Jayawardene disappointed with team performances, but backs Malinga – Cricket News Update
Sri Lankan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in the first final in the ongoing Commonwealth Banks series held on March 4 at the Gabba. However, he insisted that pacer Lasith
Malinga’s inconsistent performances were not a cause for concern.
“We didn't play a perfect game today. We didn't put enough pressure on them, we didn't provide the early momentum,” the Lankan skipper admitted.
The visitors failed to contain the host team in the first of three finals after the Aussies won the toss and elected to bat. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DA-Warner-c1301 as he scored a massive 163, underpinning his team’s total of 321 and succumbing
only in the last over to a delivery by Dhammika Prasad.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540, often considered the most dangerous bowler in the Lanka arsenal, proved costly for his team as he took a single wicket at the expense of 74 runs in 8 overs. The pacer has been performing inconsistently throughout the tournament – in the match
against Australia in Hobart on February 24, he wasted 56 runs for a single wicket, and performed even more shockingly in the next game against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, with 1 for 96. He appeared to take an upward turn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 2, where he took
4 for 49, only to fail once again in yesterday’s match.
However, the skipper is convinced that Malinga’s wayward outings are not troubling him.
“Lasith is not a worry. They (the batsmen) do get away but it's not a big issue. In a long tournament, a couple of such shows are not an issue,” Jayawardene insisted.
Adding to their bowling woes, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KMDN-Kulasekara-c1802 (73) in the lower order to bring the team up to a respectable 306, which
still fell 15 runs short of the target.
However, despite their most recent defeat, the Lankan captain is upbeat and optimistic, observing that his side will need to give it their all in the remaining two finals.
“It's tough but that's part of international cricket,” he said. “These are challenges. We are in the finals and we have to play two perfect games.”
Tags: