Head Coach draws line on team after two back to back defeats

Chamindu Wickramasinghe (right) in conversation with Avishka Fernando during practice session

No laughing matter for Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya after two back to back defeats 

•  Sri Lanka make two changes for today’s 3rd and final T20I

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Two mediocre performances by the Sri Lanka team that saw them lose the first two T20Is to New Zealand at Mount Maunganui and trail 0-2 in the three-match series has incurred the wrath of the Head Coach on the players.

Sri Lanka’s performances in the two games has been rather mediocre and far from what they had achieved during the last year. They lost the first match by 5 runs, one they should have won, and the second by 45 runs. In both instances they suffered batting collapses losing 8 for 43 in the first and 7 for 14 in the second to hand a winning lead to the host country.

“I told them I have been here for 5 months and you have done the same mistake 3 times,” said Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya who brooks no nonsense having played the game hard and to win. “We have simply given away 3 games – against India at Pallekele (where Sri Lanka tied the game which they should have won and lost it in the super over), against New Zealand at Dambulla (losing by 5 runs after dismissing New Zealand for 108) and the first game of the present series. The same thing has happened thrice.”

“In the second match (of the present series) see how many twos they ran? At the team meeting I emphasised that they have to run the twos. You cannot always score fours and sixes, you must somehow run the twos. I have exerted some extra pressure on them to do it.”

“The first match we told the batsmen there was nothing to panic with 6-7 overs left but to drag the game till the final over without going for big shots. You saw the shot that Kusal Perera played. You cannot play in the same trend as the openers, you have to stay in the middle for a while working the singles and twos and, then go for your shots.”

Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis had laid the foundation for a Sri Lankan win by scoring 121 of the required 173 in 14 overs, only for the rest of the batting to capitulate for 164-8.

“We threw away the first game quite unnecessarily after that century opening partnership. You cannot do that. In the second match we conceded 34 runs in the last 2 overs, otherwise we could have kept them down to under 165.”

Giving reasons for the two batting collapses Jayasuriya said, “I think they built up a little pressure on themselves, at the back of their minds that we are playing with only 6 batters. That is why we want to bring in Chamindu (Wickramasinghe) at 7 with Wanindu (Hasaranga) at 8 and (Maheesh) Theekshana at 9. In T20 cricket you cannot play with 6 batsmen you need 2 all-rounders in the middle.”

Sri Lanka have made two changes for today’s third and final T20I at Saxton Oval, Nelson which will be a day game. Apart from Wickramasinghe, Bhanuka Rajapaksa who was left out of the second match returns. They replace Kamindu Mendis and Matheesha Pathirana. Pathirana has been leaking runs for Sri Lanka conceding 97 in 8 overs in the two matches, while Kamindu has not been in good touch getting out to scores of 0 and 7.

Jayasuriya said that Avishka Fernando who batted at 6 in the second match will be moved up to number 4 to take the place of Kamindu Mendis, and fast bowling all-rounder Wickramasinghe will have to fill the role of fifth bowler with Captain Charith Asalanka.

Thus, Sri Lanka’s line up for today’s game: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara.

The match will kick-start international cricket for the New Year.