Ramanayake backs Dilhara Fernando

By Rex Clementine

December 03, 2010 (Island Cricket): Dilhara Fernando may not have lived up to expectations in recent years, but he has always found the support of a host of former Sri Lankan captains starting from Sanath Jayasuriya to Kumar Sangakkara and earlier this week, he received the support of his bowling coach, too, after another mediocre performance.

He was expected to share the new ball with Suranga Lakmal, but Sangakkara opted for Angelo Mathews instead and eventually when Fernando came on to bowl in the eleventh over of the West Indian first innings, he started with a wide instead of his customary no ball. The second ball, too, would have been called a wide, but Darren Bravo was kind enough to reach out. Fernando bowled a wide full toss as his third ball and then bowled one on the batsman’s pads as his fourth delivery.

"Actually in the last few Tests he hasn’t taken 5-fers or 4-fers. Why we [selected him for the first Test] was, we can’t expose another inexperienced bowler. Suranga Lakmal has played just one Test match, so we expected Dilhara to get a few wickets. We have only bowled 40 overs today and still he can come and take wickets. Experience counts a lot and I thought he bowled well in this game," Ramanayake told journalists after the end of the first day’s play in the third Test at Pallekele.

Fernando conceded 50 runs in his ten overs and bowled a better second spell where he didn’t have much luck as two catches were dropped off his bowling.

"Dilhara struggled in the first spell with his run up, but he was getting better as he bowled more overs. He was unfortunate to not to pick up a few wickets. It would have been different game had those two catches been taken. I still feel he can deliver and he can bowl well tomorrow," Ramanayake added.

Ramanayake said the reason for not risking Lasith Malinga for the Test series was in order to have him fully fit for the upcoming World Cup where he will be a key player in Sri Lanka’s campaign.

"Lasith has got a knee problem. We don’t want to play him right now because of World Cup. He’s our best bowler in ODIs and if he doesn’t play it will be a problem. After the World Cup we are going to play him in Tests if he recovers from his knee problem."

He also revealed that Nuwan Kulasekara had to sit out of the game due to a side strain, but expected him to be fit for the ODIs.

"Kule has a side strain. He had an injection and did a MRI scan as well and there’s a small tear. He complained after the last Test match. He felt it was tight and he was getting treatment and we thought not to play him. We have another eight or nine days and he should be okay for the ODIs."