Injury to Angelo Mathews a hard blow....:

New coach Law has confidence in Sri Lanka’s batting

by Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: Former Australian cricketer Stuart Law, the present Sri Lankan cricket coach said that no side has defeated England in a home series in the recent past and if any side wants to beat them they should maintain a high consistent level and firmly believe in themselves in their own ability.

Thirteen of the Sri Lankan cricket team members will leave for the United Kingdom on 10th May morning and the rest who are involved in the IPL will join the team in time for the second warm-up match scheduled to begin on May 20 against the England ‘Lions’. Sri Lanka will play a three Test match series, five ODIs and a solitary T20 during their almost two months stay in England. The first Test starts on May 26 at Cardiff.

Sri Lanka has never won a Test series in England. The three Test series was squared 1/1 when Sri Lanka last toured England in 2006 under Mahela Jayawardena, the five match ODI series was convincingly won by Sri Lanka 5/0.

With regard to playing T20 matches prior a Test series Steuart Law said that it will only have a positive effect.

“After the introduction of T20 cricket, the batsmen have scored freely. The four-day games are better to watch as they are more attacking, so it does have a positive effect and regardless of the white ball, black sightscreens, coloured clothing etc. everything should be in the players, mind. The player has to mentally get over that and understand what he has to do. Different games, mentally tuned up rather than physically tuned up. The physically tuned up, they are ready to play any day of the week. They are mentally aware that you take a bit longer to play the shots and longer to bowl. So it is really mental”.

Seam bowlers - a great opportunity

Law said that under the English conditions, the seam bowlers will have a great opportunity to prove themselves.

“The wickets we play will be down south. So we’ll come across a dry pitch. We play the third Test in Southampton in Cardiff where Australia played the first Test a couple of years ago at a similar time of the year the ball was turning square. So if that’s the case, we will have an opportunity.The seam attack that we have got, there is no question that it is highly talented and equally skilled. They have not played a lot of cricket, but the little cricket they have played have been sufficient to impress the right people that’s why they have been picked into the squad,” coach said.

The Law did not believe in living in the past and had no issues for the inclusion of new players. “It is one of those situations that we have to look at the future. We can’t keep going back to guys like Muralitharan and Malinga to dig you out of the hole. We need someone to come in and grab the opportunity with both hands and become the next ‘Murali’ or Malinga.

Touching further on the Sri Lankan bowling attack, Law was impressed of the bowling of Suranga Lakmal. “Suranga Lakmal who had played in one Test previously, swings the ball very much. If he can do that in England it’s going to be a huge advantage. The seam of the ‘Duke’ ball is more pronounced, so if he could hit the seam, he is going to be a handful if the wicket is suited for fast bowling as well. The other fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep is very raw, fast and excited. He could bowl fast as well. It will also give another opportunity for Dilhara Fernando. He has not played a lot of cricket recently and it is the time for him to really establish himself as the number one fast bowler in Sri Lanka. If he does so, it will be great. He is big and strong and he can bowl all day.That’s the great thing that he has up his sleeve.I believe if he bowls to a right plan he should get wickets.”

42 year old Stuart Law who lives in England and is familiar to the conditions, has played for Lancashire, Essex and Derbyshire in the county circuit. He believed that England would stick to their same ‘Ashes’ winning combination over the winter who had performed admirably and it will be a difficult task to beat England in conditions which will suit them.

“England has the bowlers of the likes of Jimmy Anderson, Steuart Broad, Ajmal and Tim Bresnan to bowl in conditions that are likely suit them a clear blue sky and a greenish wicket,” so, if that’s the case, we will have to play very good cricket for fifteen days to compete with them. If we play well enough, we may have the opportunity to open the door and win.”

Mathews injury - great loss

With the Sri Lanka middle order still looking fragile, Law accepted the loss of star all-rounder Angelo Mathews whose inability to play due to injury, as a great loss.” Mathews injury is a massive blow to the side. He has been making great progress in world cricket in the last couple of months. He is going to be one of those players that we are going to miss. However, for him to play in the team he is not quite ready to just play as a batsman. To have his worth and the balance of the side he should be able to bowl as well. That’s the decision of the selection committee and to me that’s probably the right one. While fielding he likes to contribute, he likes to bowl. He is going to be a huge loss. Mathews is making his way, a steady recovery, back from his injury, once he is fully recovered, he should get straight back into the team.”

Law expressed his confidence in the Sri Lanka batting line up saying that it is a world class one. “Mahela, Sangakkara, Samaraweera and Dilshan all are averaging 50 in Test cricket. Tharanga Paranavithana has made a great start to his Test career. I don’t see the batting is going to be a huge problem. The batsmen are capable in doing their job. They need to be consistent and believe in their own ability that they can do it. Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena and Dilshan could be put against any combination and you will find the side pretty strong. You may not have played the amount of cricket required prior to a tough series like this. But they all have the talent, sometimes grooming young talented players can produce the goods as they have the ability to walk on to the field and just get on with the job as they don’t know anything better. This is the best team that we are going to take to England,and we are going to get the job done.”

Law, who was the assistant coach to Trevor Bayliss, has been bestowed the job as the head coach of a Test playing nation for the first time for the England tour, said that “It is great to get involved with a great cricket team. Sri Lanka Cricket has given me the responsibility for this tour and I am ready to accept the challenge. It is a challenge dealing with not only with thought process of playing the game, but also mixing up with different cultures, different religions. Having taken all those into consideration, it’s quite a massive responsibility. I am really happy for SLC for giving me the opportunity. People will judge on results, during the tour. But the saying is be well prepared, give everything that you possibly can to have a good tour. That should be the criteria rather than just results. No team has recently gone to England and won in Test match cricket. Law is shortlisted with Trevor Penny and Mathew Maynard to take up the job as the full time coach of the Sri Lanka cricket team. An impressive performance by the team should give added credence to steuart Law to continue with the job.

Sri Lanka: T.M. Dilshan (Captain), Tharanga Paranavithana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardana, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardena (Wicket keeper), Thisara Perera, Suraj Randive, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep.

Itinerary

May 14-16: Sri Lanka vs Middlesex

May 20-22: Sri Lanka vs England Lions

May 26-30: First Test Sri Lanka vs England at Cardiff

June 3-7: Second Test Sri Lanka vs England at Lord’s, London.

June 10-12: Sri Lanka vs Essex

June 16-20: Third Test Sri Lanka vs England at Southamton.

June 25: Sri Lanka Vs England T20

June 28: First ODI Sri Lanka vs England at London Oval.

July 1: Second ODI Sri Lanka vs England at Leeds.

July 3: Third ODI Sri Lanka vs England at Lord’s

July 6: Fourth ODI Sri Lanka vs England at Nottingham

July 9: Fifth ODI Sri Lanka vs England at Manchester.