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Sa'adi Thwfeeq reporting from South Africa and Kenya

EAST LONDON, Sunday - Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya fired a warning shot at defending World Cup champions Australia when he said that his side is capable of putting an end to their unbeaten run. Australia have won nine matches on the trot in the present World Cup and 15 in toto, but Jayasuriya whose team is the only one to have beaten the Aussies this year is confident they can do it again.

Jayasuriya referred to the upcoming World Cup semi-final clash with Australia which comes up on Tuesday at St. George's Park, Port Elizabeth after his side had beaten Zimbabwe by 74 runs here on Saturday to clinch the fourth and final semi-final berth.

"We must admit we didn't play well against Australia in the first match. But you never know with our team we can always come back. It will be a totally different game altogether. We have to play some positive cricket.

We will give it our best shot," said Jayasuriya."History says the Port Elizabeth pitch has been a turning track.. It it is the case it will suit our bowlers. We have got a lot of spinners starting with Murali(tharan)," he said.

Sri Lanka have a habit of beating the Aussies when it matters most. They won against them in the 1996 World Cup final and then again in the Champions trophy mini-World Cup semi-finals in Colombo last year.

"We always thought that if we won one game we had a chance of coming into the semi-finals. We played some good cricket in the first round and we deserved to get into the Super Sixes.

After that we were disappointed about the first two games. Even though we didn't play all that well, I always thought that we had a very good chance with this team to come into the semi-finals," said Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya said the team that won the World Cup seven years ago was very much experienced than the present one.

"This side has youth and experience and we have been sometimes playing extremely well and sometimes badly," he said.

"The problem is with the middle-order batting. We have been going through a hard time with Mahela (Jayawardene) out of form. We have to make it solid," said Jayasuriya. Jayasuriya said that Chaminda Vaas' late spell of reverse swing bowling changed the course of the match against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe at that time were cruising at 140-3 in 29 overs until Vaas came on to take two wickets for six runs in 29 balls.

"It was a crucial game and the boys knew if we lost we will go out and if we win we will be in the semi-finals. In Jo'burg we didn't bat or bowl well. It was a disappointing performance altogether against India. But the boys had played enough cricket to come back and win as they did against Zimbabwe. They knew how important this game was," said Jayasuriya.

Man of the match Marvan Atapattu who stroked a workmanlike century said that it was a special hundred because it was scored at a time when the team needed it most. "It was a crucial match for us and everybody knew about it after yesterday evening. It was a must win occasion. This innings was very important to me and for the team," he said.

Comparing it to the previous nine one-day hundreds he had scored in his career, Atapattu said: This is a more concentrated effort compared to the hundreds I scored earlier. This was like working the singles more than hitting boundaries. The ball was not coming on to the bat and we soon realised that we've got to fight hard for the runs," he said.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak said that it was important for Sri Lanka to get good starts and get early breakthroughs from Chaminda Vaas and put Australia under pressure, they may have a chance against them in the semi-finals.

"They are an unpredictable side. I know they will be up against Australia. It is gonna be a tough one for them. Australia is the benchmark in this competition so far and probably the favourites. Sri Lanka are a very flamboyant side and they need Atapattu to continue the form he is been in and Jayasuriya to show his potential that we have seen over the years up the front that's where they score most," said Streak.

"They certainly have a lot potential and they are not a team that can be taken lightly.

They have got match-winners in their side," he said.

MANAGER HITS BACK AT CRITICS

Sri Lanka team manager Ajith Jayasekera took the opportunity to hit back at critics back home when he said: "We have come for a lot of unnecessary criticism back home from so called connoisseurs of sports saying the BCCSL is to blame for the World Cup debacle. All I have to say is the debacle is not over as yet. Just because you lose a game or two that doesn't mean you have to condemn everyone".

"People have been saying that there is a lot of infighting within the team. There is no such thing. The team has been playing as one unit. We have done our best, played good cricket and what they forget is that we have beaten the West Indies and New Zealand, tied with South Africa and comprehensively beaten Canada and Bangladesh. We had a hiccup against Kenya, and lost to two of the strongest sides in the tournament. We have held our own and we have come to the semi-finals. We have vindicated our stand that we are playing as a unit. We will continue from there," said Jayasekera.

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