ZCZC
BSP-05
CRICKET-AUS-SRI-CHANDIMAL
Sri Lanka skipper says battered team will bounce back in SAfrica
CANBERRA, Feb 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal
insisted Monday his battered team can lift their game and be competitive on
the upcoming tour to South Africa despite being outplayed over two Tests by
Australia.
The visitors lost the opening day-night Test in Brisbane by an innings and
40 runs inside three days and followed it up by a 366-run thrashing on day
four in Canberra.
It extended a dire run of results for troubled Sri Lanka, who have been
hit by injuries and off-field dramas.
They have now lost a home series to England 3-0, then away to New Zealand
1-0 to go with their two defeats in Australia.
The first Test in South Africa looms on February 13, with the squad flying
straight there from Australia this week to continue a gruelling overseas
schedule.
“We are a young team and always learning how to play, especially in these
tough conditions. We will bounce back in South Africa,” Chandimal said
“I mean, they are three tough tours, we have finished two and now South
Africa.
“South Africa is similar to these conditions and with very good bowlers.
We know that as a team we have to play in tough conditions and we need to
adjust to those conditions and step up as a team.”
They came into the Canberra Test without injured pace spearheads Lahiru
Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, and Nuwan Pradeep, who were all badly missed
with Australia smashing four centuries.
They were also without all-rounder Angelo Mathews, with the added off-
field distraction of an ongoing ICC corruption investigation into Sri Lankan
cricket. Despite this Chandimal said that while the team has been
transitioning in recent years, and is still young, it was time for them to
start performing.
“If you get the chance to play for your country you have to take it with
both hands,” he said.
“Now as a team, we have to step up.
“In our young group, some of them have played more than 30 Tests so that
means they are still very young, but in the international arena they are
really experienced.
“So now this is the time to play your game and play for your team.”
Asked to outline the positives Sri Lanka could take from the Australia
series, Chandimal admitted there weren’t many. “The only positive was our
slip catching from our fast bowlers,” he said.
“I don’t want to talk about the negatives,” he added. “We all know what
went wrong as a team and I’m sure the boys will learn from that and they will
come good in South Africa.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/1147 hrs