Marvan Atapattu wants Sri Lankan batsmen to adapt to English conditions sooner
Sri Lankan batting coach, Marvan Atapattu, has said that his team would have to adjust rapidly in the English conditions if they have any chance of dismantling England at their backyard.
The Islanders are scheduled to play three Test matches, a T20 and five One Day Internationals against the hosts. The tour kicks-off with a three-day practice match which starts from the 14th of this month.
Atapattu stated that the Sri Lankan team has not played Test cricket since the last year, when they took on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in November-December.
He believes that the batsmen have two jobs at their hands, first to adjust to the English conditions and secondly to change their gears accordingly to the longer version of the game. The former captain added that winning the Test series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 is their
goal.
He said, "The biggest challenge is to adjust to English conditions. We are playing a Test series after a gap of a few months. Winning the Test series in England is our aim."
Another big task for the Sri Lankan team is to win Test matches without their legendary off-spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157. He has been a great servant of Sri Lankan cricket and has played a huge part in their victories, especially in Test cricket.
The off-spinner has also troubled the English batsmen in past. However, Murali retired from all formats of the International game after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 will take on England in the first Test match at Cardiff on May 26, 2011 and the limited-overs series will follow the Tests.
Sri Lanka’s batting coach believes that it will be a huge advantage for the visitors in the limited overs series if they can beat England in the Test series.
"A (Test) win will make it easier for our preparation work for the one-day and T20 games," said Atapattu.
Majority of the Sri Lankan Test squad has reached England but some of the senior players are in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, busy playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara will join the team later.
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