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| Sunday, 29 December 2002 |
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Don't write us off, we'll bounce back- Jayasuriya Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia.... MELBOURNE, Dec. 28 - "True our efforts so far have been disappointing. It is partly due to my poor run with the bat. I am confident that with the dawn of the New Year the luck that has deserted us will return and put us on the winning trail", said Jayasuriya who was getting ready to leave for net practice with his teammates. After the team arrived from Perth they were given a couple of days off, so as to shrug off their disappointment of losing three one-day VB series internationals - two to England and the other to Australia. "I am not playing bad shots, nor going for the big ones. Knowing the responsibility that I have to shoulder, I try to get my eye in, study the pace of the wicket before launching. But when I feel I am middling, something goes wrong and the next moment I am walking back", said the skipper who is confident that very soon he will get back form and smash the opposing bowlers. "At the nets, I am middling, batting with no discomfort. The confidence that is so very vital is returning. I am sure everything will fall right soon and then I'll provide all that is required for the rest of the batting to strike", said Jayasuriya. Don't write us off just yet. True we have surrendered without a fight in the first three games. But that is not what we are capable of. Don't forget that failures are the pillars of success. We have five more matches to play. We will be there at the finish", said the captain. "True we knew it would not be easy to beat Australia considering that they are playing with everything in their favour. But no excuses could be adduced for our not beating England". "England have had the daylights knocked out of them in the three Tests and are likely to be smashed in the Fourth Test that is now on. With their confidence at a low ebb, how we got thrashed by them is something unpalatable and unacceptable", said Jayasuriya who is setting in motion strategy to at least undo Nasser Hussain's Englishmen. In both games against England, Sri Lanka had their opportunities. But with the Englishmen on the ropes the Lankans lacked the punch to deliver the knockout and England recovered to deliver the ko punch on the Sri Lankans. What Sri Lanka is looking for is a big score from the captain and a sound start. Once Jayasuriya strikes the rest will follow and a match winning score will follow. Unfortunately Jayasuriya has not had luck with the toss too. So it will be seen that bad luck is dogging the Lankans at every turn. Not so long ago Sri Lanka sported the tag of being the best fielding side in the world. But sadly today they have come tumbling down the ladder in this aspect of fielding. Good fielding helps to raise the levels in all aspects. The most ugly spectacle to watch is a poor fielding side. It is hoped that the Lankans will redeem themselves soon and show what they are capable of. As for the bowlers they don't seem to be bowling wicket to wicket which is what bowling is all about in this style of game. Also some of the bowlers don't seem to be directing at their field. Only Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando have been bowling according to the dictates of the game. Vaas has consistently captured the important early wickets, but has not received support from the rest of his pack. Muralitheran will add the necessary sting to the attack and De Silva is expected to prop the fragile batting. |
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