Sri Lanka not the same without http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 - Cricket News Update
Sri Lanka’s ace batsman, Mahela Jayawardene, believes that the Sri Lankan team suffered a big loss when Muttiah Muralitharan hanged up his boots and retired from International cricket.
According to Mahela, Sri Lanka lacks the venom that it once had, when Murali was spearheading the bowling department. Spinners play a vital role in a team’s victory and Jayawardene asserts that it is tough to find a replacement for
such a legendary spinner who has 800 Test wickets to his name.
The former vice-captain urged the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559 to perk up their game so that they can fill the gap left by Muralitharan.
Acknowledging Murali’s accomplishments for the Lankan team, Jayawardene said, “Murali has taken 800 Test wickets, the most by any bowler in world cricket, so you know that with him in the side he is going to create something for you,
even in tougher situations. Most of the time he breezes through line-ups even in tough times he is going to create that opportunity for you to change the game, he is a magician, and obviously without him it's a big hole to fill.”
The spin wizard played his last game against the Indians at Galle in July, 2010. The Sri Lankans have played 11 matches since then and are yet to register a victory.
Jayawardene hopes that his side will bounce back from these defeats and end their drought by trouncing Pakistan in the upcoming Test series in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 (UAE).
“Yes, we haven't won a Test match for a good year-and-a-half, but I think we've played some really good cricket and we have had our opportunities. We just need to push a bit more and create a few more opportunities and grab hold of
them,” said the 34-year-old batsman.
The Test series between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imtiaz-Sheikh-c64290 Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.
The three match Test series will be followed by five ODI’s and a solitary Twenty20 game.
Muralitharan made his International debut in 1992 in a Test match against the Australians. The off-spinner is the leading wicket-taker in both One-Day and Test format of the game, notching 534 ODI and 800 Test wickets.
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