Test previews 
/ Michael Vaughan / 23 March 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Been there and done it. Mahela Jayawardene has been doing the business at the highest level for a decade and a half.
"Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene are as good as anyone in the game and have been for the last decade and a half. Other players in this Sri Lankan team have come and gone over that period but those two have been a constant presence in the side, piling on the runs against all-comers."
England can survive without Ravi Bopara as a bowler but they'll have their hands full trying to contain the devastating duo of Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene. Sri Lanka are unlikely to win but they offer a fine trading opportunity, says Michael Vaughan.
I'm not entirely sure what all this hysteria is about regarding Ravi Bopara's injury which will prevent him from bowling. Sure, he may have come in and bowled few overs to give the others a rest in draining conditions. He may even have grabbed a wicket with his medium-pacers. But that's a far cry from suggesting the Essex man is an integral part of this England bowling attack. He's a number six who bowls a bit; not the next Andrew Flintoff!
England's strategy of picking four front-line bowlers has served them well and in the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka they'll need every last one of them. I can't see that there was ever any suggestion at all of Bopara being a much-used fifth bowler. Especially when we consider that, at number seven, England have a guy in Matt Prior who averages 44 in Test cricket. Jonathan Trott can always come in and bowl a few overs if necessary, anyway. As for Samit Patel, he will have to wait for his chance to make his Test debut, which as far as he's concerned, may not be a bad thing anyway.
The rest of the team picks itself: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Bopara, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Panesar. The only doubt would be Panesar, if England look at the wicket and decide there's more there for the seamers rather than the spinners but this is a Sri Lankan track we're talking about so that's highly unlikely.
Sri Lanka's bowling line-up isn't that great and I've said that already but their batting is strong. They failed against the swinging ball over in England last summer but that won't have come as a surprise to many because those are conditions that all sub-Continental batsmen struggle in. India were no different.
Tillekeratne Dilshan is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, Upal Tharanga is an experienced campaigner, Dinesh Chandimal looks a real talent and both Prasanna Jaywardene and Thilan Samaraweera can occupy the crease for long periods. Then there are the two monsters. Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayawardene are as good as anyone in the game and have been for the last decade and a half. Other players in this Sri Lankan team have come and gone over that period but those two have been a constant presence in the side, piling on the runs against all-comers. I almost can't remember the last time that either of them didn't score a century in a Test match. And then the following match the other one comes in and gets a ton!
With Swann being a more dangerous threat to the left-handers - and therefore Sangakarra - I'm going to side with the skipper here for first innings honours and Jayawardene is the call for top bat at around [4.5].
This should be a bat first wicket. Post a big score, keep the opposition in the field for a long as possible and try to drain as much energy out of them as you can. I've said already that I fancy England to edge the series 1-0 but Sri Lanka look a bit over-priced to win the first Test at [3.5]. If they bat first they can post a big score and if they bowl first it's not inconceivable that they can take a couple of early wickets whilst the England batters take some time to get accustomed to a pitch that will be very different to anything they've played on in recent times. I don't think they'll win but their price should come in at some point so they're a good back-to-lay at the current odds.
2 pts Back-to-lay Sri Lanka @ [3.5]
1 pt Back Mahela Jayawardene to be first innings top scorer @ [4.5]
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