Ford credits hard work for Lanka's brilliant fielding

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from England

DURHAM: Graham Ford the Sri Lanka cricket team's head coach praised the fielding of his players and said that they deserved every catch they took during the England first innings of the first day of the second Test at Chester-le-Street here on Friday. "I have always had a huge regard for the attitude of the Sri Lankan players," said Ford.

"But after the disappointment of last week, the way the blokes have committed themselves to improve their cricket, the training sessions we've had since the first Test and the effort the boys have put in, in difficult weather conditions, it's pleasing to see that the fielding coming good today.

"Everybody in the camp was delighted to see those catches they were really very special," Ford continued.

"Hats off to the boys, at training sessions they really worked hard and in cold conditions they put in the work and thrown themselves around they deserve their rewards. The bowlers also should have got a little more reward on a day we worked really hard. It's important we latch on to everything we can if we want to stay competitive."Ford said that captain Angelo Mathews' catch to dismiss Alex Hales for 83 energised the entire team.

"He (Angelo) has done quite a bit of work. I have seen him taking those catches at training. All those moments really energize you. Four of those catches energized the troops and got them going," said Ford.

"The pitch wasn't much in the bowlers' favour. We are not a side that has a huge amount of fire power. These guys getting a good honest day's work done and they really stuck to it. It was pleasing to see the fielders backing it up," he said.

Sri Lanka's fielding standards in recent times have fallen drastically and since Ford took over as head coach in February they have been assiduously been working hard towards regaining that lost status.