1st one-day against England tomorrow - Mahela orders team to start afresh

By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena said that he has no intention in living on past laurels, being runner-up of the 2007 World Cup and made it clear that the team has to start all over again. Sri Lanka will take on England in a five Bradford and Bingley day night ODI series, the first starting tomorrow (Monday) at the Rangiri Dambulu Stadium.

"Two years ago there was a goal set for us,that's the World Cup, and after the World Cup we had quite a few changes in the set up. Now we have to start all over again. If we stay in dreams of the past, the other teams might roll you over." he said.

"The Sri Lankan Skipper Mahela said that the Lankans have to prepare themselves and groom the new planes to push the guys who are in the team.

We cannot keep them in a floating system, that's why our new coach Trevor Bayliss has come in and done a fair bit of work in the last month and a half to push the players into another level, from where Tom Moody has left us. "

He said that it is not going to be easy and rosy just because we got into a final of a World Cup.

We will have to work harder as the opposition will obviously come at us with a vengeance, knowing that we were the runners-up at the last World Cup. So we got to work vigorously towards our goal.

"We should forget the negative aspect of the Twenty 20 version of the game, pick up the positive side that we gained, and face the 50-over game, because 50 overs are lot of overs, and it is important that we bat throughout the 50 overs, which we have done quite well in the past and our focus should be drawn once again towards that.

Jayawardena also said that the bowlers had learnt a lot in the Twenty20 tournament, and for the first time an extra fielder is permitted instead of the two outside the circle in the third power play. The free hit off a no-ball will come into play for the first time in the fifty over version of the game in Monday's first game. So the players should get used to the new innovations.

Referring to the pitch at the Dambulu Stadium, Jayawardena said that it could be even unfamiliar to the Lankans as matches were not played in the recent past.

Jayawardena was optimistic that the young England players would be a challenge as it will be a new experience for them. We are aware of their performances against India and the West Indies.

England skipper Paul Collingwood said that his players are confident and waiting to go after their limited over success.

England has not won an ODI series in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka beat England 5/0 when the two countries met in England.

He was also concerned about the heat which will be a challenge and believed that spinner Monty Panesar will play a vital role in the series.

One - day squads

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardena (Captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya, T. M. Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Jehan Mubarak, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof, Upul Tharanga, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Gayan Wijekoon, Dilruwan Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan.

England: Paul Collingwood (Captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, P. Mustard, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graems Swann, Luke Wright.

Fixtures

1st October: 1st ODI (day night) Dambulla, October 4; 2nd ODI (Day night) Dambulla, October 7; 3rd ODI (Daynight) Dambulla. October 10; 4th ODI (day night) R. Premadasa Stadium. October 13; 5th ODI (day night) R.Premadasa Stadium.