Sri Lanka won’t underestimate Bangladesh - Mahela
DHAKA, Dec 20 - Captain Mahela Jayawardene said Sri Lanka would
maintain the highest level of intensity when they play a two-Test series
against Bangladesh starting later this month.
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Sri Lankan cricketer Chaminda Vaas kicks a football as he
takes part in a short practice session at The Sher-e-Bangla
National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on December 19, 2008. AFP |
The first Test in Dhaka starts on Dec 26 at Mirpur with a day’s break
on Dec 29 for parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
The second test will be in Chittagong from Jan 3-7.
They will also play a tri-nation one-day tournament from Jan 10-16
against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
“Each and every game that I play, I take it seriously. It’s as simple
as that,” Jayawardene told a news conference on Friday. “Doesn’t matter
whether it’s Bangladesh or anybody else.
“Bangladesh are an improving side, young side. We don’t want to leave
any room for them to get close to us.
That’s the attitude,” added the 31-year old middle-order batsman.
Sri Lanka have toured Bangladesh only once for a full series in 2006,
when Jaywardene was first made captain replacing injured Marvan Atapattu.
They won the test series 2-0 but Bangladesh gained their only one-day
win against Sri Lanka in going down the 2-1 ODI series defeat. “Yes, it
wasn’t a great start as we lost a one-day game to Bangladesh. But the
important thing for us is to improve as a team,” said Jayawardene.
“We made steady progress as a team in the last four or five years, in
both versions of the game. Our test cricket has been really consistent.
So we just want to maintain that.”
Reuters
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