Bradman’s Tactical Use of a Nightwatchman — Just Once

Mahinda Wijesinghe, in the Island, 7 April 2012

At the end of the third day in the ongoing second Test against England, Sri Lanka used the services of a night-watchman (Dhammika Prasad) to open the innings to face just one over. What was even more strange was the fact that the night-watchman shielded the more skilled batsman (Lahiru Thirimanne), by refusing singles! This begs the question, why should a lesser skilled batsman be expected to face the music, while his more skilled team-mate is cooling his heels in the pavilion?

However, there was a very interesting instance when the legendary Don Bradman used the same ploy – but look at the circumstances and the reasoning behind the tactic. It was the third Ashes Test in the 1936-37 series played at Melbourne. Australia, captained by Bradman for the first time, had lost the first two Tests in the 5-Test series. Indeed, an inquiry had been instituted by the Australian Cricket Board that certain members of the Australian team were not supporting Bradman! Incidentally, Bradman’s scores in the first two Tests were as follows: 38, 0, 0 and 82. Australia had lost the first Test by 322 runs and the second by an innings and 22 runs.

The Colombo Oval or “P Sara” — a historic venue as England search for redemption

Adam Mountford, for the BBC

Jonathan Agnew began his podcast with Geoff Boycott on Thursday talking about how romantics were dreaming of an historic England victory. Well if those romantics did not get the result they wished for in the first Test, they should at least be pleased with the venue for the second because the P Sara Stadium is an enchanting location. To give it its full name, the Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium is the oldest cricket ground in Sri Lanka and is home to the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club.

The ground was famous for having a female curator named Amravati who worked at the P Sara for 40 years. Although she is long retired, her sister Saroja continues to be involved.  It is a little rough around the edges and there is clearly a last-gasp effort to get things ready in time for Tuesday’s 10am start, but the ground has a wonderful aura of history.

Its most famous feature is the beautiful ivy-covered scoreboard – surely one of the most distinctive on any international ground. When I visited, the scoreboard was showing a team total of 631 and when I asked one of the current groundsman what the wicket was like he just looked at me and said “it’s for the batsman”. I asked him whether England should play two frontline spinners and he said “it doesn’t matter”!

Bradman’s Advice to Batsmen at the Bowler’s End

Mahinda Wijesinghe

Quite a furore was created in the current CBN series game between India and Sri Lanka played in Brisbane when Sri Lankan batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, at the non-striker’s end, was run out by Indian off-spinner Ashwin when the batsman was found to have left the crease before the ball had been delivered. In other words, Thirimanne was found to be taking a ‘foul start’. When Ashwin appealed to umpire Paul Reiffel – with Thirimanne well out of his crease – the latter without doing his avowed duty of giving his decision walked across to his partner Billy Bowden. After a three-way discussion, with Bowden and the Indian skipper Sehwag, Thirimanne was permitted to continue. Despite this let-off, Thirimanne still continued with his walkabouts. Something that confused most. Indeed the Laws of Cricket are very clear on this issue. Last year, to dispel any doubts on this vexed matter, the MCC reiterated and stated very clearly that “the bowler is permitted before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker.” Can it be any clearer?

Hence, the Indian bowler Ashwin was not doing any act that even bordered on questionable sportsmanship. That question should be posed to the Sri Lanka batsman who was wittingly or otherwise taking an unfair advantage by taking a foul start. Remember, just one run could quite easily make the difference between victory and/or defeat, and more so in the shortened version of the game.