"We got it wrong" - Ford

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said that his team got it wrong by inviting Pakistan to bat first after winning the toss on the first day of the second Test at the SSC yesterday.

“The score tell it very clearly that we got it wrong,” said Ford at the end of the day after Pakistan had knocked up 334-1. “The thought behind it was that there are a lot of experienced men in our group and they know pretty well on this surface. I don’t think any of them thought that pitch would play so well on the first day. 
“The decision wasn’t taken lightly and there were lot of discussions and I think just about all the wise heads and captains and ex-captains, involving the coaching staff and the team and everybody felt that it was worth having a crack with the ball. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out the way we were hoping,” he said. 
“There was something in the pitch in the first hour and with Pakistan not having started too well in the two innings in Galle, if we could strike early with the new ball, it would have got us in a pretty positive place and hopefully get them into a negative place. Unfortunately, it didn’t do anything here as everybody thought. 

“Everybody was aware that there’s a bit of movement in the first hour and maybe little bit longer. We had to try and utilize it. Unfortunately, it didn’t go to the plan and we have to give a lot of credit to the way they batted. They dug in and batted superbly. At the end they’ve got a lot of positive momentum for themselves. Obviously we’ve got lot of work to do.”

Ford said that there were various strategies that they tried throughout the day but had to change them because initially it was attacking to get wickets and when they found that the pitch was not offering much assistance they had to change strategies and be more defensive.

Ford said that batting well in the first innings for Sri Lanka was crucial. “Test match cricket goes over five days and we need to respond really well. We’ll have to come back and get into our work nicely tomorrow. On hindsight, the way the game is played certainly we’d have got in and had a bat. But unfortunately, that’s not the way cricket works and you’ve got to make decisions. I think lot of the thoughts behind the decisions, was solid and the research was done with the stats etc….But that’s what makes cricket such a great game, and you never for sure what’s coming your way.”