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Lakmal feared for Test future before South Africa success
- Updated: January 6, 2017
Sri Lanka have lost the series inside nine days of cricket, been rolled for 110, failed to muster a single triple-figure partnership let alone an individual century, and have, in general, failed to compete in South Africa, but for one player at least, it has been something of a breakthrough tour.
Suranga Lakmal came to the country with a reputation for bowling long and controlled, but ultimately wicketless, spells. His bowling average of 47.65 at the time of arrival was perhaps slightly uncharitable, given the support he has provided to bowlers at the other end. However, it was also difficult to suggest that it was completely undeserved – so flat have some of his performances been, albeit on tracks unsuited to his work.
For the first time since his third Test – played in March 2011 – that average has now dipped below 45. He has 12 wickets at 24.08 in the series, having claimed 5 for 45 in the first innings at Port Elizabeth and 4 for 69 in the second innings at Newlands.
“I think this is my most successful series,” Lakmal said. “I had a big challenge when I came here, because there was a little pressure from the selectors and the board. I’ve been in this team as the senior bowler for a while, and I don’t just want to live off that reputation. That’s not fair to the younger bowlers in Sri Lanka either. I thought that if I didn’t do well in this series, maybe I wouldn’t be in the Test team anymore.”
Lakmal’s most-successful series before this had been in the UAE in 2013-14, where he took 12 wickets on pitches that were a …
