Injured Mathews to miss rest of the tour

Shirajiv SIRIMANE in India

Cuttack: Sri Lanka suffered further injury problems when they lose the services of Angelo Mathews after pulling a thigh muscle during the second one-dayer in Nagpur.

Mathews who stroked a match winning unbeaten 37 and batted with a runner during the last three overs was advised to rest by the doctors. “He will be out from the rest of the tour” said Sri Lankan Coach, Brendon Kuruppu. He would be replaced by Tisara Perera.

In addition Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando too were ruled out of the tour due to finger injuries and have returned to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the hero of the second one day game Dilshan said that the last two ODI hundreds were the best he scored. “I must also say that 2009 is the best year for me.”

In the first one day international in Rajkot where a aggregate of 830 plus was recorded Dilshan scored 150 plus but the team failed to win..

In the second one dayer, Man of the match, Dilshan notched up his second back to back century and this time the team won the match by three wickets. “I have scored 10 centuries this year and match winning 100 during the second one dayer against India was very special to me,” he said.

“I am also happy to open batting as it gives me less pressure unlike in the middle order where I have to think about the run rate, and many other factors as well,” he said. He has scored four out of his five centuries while opening the batting.

“I think more matches have given me the maturity and I am now converting the 30’s and 40’s in to big scores.”

He said that the team is now more determined to win the next three games in Cuttack tomorrow, Kolcutta (24) and Delhi (27) which are all day night matches.

Meanwhile the Sri Lankan captain Kumara Sangakkara said he was happy with the performance of the team and was full of praise for the two debutant’s. “They lived up to potential.”

However he said that the team’s fielding has to improve and he personally missed a stumping chance and a catch.

“We are also worried about the injuries and this tour squad saw over 40 players in action,” he quipped.

Dhoni said “poor fielding was a major factor in India’s failure to defend a competitive score. He praised India’s middle-order batsmen, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli, who hit half-centuries played key roles in India’s recovery.

He said that the Sri Lankan debutant Randir bowled well. “But he came in when the Indian batsmen were under pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile Orissa Police here made tight security arrangements for India-Sri Lanka cricket players during Barabati ODI to meet any eventualities. Players of both teams will enter the Barabati stadium through a special gate.

Players would be surrounded by heavily armed ‘commandos’. Similarly, all spectators would be thoroughly scanned before entering the stadium on Monday and the entry of articles other than water pouches have been banned.