Dickwella: We executed plans well in second dig

Sri Lanka followed the batting plan discussed in a “long meeting” in the lunch break, the wicket-keeper said after the third day’s play in Colombo.

The sweep was employed well by the Sri Lankan top-order duo of Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne, observed Niroshan Dickwella.

Niroshan Dickwella said that Sri Lanka executed its batting plans far better in the second innings.

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“We weren’t good in the first session. We had plans before the second innings started, about how to handle spin and how to handle the pressure. It was a long meeting during the lunch break and we executed those plans. We were more positive after lunch,” the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper told the press here on Saturday.

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Praising the knocks of Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne and the effective implementation of the sweep shot, Dickwella said: “They used the crease and swept well. Mendis has been a brilliant player in his small career. Everyone is relying heavily on the sweep. We trained hard on our sweeps and reverse sweeps. Hashan Tillakaratne (batting coach) and other coaches are specifically encouraging us to do that. When it comes to a spinning wicket we have to play the sweep and that’s an option.”