SILVERWOOD: SRI LANKA’S A WORK IN PROGRESS
COACH Chris Silverwood warned Sri Lanka that they still have “a lot to learn” and must be more ruthless despite beating Pakistan in the second Test in Galle last week.
Test revelation Prabath Jayasuriya took five wickets with his left-arm spin as the hosts thumped Pakistan by 246 runs last Thursday (28) to level the two-match series 1-1.
Sri Lanka were a mixed bag through a month of Tests at Galle, where they also hosted top-ranked Australia and again drew the series 1-1.
Silverwood, 47, who was appointed in April to lead Sri Lanka after stepping down following England’s Ashes humiliation in Australia, cautioned that his new side were “nowhere near a complete team yet”.
“We still have a lot of lessons to learn. We are developing and a work in progress,” the Englishman said. “We have been creating opportunities, which is good, but we need to obviously seize them.”
Newcomer Jayasuriya, 30, was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers.
He took his fourth fivewicket haul in just his third match, and was ably supported by fellow spinner Ramesh Mendis.
But Silverwood said he wanted more from all his bowlers, and not just on turning subcontinent tracks. “Consistency within the bowling attack – I don’t want it to come in from one or two places, I want it to come from all the bowlers on a consistent basis,” he said.
“I want to step up pressure on opposition teams around the world, not just on turning tracks here.
“So the seamers will have their opportunity at some point to show they can create pressure.”
Jayasuriya, who only made his Test debut earlier this month, emerged as an unlikely hero for Sri Lanka with his ability to dry up the flow of runs and pick wickets at crucial junctures.
Silverwood admitted he did not know much about Jayasuriya until he was selected in the team in the second Australia Test, following a Covid outbreak in the home camp.
“The biggest thing he has contributed is that control. He can create pressure on the opposition batsmen, he gets balls in good areas more often than not and he creates pressure, he creates opportunity,” said Silverwood. “You turn to him when the game is getting away from you. You can put him on and you know he can dry the runs up.
“He has been superb for us.”
Sri Lanka next play a redball series in March 2023, when they travel to New Zealand for two Tests.