Ranagana Herath makes my job easier: Graham Ford

For Sri Lankan coach Graham Ford, Rangana Herath has been the most important piece of the Sri Lankan squad in the context of the entire series. The left-arm spinner impressed immensely as he picked up a six-wicket haul in Australia’s first innings, a feat that prevented them from getting away and to a massive total in the excess of 400 runs. With Angelo Mathews running out of options and Dilruwan Perera not able to make the impact that he usually makes, Angelo Mathews had little or no choice but to persist with Herath as his first choice.

Graham Ford, the coach of Sri Lanka, who is attempting to make the transition period not as difficult as it has been for the Lankans was in awe of Herath. Ford also went on to compare Heath to perhaps the best sportsperson of all time – Roger Federer. Ford also added that Herath was an inspiration for the younger blokes within the Sri Lankan side and was expected to motivate them when need be.

“It really makes the coach and the leadership group, it makes their job much easier when you’ve got a chap like that who goes out there and shows such courage batting, takes on the quicks, and after his nasty incident batting, comes on to bowl and makes a couple of brilliant diving stops off his own bowling. If you’ve got an old man throwing himself like that then the youngsters don’t have any excuse. So to have him on the side is brilliant, and not just for his wonderful skills of bowling – he’s once again proved what a brilliant and clever bowler he is,” Ford said.

Speaking about the three days that have been played in the current match, Ford underlined the fact that it was a tough match and a roller-coaster ride for both sides. “It’s been a heck of a tough Test match, a really tough three days for both sides, it’s been Test match cricket probably at its toughest. It’s been a roller-coaster ride for both teams, it’s ebbed and flowed, probably both teams know that an opportunity here or there has been missed, which might have changed the flow of the game,” Ford said.

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“But both sides are very much in the Test match right now and there’s a heck of a lot to play for in the next two days. Both sides have outstanding players that are capable of changing the flow of the match over the next two days. But from our point of view, we just feel that bowling last on that wicket will be a bit of an advantage and hopefully create a bit of extra pressure and hopefully sway it in our favour.”

Speaking about the batting, Ford added the importance of work ethic on the side. “It’s been exciting to see (the youngsters performing well) and a little bit surprising to have done as well as they have. But we still have a long, long way to go and they will still disappoint us from time to time. But I think with the attitude that they’ve got and the work ethic, there are some exciting signs for the future,” Ford said.

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