Bangladesh prepare for Mendis threat
The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran
January 2, 2009
Ajantha Mendis was a late inclusion to the Test squad after recovering from an ankle injury © AFP
Match facts
January 3-7, 2009
Start time 09.30am (03.30 GMT)
Big Picture
Bangladesh's brave attempt at pulling off a record-breaking chase of 521 in Mirpur rounded off one of the most memorable months of Test cricket in recent memory. It also dispelled the notion that anything over 450 is unattainable in the fourth innings, even if it involves the weakest Test nation. Though the result didn't go their way, Bangladesh's effort has sparked some life and anticipation into the short series, which Sri Lanka were overwhelming favourites to sweep.
Now, though, Bangladesh find the bar raised much higher. The talking point in Chittagong has been the return of Ajantha Mendis to the Sri Lankan squad from an ankle injury. Should he play, the home side will find it that much harder to square the series. Mendis left the Indians clueless in the home series last year and, if he has his way on a slow turner here, Bangladesh could suffer equally. The two-day gap between Tests wouldn't have given Bangladesh enough time to prepare for Mendis. They may have handled Muttiah Muralitharan crediatbly on a fifth day pitch in Mirpur but Mendis, as recent history will tell you, is a different proposition.
Bangladesh's failure in the first innings in Mirpur - falling for 178 - proved decisive to the result and Mohammad Ashraful wasn't afraid to point that out. "We need to bat at least four sessions in the first innings," Ashraful said. "If we do that then we'll have a decent score on the board. That's the prerequisite for us getting a positive result in Test matches."
The Chittagong Test marks a personal milestone for Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene who plays his 100th Test. Since his debut in 1997, Jayawardene has scored 7926 runs at 52.84 and is Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in Tests. He is also 74 away from the 8000-run mark.
"I can't say that I'm not emotional," Jayawardene said. "I'm not thinking about the personal milestone. It has been an honour to play for Sri lanka and I have said this before that I never expected to play 100 Test matches when I started off."
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