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| April 28, 2006 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1427 |
Jayawardene predicts tough series
LONDON, April 27: Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene believes playing England away will prove to be one of toughest tests imaginable for his side and enable them to pin-point just where they stand in world cricket.
England are currently second in ICC Test rankings, with Sri Lanka back in seventh position, although with likes of Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan in ranks, Sri Lankans are a match for anyone on their day.
They may be without likes of Sanath Jayasuriya (retired) and Marvan Atapattu (injured), but they have a fine blend of youth and experience and under guidance of coach Tom Moody, they will be well versed in nuances of English conditions at this time of year.
Jayawardene said playing England in England will be “a great challenge. We will have to adapt to conditions, but we will have individual guys who will be trying their best and changing their games accordingly.”
Jayawardene himself has a fine record against hosts, averaging 58.46 in 10 matches, including three hundreds and five fifties, but Sri Lanka's stats make for less impressive reading and skipper acknowledges it will be a tough ask to upset Flintoff and company in their own back yard.
“Over last year England have improved a lot, especially in Test cricket. They have a balanced pace attack and a very good all-rounder in the middle.
“The batting is strong too and all in all they have made steady progress. It will definitely be good for us to play England in England to see where we stand.”
“We are without a couple of senior guys for this tour but we have other guys in squad who will now have chance to prove themselves.”
He remains convinced that experience of Chaminda Vaas, Muralitharan and himself will stand them in good stead.
—Agencies
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