Jayewardene praises Malinga

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting

It was a delighted Sri Lankan Captain Mahela Jayewardene who faced the media after their nail biting ‘Super Over’ victory over New Zealand in the first World Cup Twnty20 Super Eight game at the Pallekele Stadium on Thursday.

He got the media conference rolling by first praising his death-over bowler Lasith Malinga for the well controlled death-over he bowled to Martin Guptil and Brendon McCullum.Jayewardene said he had confidence in Malinga and that is why he gave him that over.

‘He told me about the field placings he wanted and I set the field that way and he did the rest to restrict the New Zealand batsmen and give us a 5-run victory’, said the skipper.

In recent times Malinga seemed to have lost some of his sting. But when it mattered most h delivered. He ran in fast and bowled his now famous dreaded Yorkers with great control and Guptil and McCullum looked clueless. The normal 20 overs a side game ended in chaos, when both sides were not certain who had won. With the scores level at 174, Lahiru Thirimanne had to get a single that would have given Sri Lanka victory. Thirimanne tapped the final delivery and scampered the single with Anjelo Matthews.

Ross Taylor at the non striker’s end who gathered he ball was not certain as to what happened. He thought ye game had been lost shook hands with the umpires and it dawned on him that it was a tie when his coach shouted that the batsman was out.Jayewardene also singled out young spin bowler Akila Dhananjaya Perera for mention. He said that young man bowled extremely well and he was upset when the bowler took a blow to his face. ‘But it was only a bruise and he will continue to play, depending on the opposition and wicket we play on’, said Jayewardene.

The Lankans can now take heart from this close win and advance.