Russel Arnold: India's negativity cost them dear

We went into the Galle Test with a psychological edge and full of confidence. We had just won the one-day series, knew that India were not at full strength and also had the home advantage. We were still wary though and aware that we needed to do the basics well.

Russel Arnold

That confidence wasn't misplaced, however, as we outplayed them in all departments of the game. The bowlers made scoring very difficult and bowled plenty of wicket taking balls too, whilst Sanath (Jayasuriya) led from the front and Kumar (Sangakkara) played brilliantly with the bat.

In the days leading up to the match there was some concern that there may have been too much grass left on the wicket. We were prepared, though, having been practicing for the last two months on surfaces that seamed all over the place. In the event there was not too much sideways movement and batting, though not easy when the bowlers put the ball in the right areas, was far from impossible.

India started with a plan of survival and that negativity kept us in the game, when we took only one wicket in the first two sessions. We had bowled adequately - though were guilty at times of dropping a touch short - but India never capitalised on their good start. In the evening we started to turn the screw, as "Dili" came to the party.

I remember facing Dilhara (Fernando) when he came on to the scene a couple of years ago. He could be sharp, but also very wayward. When he toured South Africa and New Zealand, we never knew whether he was going to grab a wicket or bowl a ten-ball over.

The management, however, knew a good thing when they saw one and persevered. A softly spoken and unassuming man, he is a quick learner and worked hard with fast bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake and biomechanical expert Terry Oliver. His improvement in just six months is quite astonishing. Nowadays he is far more accurate, consistently hits the seam, reverse swings the ball and has a very deceptive slower ball. He still has a lot to learn of course, but he is willing to do that, which is tremendously encouraging.

In fact, Dilhara is one of a small young group of Sri Lankan fast bowlers, who have the ability to bowl really quick. Prabath Nishanka, a tall right armer from Matara, has just returned from a knee injury and he has been a real handful at the nets. Ishara Amarasinghe, a teammate from Nondescripts Cricket Club, is another speed merchant to look out for.

Having bowled India out we needed to make sure we batted well. Sounds obvious, but we did not want to have to score many in the fourth innings. There was already plenty of rough by the end of the first innings and the ball would have turned square by day four and five. The pace and bounce would have also become more unpredictable.

India didn't do themselves any favours on the second day. They bowled poorly and Sanath (Jayasuriya) was able to get after them. Kumar's (Sangakkara) innings was also impressive, even if it was not as explosive as Sanath's. He had come into the match without much form and although he is a naturally confident player, his confidence had dropped. Normally a free flowing stroke maker he was workmanlike and determined on this occasion.

With the middle order collapsing (I played a half hearted stroke. With hindsight I should have been more positive and square cut the ball properly), he retained his discipline and ensured that we were able to put the Indians under a lot of pressure in the second innings; pressure that eventually told, as India collapsed for the second time in the game.

We now then go into the second Test in Kandy full of confidence. India will be down after such a convincing defeat and we need to re-create the pressure that we put them under in Galle. We know that we have lost two close encounters in Kandy in the last 12 months, but also recognise where we went wrong. In those two matches we were not strong enough at the crunch moments. This time we need to hang in there the whole match and make sure we ram home the advantage that we created in Galle.