Sri Lanka seek batting revival against Australia
Captain Dilshan disappointed with players’ effort in first Test.
GALLE:
Sri Lanka were searching for solutions to their batting woes after Australia hammered them by 125 runs in the first Test in Galle.
They have now gone nine Tests without a win since the retirement of world-record holder Muttiah Muralitharan, but it is the batting that is causing the main worry.
Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan admitted batting failures had let the team down in recent months.
“We can’t expect to win after getting out for 105,” said Dilshan. “That’s where we lost this match. If we had made 250, we wouldn’t be chasing so much in the fourth-innings. We should avoid these collapses and find solutions to this problem.”
Dilshan’s carefree approach to batting contributed to his side’s defeat, but the captain said he will never change his aggressive style.
“I’m not going to change my batting,” he said. “I’ve batted aggressively over the last few years and done well.”
Meanwhile, Australia vice-captain Shane Watson said his side could have won even if they had lost the toss and fielded first. Captain Michael Clarke had earlier said he felt the toss had been critical to the result of the match, but Watson disagreed with Clarke’s view.
“Batting first helped but
we bowled really well as a group and I don’t think it would’ve mattered whether we batted or bowled first,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2011.
Sri Lanka were searching for solutions to their batting woes after Australia hammered them by 125 runs in the first Test in Galle.
They have now gone nine Tests without a win since the retirement of world-record holder Muttiah Muralitharan, but it is the batting that is causing the main worry.
Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan admitted batting failures had let the team down in recent months.
“We can’t expect to win after getting out for 105,” said Dilshan. “That’s where we lost this match. If we had made 250, we wouldn’t be chasing so much in the fourth-innings. We should avoid these collapses and find solutions to this problem.”
Dilshan’s carefree approach to batting contributed to his side’s defeat, but the captain said he will never change his aggressive style.
“I’m not going to change my batting,” he said. “I’ve batted aggressively over the last few years and done well.”
Meanwhile, Australia vice-captain Shane Watson said his side could have won even if they had lost the toss and fielded first. Captain Michael Clarke had earlier said he felt the toss had been critical to the result of the match, but Watson disagreed with Clarke’s view.
“Batting first helped but
we bowled really well as a group and I don’t think it would’ve mattered whether we batted or bowled first,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2011.