Stuart Law hopes Sri Lanka would stand up for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 challenge
Stuart Law, the coach of the Sri Lankan team has warned his English opponents that they ought not to take the tourists lightly ahead of the three tests and One Day International (ODI) series set to start later this month.
Sri Lanka, who were the losing finalists of last month’s ICC World Cup are preparing for the tour under the leadership of Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was appointed at the helm of the team on the eve of the tour. Kumar Sangakkara relinquished
the captaincy after leading the team to the final of the premier ODI tournament.
Law, who has taken over as interim coach after the post was vacated by Trevor Bayliss following the World Cup, stated that the task is cut out for his team in English conditions. However, he thinks that his team has the ammunition
to gun down the high flying hosts, who have been one of the most consistent Test teams in the world in the last two years or so; the crowning glory for Andrew Strauss’s men was the Ashes series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 which they won 3-1 at the start of 2011.
Law said while speaking to reporters, "It's no easy task going up against the best Test team in the world at the moment, they've had a fantastic 18 months."
The coach went on to add, "We know we are up against it here but we aren't here to lose. We can match them if we apply ourselves and keep things simple. We can be a devastating team and that's what we are planning on doing. We are
here to play cricket the way http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 play cricket and if we do we'll be successful."
The tour also provides Law with an opportunity of cementing his position at the helm of cricket in the pearl island. He confirmed that he was keen on sticking it out in the longer run despite his focus firmly etched on the English
tour.
"At this stage it's a wonderful opportunity to work with one of the best teams in the world so, yes, I am keen," he said. "I've got this tour to show what I'm capable of."
The composition of the Sri Lankan team for the tour is a balanced one on paper; this series though would be their first major one without legendary spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157, who ended his career with a sensational 800 Test scalps.
The pace attack though, looks inexperienced on paper and might find it tough to adjust if the wickets offer the kind of swing that they did last summer. The reason being that the bowlers would not be used to to bowling on such surfaces
and would need a helping hand or http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Mentor-c41238 like Law to guide them.
On the other hand though, the Lankan Lions possess a powerful batting order backed up by some useful spinners who, Law hopes, can flourish if the dry weather continues.
The start was not great for the bowlers though who were made to toil long and hard as they conceded 321 for 5 on the first day of a tour match, where English test Captain Andrew Strauss slammed a century in a clear bid of signaling
his intentions for the international matches.
The second innings though was far more rewarding for the tourists and they would be hoping of more of the same in the summer ahead.
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