Mathews positive of resurrection
Pitch should help seamers :
Both teams likely to make changes for final Test :
Ranjan ANANDAPPA
With the first Test in Galle between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh buried
in an avalanche of runs, Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews believes that
he could resurrect the side by thinking positively and find the winning
way when the two countries meet each other in the second and final
cricket Test at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama today.
 Both teams had a run fiesta at Galle scoring 1613 runs for the loss
of 9 wickets in a Test that went the full distance with eight centuries
scored by the batsmen of either side. Lahiru Thirimanne (155), twin
hundreds by Kumar Sangakkara (142) and (105) Dinesh Chandimal (116 n.o)
and T.M.Dilshan (126)for Sri Lanka . Mushfiqur Rahim (200),Mohammad
Asfraful (190) and Nasir Hossain (100) created history for Bangladesh on
a nightmarish pitch for the bowlers.
Mathews addressing the media in a pre- match press briefing said that
the Khettarama pitch looked a sporty one and a seam friendly wicket.
“When you play Bangladesh we should be as positive as we can and try to
win the game. We are hoping to make a few changes, but the final
composition of the team will be known only on the day of the match.
However, to win a match we need to take 20 wickets so we will have to
bowl well to get those wickets,” he said
The Sri Lankan captain further said that although he thought that the
wicket in Galle did not help the bowlers, they had done a good job.” The
credit also should go to the Bangladesh batsmen specially Mohammad
Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim they batted brilliantly. Bangladesh has
played some really good cricket in the recent past and they are a
dangerous team and we cannot under estimate them or be complacent. They
performed extremely well in Galle and we got to be careful,” he said
He further said that when Sri Lanka plays against any side the public
expectation is high. Like the team,the people too like to see the
country winning. We play to the best of our potential and try to win
against who ever the opponents we meet. Regardless whom we play we want
to play positively and win.
Talking about the Sri Lankan bowlers, Mathews said that the main
bowlers, Nuwn Kulasekera, Sahminda Eranga and Rangana Herath have been
playing regularly in Test matches and the young batsmen which they have
tried have performed exceptionally well in the last game and thought,
that there is no need for a major shake up in the batting order.
Bangladesh who has lost all their 11 Test matches against Sri Lanka
will be brimming with confident after their Test match in Galle which
ended in a high scoring draw. They are bound to make a couple of changes
for the second Test bringing in Tamin Iqbal and Abdur Razzak for Elias
Sunny the left arm spinner and opener Anamul Haque.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), T.M.Dilshan, Dimuth
Karunaratne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kithruwan Vithanage,
Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Kulasekera, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis,
Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Chanaka Welegedera. Suranga Lakmal
Bangladesh: Mishfiqur Rahim (Captain), Anamul Haque, Jahurul
Islam, Mohammad Ashraful, Mohammed Mohamadullah, Nasir Hossain, Momunul
Haq, Abdul Hassan, Sohag Gazi, Elian Sunny, Shahadat Hossain, Tamim
Iqbal, Abdur Razzak |
