Sri Lanka cricket coach Trevor Bayliss predicted his team's embarrassment at a crushing seven wicket loss to Tasmania in Hobart would fire them up for their opening tri-series game against India in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Playing their second and final warm-up match before the tri-series, also involving Australia, Sri Lanka set Tasmania a modest target which the home side achieved with a whopping 13.5 overs to spare.
Sparked by paceman Brendan Drew (5-36 off 10 overs) domestic one-day competition leader Tasmania restricted Sri Lanka to 9-183 off 47.4 overs after veteran opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya was unable to resume his innings.
Jayasuriya retired hurt after injuring his chin whilst facing Tigers paceman Tim MacDonald in the eighth over.
Jayasuriya, who was on eight at the time, required six stitches in the wound but a precautionary x-ray cleared him of a fracture and Bayliss expected the 38-year-old batsman would be available for Tuesday's game.
"He wants to play on Tuesday and he thinks he will," Bayliss said of Jayasuriya.
"He's a bit sore and sorry at the moment, but he's fairly tough, so I'm sure he will be right.
"The wicket was a bit slow and he said he was actually through the shot before the ball came along and hit the visor and squashed the visor against his chin."
Bayliss lamented the fact four of his batsman got a start without producing a big score.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene (51 off 59 balls) added 53 with Chamara Kapugedera (34 off 61) in the biggest partnership of the innings. However, Sri Lanka's innings tailed off from 4-152 in the 37th over after Farveez Maharoof's (29 off 43) dismissal.
An opening partnership of 91 in just under 20 overs between Tim Paine (54 off 76 balls) and Michael Dighton (45 off 63) provided the perfect start to the Tigers' chase.
Both men fell to Nuwan Kulasekera (2-27 off six).
Luke Butterworth fell for eight, but Dane Anderson (47 off 50) and acting captain George Bailey (21 off 11) hurried the home team to victory.
Bayliss described Sri Lanka's batting and fielding as lacklustre and said his team didn't bowl very well either.
"If anything, this will psych them up to play good cricket on Tuesday, if anything they were a little embarrassed at how they played," Bayliss said.
"We had four guys who had good starts but played some not very good shots to get out and we will be looking to improve that."
Drew dismissed Upul Tharanga (24 off 31), Kumar Sangakkara (0 off 2) and Chamara Silva (5 off 17), to reduce Sri Lanka to 3-53, and in his second spell removed Kapugedera and Maharoof.
Spinner Xavier Doherty (2-36 off 10) ensured the tourists' tail didn't wag.
Bailey said Drew responded to his request to step up in the absence of Tasmania's regular new-ball bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus, who was on international duty, and the rested Brett Geeves.
"It was a good chance to the get the new ball, I don't really get to do it too often behind Ben and Brett," Drew said.
"To get a few wickets against an international line-up is a buzz.
"Hopefully this will freshen us up going in to the crucial stage of the (domestic) one-day season."
© 2008 AAP
Playing their second and final warm-up match before the tri-series, also involving Australia, Sri Lanka set Tasmania a modest target which the home side achieved with a whopping 13.5 overs to spare.
Sparked by paceman Brendan Drew (5-36 off 10 overs) domestic one-day competition leader Tasmania restricted Sri Lanka to 9-183 off 47.4 overs after veteran opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya was unable to resume his innings.
Jayasuriya retired hurt after injuring his chin whilst facing Tigers paceman Tim MacDonald in the eighth over.
Jayasuriya, who was on eight at the time, required six stitches in the wound but a precautionary x-ray cleared him of a fracture and Bayliss expected the 38-year-old batsman would be available for Tuesday's game.
"He wants to play on Tuesday and he thinks he will," Bayliss said of Jayasuriya.
"He's a bit sore and sorry at the moment, but he's fairly tough, so I'm sure he will be right.
"The wicket was a bit slow and he said he was actually through the shot before the ball came along and hit the visor and squashed the visor against his chin."
Bayliss lamented the fact four of his batsman got a start without producing a big score.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene (51 off 59 balls) added 53 with Chamara Kapugedera (34 off 61) in the biggest partnership of the innings. However, Sri Lanka's innings tailed off from 4-152 in the 37th over after Farveez Maharoof's (29 off 43) dismissal.
An opening partnership of 91 in just under 20 overs between Tim Paine (54 off 76 balls) and Michael Dighton (45 off 63) provided the perfect start to the Tigers' chase.
Both men fell to Nuwan Kulasekera (2-27 off six).
Luke Butterworth fell for eight, but Dane Anderson (47 off 50) and acting captain George Bailey (21 off 11) hurried the home team to victory.
Bayliss described Sri Lanka's batting and fielding as lacklustre and said his team didn't bowl very well either.
"If anything, this will psych them up to play good cricket on Tuesday, if anything they were a little embarrassed at how they played," Bayliss said.
"We had four guys who had good starts but played some not very good shots to get out and we will be looking to improve that."
Drew dismissed Upul Tharanga (24 off 31), Kumar Sangakkara (0 off 2) and Chamara Silva (5 off 17), to reduce Sri Lanka to 3-53, and in his second spell removed Kapugedera and Maharoof.
Spinner Xavier Doherty (2-36 off 10) ensured the tourists' tail didn't wag.
Bailey said Drew responded to his request to step up in the absence of Tasmania's regular new-ball bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus, who was on international duty, and the rested Brett Geeves.
"It was a good chance to the get the new ball, I don't really get to do it too often behind Ben and Brett," Drew said.
"To get a few wickets against an international line-up is a buzz.
"Hopefully this will freshen us up going in to the crucial stage of the (domestic) one-day season."
© 2008 AAP
