Forfeited Momentum

Coming into the 1st Test of the 3-match series against Windies, Sri Lanka hadn't got their front line seam attack in the squad. May be they are saving Malinga for the world cup, which is just around the corner, though I don't see why they shouldn't use Nuwan Kulasekara, who is probably the most consistent 'line and length' bowler in Sri Lanka at the moment. May be they have under-estimated West Indies or haven't given a worth for the Test series.

The team didn't look balanced with two spinners and 2 seamers instead of one spinner and three seamers, especially at a time when the young allrounder Mathews is still recovering from a knee injury and is unable to ball.

After losing the toss and having to bowl first on a healthy batting track at the splendid Galle International Cricket Stadium, Sri Lankan seamers didn't look consistent as they used to be. Although Thushara started off with a couple of maiden overs he couldn't stick to a consistent line and length while Dhammika Prasad was struggling to find his rhythm from the initial stage. West Indies openers were likely to lack their concentration in the first hour of the day though SL seamers were going too wayward to capitalise from it.

Playing the first game after having to hand the captaincy over to Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle was struggling to get of the marks initially though, once he did it with a cross-legged glance for four, he made sure that he took the control of the day's play and took the driving seat of the Windies innings. The young opener Adrian Barath and the debutant Darren Bravo made half-centuries to help Chris Gayle dominate the 1st day of the game with an unbeaten double-ton.

What Sangakkara has to learn from this is to do the first thing first. Use the best available team to try and win the Test series first and then prepare for the next year's world cup!