Wednesday 24th May, 2006 No repetition of ‘Ganguly and Chappell’ between Sanath and me – Moody Rex Clementine reporting confidence has been high after experience at Edgbaston with from Edgbaston the result of the Lord’s match, the latter having represented the ’s coach Tom where the tourists fought county for 17 long seasons before Moody maintained that there against all odds to ensure a draw. taking up the coaching role with was no rift between him and the “Dressing room is full of con- Sri Lanka. Moody himself repre- team’s senior most player, fidence. Self belief is quite high, sented the county early part of ahead of the going into the Test Match, We his career before switching to second Test Match against don’t want a situation where we Worcestershire whom he later England here at Edgbaston on have to claw back like in the first coached. Thursday. Test; but our confidence is at “Trevor Penny has been The 36-year-old veteran was best compared to any another involved with the county for a overlooked for the four day warm- with that,” Moody told journal- if a decision had to be made time in the tour. long period. I have got quite a bit up game against Sussex last week, ists after Sri Lanka’s first prac- between Tilan Samaraweera and Turning of knowledge too about how the giving way for thoughts that tice session in Edgbaston ahead Chamara Kapugedara, who both The last couple of season’s wicket will play and will pass on Moody was giving the cold shoul- of the second Test. failed in the first Test but made at Edgbaston have what we know to the players,” der to Jayasuriya; something sim- Like Mahela hundreds in the Sussex game, the favoured spin bowlers in early Moody added. ilar to what happened in India last Jayawardene, the coach also senior player needed to be backed. part of the summer. The wicket Edgbaston has seen been the year when Moody’s compatriot, maintained that Jayasuriya has “Playing only six batsmen and that had been chosen for the Test venue for a few historical crick- Greg Chappell openly cited that every opportunity to play the an additional bowler is one of the was dry where the tourists’ spin- eting moments. It was here former captain Sourav Ganguly remaining two Tests despite being options that are available for us. ners could have played a major Brian Lara hit a world record Switzerland’s tennis star Roger Federer was not fit to be in the side. overlooked for the warm-up game. I’ll discuss the combination with part; but the England manage- 501, the highest score in first arrives with his partner Mirka for the annu- “It’s actually poles apart from “Everyone in the squad including Mahela and Kumar ment soon after seeing the pitch class cricket, when he was a pro- al Laureus Sports Awards in Barcelona, on Sanath has got a chance in this (Sangakkara). Tilan has made yesterday asked for the adjoin- fessional player for the county in what happened in India. It’s noth- Monday. Federer won the Laureus World ing to do with myself and Sanath Test and the next,” he said. two hundreds in side games so far ing strip thinking that the origi- 1994. Five years later, the venue Jayasuriya. It’s got (something) Playing six batsmen despite failing in the Lord’s Test nal one would cause fewer wor- hosted probably the greatest of Sportsman of the Year award for the second to do with Sri Lanka Cricket. The Sri Lanka are also contemplat- and he brings in vital experience ries for them against Sri Lanka’s all one-day matches — the year running. - (AFP) media unfortunately is gearing ing to play six batsmen compared to the middle order as well. world class spin attack. famous World Cup semi-final up towards the coach and the sen- to the seven they tried out at Confidence high Both Moody and assistant clash between and ior player. It’s got nothing to do Lord’s and Moody indicated that He also said that Sri Lanka’s coach Trevor Penny have had Australia, which ended in a tie. Aravinda for Sanath Former Sri Lanka star says paceman Lasith Malinga and opener Sanath Jayasuriya should both play in the second Test against England. “I hope there is now enough confi- dence to play a more balanced side,” he said. “Perhaps Malinga and Jayasuriya coming in could help. My theory would be to play the best possible side.” Malinga was overlooked for the first Test as Sri Lanka sought bowlers who could bat while Jayasuriya arrived in the country after the Lord’s draw. De Silva, in England for media work, has also spent time with the Sri Lanka camp and feels there may be some momentum with the tourists ahead of Thursday’s match at Edgbaston. He told the Daily Telegraph: “The boys did a wonderful job to dig themselves out of a no-win situation at Lord’s. “It will give them that much more con- fidence to go out and make this series a really good contest. “I think the fact that they were writ- ten off before the series started, and that they had a young side which came through a tough Test, looks good for the future.”

85

Published by Upali Newspapers Ltd, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13. and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Wednesday 24th May, 2006