Tuesday 11th August, 2009 Perseverance helped us win series – Sangakkara

new ball and as the track wears you get ’s rise to the helm of Sri Lankan turn. “ was something eagerly anticipated for he promised so much lost the last two games by from the very start of his international career. Whether it massive margins as Pakistan recorded two consolation wins after having gone was taking on the best of bowlers in the world or through the tour without a win in any cricket heavyweights such as Michael Atherton or Shaun form of the game. “We’ve got to get away from the Pollock, he did it wholeheartedly prompting some to term excuses and complaints. As a team him a Sri Lankan with an Australian’s attitude. Some even we’ve got to make sure that whatever see Sangakkara the a lot similar to country’s conditions we get whether we win the toss or lose it, we approach the game in favourite cricket captain , not just for his the same way. We tried to do that but knack to get under the skin of the oppositions and pick up we got a long way to go to make sure we do that consistently. On this occa- fights, but his vision for country’s cricket future. sion, we should have got 280. We had a good bating plan, but once we lost too by Rex Clementine many it was out of the equa- tion. The important thing is to keep wickets at hand and then even if it These are surely early days, but the gets to eight or eight and half runs an positive signs are already there. Under , you can still chase the target. “ Sangakkara Sri Lanka started off with played a major their first ever home Test series win role in Sri Lanka’s success chipping against Pakistan and then came the in with vital breakthroughs early on first home ODI series win at home in and despite missing the final game two years after losing three successive was named Man of the Series. He fin- series – twice to and once to ished with nine wickets in the series England. at 20:22 and Sangakkara had high Sri Lanka came to for the praise for his seam bowler. last two ODIs with an unassailable 3-0 “This was a great team effort to lead that allowed them to make some win the series and although there experiments and despite losing the last were a few individual brilliances two games, they have started off their we’ve got to thank the bowlers for our march in search of bigger goals. success. It doesn’t matter whether you “We competed every step of the way that we could win,” Sangakkara said come into a series with a pedigree or and we managed to hang in there till elaborating on what made the hosts to whether you are new as long as you are we got a break. In the Test series there reverse their poor form in ODI cricket enthusiastic, working hard, in were a couple of instances where at home. the right areas, bowling aggressively Pakistan should have beaten us but we The R. Premadasa Stadium in recent you have a great chance of making an hung in there and believed that we times has turned out to be very pre- impact,” could win. You set yourself small tar- dictable with teams winning the toss “Thushara and Kulasekara especial- gets like you win 10 overs on a day or electing to bat first and going onto win. ly went about their business very pro- in a session and you keep working like Statistics show that in the last ten fessionally good lines, good that. But at the end of the day you’ve games here, the team that has batted lengths and let the ball do the rest right got to trust each other in the team first has won and Sangakkara throughout the Test and ODI series. because that’s why you are there as a explained why second is diffi- That is one of the reasons why we won. team. You’ve got to trust the guy next cult at R. Premadasa. Our bowling always stepped up when to you who can do the best job he can “The conditions are easier for bat- we wanted it to. We’ve just got to make for the side. That has been one of the ting during the day. In the night you get sure our batting keeps up,” Kumar Sangakkara holds the Mobitel Trophy after winning the five-match series changes I’ve seen, everyone’s believed a bit of zip, seam and swing with the Sangakkara added. against Pakistan 3-2.

many as one million e- ‘Walker’ Sanga defends Campaign to urge mails to Murali’s men- tor Kushil Gunasekara, Udawatte in for the former cricket board secretary urging T-20 International Younus spat Murali not to retire the bowler to continue A group of Sri for a few more years. by Rex Clementine by Rex Clementine Lankan cricket enthusi- Muralitharan is the asts have started a cam- highest taker in Opening batsman Mahela Udawatte, Sri Lanka captain Kumar paign asking veteran both Tests and ODIs. who hit a in the one-day warm up Sangakkara attracted some criticism spinner Muttiah The e-mail originat- game against Pakistan at Welagedara a after getting himself involved in a Muralitharan not to ed by one Yoshitha fortnight ago has been named in the side heated argument with his opposite retire and go on for the Ediriweera read, “E- for the T-20 International against Pakistan number Younus Khan during the fifth magical 1000 Test wick- mail Murali’s Manager on Wednesday at R. Premadasa Stadium. One-Day International at the R. et mark. The off-spin- Kushil Gunasekera ask- Middle order batsmen , Premadasa Stadium after a caught Indika de Saram and , who ner two weeks ago ing him to request behind appeal against Younus was Murali NOT to retire were part of Sri Lanka’s T-20 World Cup turned down by Gamini Silva. announced that he until he takes 1000 Test campaign in Sangakkara was seen exchanging would retire from Tests wickets. Target is One England, were not words with Younus and an attempt by next year after being Million E-mails. Ask all named in the 14 the Pakistani captain to calm things troubled by a knee man squad along your friends to send down by putting his arm over the wick- injury that kept him with medium emails. We must pres- etkeeper’s shoulder was of no avail. out of the recent Test paceman Farveez At the post match conference, series against Pakistan. surize Murali NOT to Maharoof. Sangakkara, who has adopted an The supporters are retire. Chamara approach of walking before the umpire planning to send as (RC) Kapugedara, gives out, was asked about the inci- Thilina dent. Kandamby and “I am a great believer if he had hit it , he probably should go; if he didn’t go who didn’t play maybe he didn’t hit it. I appealed Sanga pays tribute to Farbrace the T-20 World because I thought he did hit it but the Cup, have been umpire thought otherwise. I wasn’t Sri Lanka captain lytically. His overall named for the upset the caught behind was not given Kumar Sangakkara enthusiasm for our one-off game that’s the way the game goes. There are paid tribute to outgoing team was sensational. along with leg- some instances where people react, the Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar coach The performances of spinner Malinga batsman or the fielders make a bigger Sangakkara, left, argues with his Pakistani following Sri Lanka’s 3- bowlers like Nuwan Bandara. issue of it than it was,” the Sri Lankan counterpart Younus Khan during the fifth 2 win against Pakistan Kulasekara and Thilan Tillekeratne Mahela Udawatte captain said. One-Day International at R. Premadasa in the ODI Series on Thushara are testi- Dilshan, the What apparently upset Sangakkara Sunday. Farbrace will monies for his hard Player of the Tournament in England, is was Younus indicating to the umpire Stadium on Sunday. vacate the Sri Lankan work. He’s been doing recovering from injury and was not named that he didn’t get an edge and job at the end of this lot of work behind the for the Pakistan game. them and allow them to do the job.” Sangakkara was of the opinion that month. scenes, but not getting Pakistan ended Sri Lanka’s unbeaten Pakistan coach Inthikab Alam too players shouldn’t prejudice the Farbrace, who took credit for what he has run in the tournament when they beat umpires. played down the incident saying both over from Trever Penny done, especially the sta- them by eight wickets at Lord’s. “As long as the umpires are there teams played in the best of spirits. as the Assistant Coach tistical input that he Sri Lanka Squad for T-20 and they are allowed to make the deci- “The Younis-Sanga incident was taken International: Kumar Sangakkara ( of the Sri Lankan team brings in of both the sion I don’t think that we as players in good sense. Nothing serious hap- Captain), Muttiah Muralitharan (Vice- in 2007 will leave to his opposition and us. He’s need to make a big show about whether pened really. Throughout the series Captain), , Upul the ball was hit or missed. In every sin- both teams have got along well with native Kent, where he’ll done amazing work and Tharanga, Mahela Udawatte, Mahela gle game you have decisions going for each other and kept a very good spirit. take over as the Head we are going to miss Jayawardene, Chamara Kapugedara, you and against you but at the end of We’ve always had very good relations Coach of the County. him a lot,” Sangakkara , , the day the officials on the field are the with Sri Lankan cricketers and with “I think he’s going to said. , , Nuwan most competent, you’ve got to trust ,” the experienced be a huge loss for us Paul Farbrace (RC) Kulasekara, , Isuru Udana coach told reporters. both tactically and ana- and Thilan Thushara.

Tuesday 11th August, 2009