Life without Murali

The second test at the SSC gave a glimpse at what it would be like to play test cricket without Murali. Admittedly the pitch was a very flat one and even great Murali might have struggled to pick a wicket but he was sorely missed by Sangakkara. Things could have being a bit different if Prasanna Jayawardena hold on to the catch given by Tendulkar but the opportunity was missed and the little master capitalized. One thing that Sri Lankans could be happy about is that they created some opportunities and generally created few more chances than the Indian bowlers. I hope Lasith Malinga plays the third test because otherwise the fast bowling also looks a bit bleak. You need Malinga's variety and extra pace in a flat wicket like this. Dilhara Fernando was a big disappointment with spraying the ball all over the place sometimes, In flat pitches like these you need to be patient and able to bowl a good line and length and tie the batsmen down which he clearly failed to do. Hope for a better showing in the third test and a much more sporty pitch.