Daily Nation
Sri Lanka in West Indies 2007-08
March 15, 2008
Sri Lanka may be without three of their top fast bowlers but their captain Mahela Jayawardene believes they will still be a strong force when they meet West Indies in the upcoming series of two Tests and three one-day internationals.
Speaking at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados, Jayawardene admitted that the attack was a bit short, missing Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga, but believed they still had the firepower, experience and talent to come out on top.
"We have a wonderful mixture of experience and newcomers in the team, so this is going to be a wonderful month for us in the West Indies," Jayawardene said. "We have a good bunch of fast bowlers even though we don't have those three.
"We have about six fast bowlers of quality that we can choose from. We have some young, exciting talent, and we still have Chaminda Vaas and Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan], so we still have quality. We have confidence in those who are here."
He added his team will not take West Indies lightly.
"We have to be very careful, we have to pay close attention to the West Indies team and look at how we go about our business," he said. "They are a very good side and we know that on their day, they can beat anybody in world cricket.
"We have to make sure we play smart cricket. This is a challenge for us and we are up to it."
The tour opens with a three-day match against a Guyana President's Select XI on Monday in Georgetown, Guyana. The first Test starts on Saturday at Providence.
© The Nation
Sri Lanka in West Indies 2007-08
March 15, 2008
Sri Lanka may be without three of their top fast bowlers but their captain Mahela Jayawardene believes they will still be a strong force when they meet West Indies in the upcoming series of two Tests and three one-day internationals.
Speaking at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados, Jayawardene admitted that the attack was a bit short, missing Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga, but believed they still had the firepower, experience and talent to come out on top.
"We have a wonderful mixture of experience and newcomers in the team, so this is going to be a wonderful month for us in the West Indies," Jayawardene said. "We have a good bunch of fast bowlers even though we don't have those three.
"We have about six fast bowlers of quality that we can choose from. We have some young, exciting talent, and we still have Chaminda Vaas and Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan], so we still have quality. We have confidence in those who are here."
He added his team will not take West Indies lightly.
"We have to be very careful, we have to pay close attention to the West Indies team and look at how we go about our business," he said. "They are a very good side and we know that on their day, they can beat anybody in world cricket.
"We have to make sure we play smart cricket. This is a challenge for us and we are up to it."
The tour opens with a three-day match against a Guyana President's Select XI on Monday in Georgetown, Guyana. The first Test starts on Saturday at Providence.
© The Nation
