, I’m confident he’ll bounce back and impact this Test significantly," Howard remarked.

Conversely, Ramesh's performance was more costly, with an economy rate exceeding four runs per throughout his 17 overs. "Ramesh Mendis hasn't played a red-ball match for a few months. He was sidelined during the England tour and didn’t feature in the preceding Lanka Premier League. He was likely a bit off in terms of line and length," Howard explained.

The shot-making ability of New Zealand's batsmen posed a specific challenge, but Howard believes that if the spinners adjust their accuracy, the match dynamics could swing in Sri Lanka’s favour. "Controlling line and length is essential. If we achieve that, there’s enough assistance from the pitch. The game can shift quickly in the latter stages, and we could find ourselves just one or two wickets away from a first-innings lead. Ideally, we’d like to wrap up their innings swiftly and set ourselves up with a manageable target to chase."