“I am shell-shocked as much as the entire country, it was like an earthquake which struck us in Hamilton for 13 overs,” Jayaratne told the Daily News.

“We were no wickets in 24 overs done all the hard work and then bowled out in 13 more overs, a total of 37 overs. From the position we were in there was no way this could have happened after all the planning we had done and, this young lot almost consistent in getting nearly 300 runs every time we batted.

“I just don’t know what happened this was never the plan can’t believe from where all the batsman decided to pull out their hook shots which cannot be controlled in these conditions against experienced bowlers. We just needed one last good effort from our batsmen to be competitive in the match and maybe we could have even won the game and levelled the series,” he said. Having taken a first innings lead of 55 runs Sri Lanka were nicely riding along at 71 for no wicket enjoying an overall lead of 126 with all ten wickets in hand when New Zealand decided to change tactics and started bowling short-pitched deliveries at them.

“The only conclusion I could imagine was that the batters were not confident of themselves and they doubted their own ability and technique under pressure,” said Jayaratne. “They were not mentally strong to weather the storm of the New Zealand fast bowlers’ short pitched bowling. At 72 for no wickets it did not seem like we were going to lose a wicket and New Zealand were running out of options when they decided to attack our batsman with short pitched bowling.

“We had spoken about this even the day before very well knowing that they would give us the same medicine we gave them on the second day. We had trained for this as we knew even before we set foot on New Zealand soil that we would counter this scenario. We were up to it till that time we had negotiated this form of attack well. Even our bowlers when they batted came good and we consistently were closing upon 300 runs every time we bated in the series,” he said.

Commenting on Udara Jayasundara’s controversial dismissal where he was given out by the third umpire after the onfield umpire had negatived the appeal for a catch behind the wicket, Jayaratne said, “We did check this up with the match referee David Boon and what he said was that Richard Kettleborough made this decision saying that on the slow motion replay he did see a movement of the glove. “He overruled the onfield decision of the umpire, hot spot and also the snickometer. Very strange to overturn all that evidence and make a call that he had conclusive evidence that there was movement of the glove. This was a game changer decision if we had not lost Udara at that time we wouldn’t have lost Chandimal who also got out before lunch in the space of ten minutes.”

KUSAL PERERA MISSED

Looking ahead at the five-match one-day international series starting in Christchurch on Boxing Day, Jayaratne rued the absence of their flamboyant opener Kusal Perera who was sent home after failing a dope test.

“I actually don’t know how badly his absence will affect the team. I know that the upfront combination is pretty dented, we know how devastating he can be and he also is a cricketer who can win you matches single-handed,” said Jayaratne.

“He was the man of the series in our recent series against West Indies we are going to miss him for sure.

However we also know that we may have to move on without his presence and I believe we need to regroup and find a new combination that would work for us at this stage.”

The squads for the One-Day International and Twenty20 series were also picked.

Both Silva and Thirimanne have been struggling for form in the recent home Test series against West Indies and their places in the team will be taken by Kusal Mendis who has been promoted to be Dimuth Karunaratne’s new opening partner and, Udara Jayasundara who has been given the task of filling the vital number three slot.

Jayasundara, a 24-year-old left-hander from Ananda College who represents Ragama CC in the Premier league has scored 10 centuries in 56 first-class matches which include a highest score of 222.

Mendis, 20 made his Test debut in the West Indies series and scored 13 and 39 batting at number three.

“We have selected the squads solely on current form which has been the determining factor in the process,” said chairman of selectors Kapila Wijegunawardene.

“We have kept faith in the players who have shown form in the recent tour to New Zealand with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and picked Jayasundara and Kithuruwan Vithanage,” he said.

Wijegunawardene said that Kaushal Silva was dropped because the selection committee felt that “he wasn’t playing his natural game and his performances was not upto the expectations of the team”.

“We left Thirimanne out to give him time to sort out his form and regain his confidence,” he said.

In Silva’s case it was more than his failure to contribute the factor that weighed against him was his over cautiousness. He crossed the fifty mark only once in his last 11 innings.

Thirimanne on the other hand has not scored a Test hundred since March 2013 and gone through 28 innings scoring just two fifties. The left-hander however retains his place in the ODI squad.

In the absence of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara who are now retired and the exclusion of Kaushal Silva and Thirimanne the Sri Lankan batting line up will have a new look with the inclusion of players like Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundara, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Kusal Perera and Milinda Siriwardana with a heavy responsibility lying on the shoulder of skipper Angelo Mathews. The bowling unit has not undergone any major changes but for the inclusion of Jeffrey Vandersay. The 25-year-old leggie has been knocking on the door for recognition with some sterling performances for the Board President’s team and the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side in the past few months and richly deserves his selection. He has been included not only in the Test squad but also in the other two formats as well. “Jeffrey has performed well and we thought a wrist spinner would be of value to the side. His selection will depend on the conditions and pitches in New Zealand, but nevertheless we have picked him with a long term view,” said Wijegunawardene.

Hard hitting right-hander Chamara Kapugedera has been named in the ODI and T20 squads. In recent times Kapugedera has been picked to play only in the shortest format T20, but his inclusion for the ODI matches is an indication the selectors think he can still deliver in that format as well. He last played in an ODI in 2012.

Sri Lanka will play a series of two Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is during their five-week tour that commences with a three-day warm-up game against a New Zealand Board President’s XI at Queenstown on December 3.

THE SQUADS

TESTS

Angelo Mathews (captain), Rangana Herath (vice-captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilruwan Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay.

ODIs

Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhanushka Gunathilaka, Sachitra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Chamara Kapugedera, Jeffrey Vandersay.

T20Is

Lasith Malinga (captain), Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Sachitra Senanayake, Isuru Udana.