Rohan Wijeyaratna, in Island, 8 February 2019, where the title is “Don’t Rock the Boat”
Manuka Oval as a Test venue was blessed with a fairy tale beginning. Sri Lanka down by the head (in maritime parlance) before the Test, went into the match on a hiding to nothing. All three pace bowlers who bowled their hearts out at the Gabba were reported ‘crook’ at various stages to the lead up, while the best of them all, couldn’t even get up from his bed, let alone play. Forced into a corner with their backs to the wall, Sri Lanka began the Test match with a relative rookie pace attack of three men sharing five Tests between them for experience. After 8.4 overs of unbelievable cricket where the ball swung and darted about, bats were beaten and edges were taken. Australia – now in a spot of bother, were left ruminating at 28 for three. If at this stage the most rabid of Sri Lankan followers were cocking a snoot at the soothsayers, by the end of the day the boot was firmly on the other foot. Watchful for a start, the Aussies eventually launched and gorged themselves on a run feast to end on 380 for four — a considerable advance from where they once were. The bowling by then had subsided to its rightful place as second rate; catches were duly dropped when offered, and a very ordinary Australian side were made to look like champions – a title they readily accepted. In other words, normalcy had returned!
