Lanka has a good chance of winning, says Sangakkara

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting

Kumar Sangakkara who scored one of his better centuries, coming back after recovering from a hamstring injury, said that they should bat the first session without losing a wicket, and then take it from there and press for victory, which he said is possible if they believe in ourselves.

The bounce on the wicket is getting lower, and it would be a struggle. I batted more fluently than in the first innings. I threw it away in the first innings, but I am determined to go on and see the Lankans to victory", he said.

"Had we not lost Mahela Jayawardena things could have been different. It was his first innings century knock that inspired us, he said.

Jayawardena got a peach of a ball from Lee that knocked his stumps.

What was inexplicable was that when the shot from Atapattu was sailing to the square leg fielder Jacques, that Atapattu and Sangakkara stood and watched while the catch was being taken without crossing.

Had they done that, Jayawardena would not have had to face the Lee delivery. We got to be realistic and cling along till lunch to keep our chances alive" he said. He paid tribute to Jayasuriya with whom he is batting with, saying that he is one of the best in world cricket, and that he is one who can take the game away from the opponents if he gets going.

As for Muralitharan not getting the bowling record, he said that they were first focused on beating Australia in Australia and also doing their best to help Murali. "But then that's how the game goes and he will get it against the Englishmen when they tour Sri Lanka in December for Three Tests", he said.

Sanath Jayasuriya who is also probably playing his last Test, should endeavour to play a match winning innings and sign off in style. Ricky Ponting, the Australian skipper, looked a worried man facing the media and said that the Lankans batted well and underlined the fact that he missed the off spin of Andrew Symonds who is nursing a twisted ankle.

"We will come out in the morning and put the pressure on the batsmen and try to dismiss them and pocket our 14th victory in Test cricket" he promised. If the remaining batsmen fire taking the cue from Sangakkara and Jayasuriya, then at the end the headline would read LANKANS TURN CRICKET WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.

Bellerive Oval, Hobart Monday