Mathews puts Headingley history to one side

AFP: Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said returning to the scene of one his greatest successes would have little bearing come Thursday’s first Test against England at Headingley.

Two years ago at Yorkshire’s headquarters ground, Mathews made his Test-best score of 160 as Sri Lanka beat England by 100 runs.

Victory, achieved off the penultimate ball of the match, also sealed Sri Lanka’s first Test series win in England after they had clung on for a draw at Lord’s in the first of a two-match campaign.

Thursday’s match will be the start of a three-Test series and Mathews, speaking at Headingley on Wednesday, said: “It’s certainly an inspiration, but it’s history for us.

“We will cherish it for the rest of our lives, but we have to move on ... and look forward to the challenge starting tomorrow,” added Mathews, whose eighth-wicket stand of 149 with Rangana Herath in Sri Lanka’s second innings at Headingley in 2014 helped turn the match the tourists’ way.

But with cold and damp weather forecast for this week’s series opener, Mathews said: “We’ll have to play our best cricket over the next five days to beat England, because we know they are a very competitive team.

“Especially in this kind of weather, playing against England in England, it’s a very tough ask.”

Sri Lanka will be without retired batting greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who between them amassed over 24,000 Test runs.

“We don’t have the two legends now -- we’ve got to move on,” Mathews said.

“But they’ve shared their experience, and it’s just a matter of our guys getting used to the conditions -- they’ve got the skill, they’ve got the talent.

“The ball will tend to swing and seam quite a lot, but don’t get intimidated by the conditions -- watch the ball and hit it.”

He added: “Experience counts. You have to win those little moments in a Test match. (But) we’ve got a fearless set of players who are willing to take the English on.”

Sri Lanka paceman Dhammika Prasad, whose five second-innings wickets at Headingley two years ago played a key role in their victory, has been ruled out of the upcoming Test following a shoulder injury sustained in last week’s warm-up match against Essex.

“That is a setback for us,” said Mathews. “He’s our premier fast bowler, and performed really well against England here.

“It’s going to be a big loss. We hope he can be ready for the second Test.”

Cook eyes ‘big milestone’ of 10,000 Test runs

England cricket captain Alastair Cook answers questions from the media during a press conference at Headingley in Leeds, northern England on 18 May, 2016, ahead of their first test cricket match against Sri Lanka. 

AFP: England captain Alastair Cook said Wednesday he was well aware that his looming membership of the 10,000 Test -run club would be a significant landmark in an already successful career.

The 31-year-old left-handed opener needs just 36 more runs to become the first Englishman -- and only 12th player overall -- to score 10,000 runs in Tests and he will hope to get there during this week’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Headingley, which starts on Thursday.

“It would mean a lot and hopefully I can get there sooner rather than later so we can talk about something else,” said Cook, speaking at Headingley, Yorkshire’s headquarters in Leeds, northern England, on Wednesday.

“It’s a big milestone in terms of the people who have done it previously so it would be great to try and score these 36 runs.

“I’ve just got to put that to bed after this press conference and try and do what I’ve done in the previous 10 years, which is just try and concentrate on that ball coming down and nothing else.”

The last time England played Sri Lanka in a Test at Headingley, two years ago, was one of the low points of Cook’s career.

Sri Lanka, inspired by a brilliant hundred from captain Angelo Mathews -- still their skipper -- won a thrilling match by 100 runs off the penultimate ball of the game to secure their first Test series win in England.

Cook’s tactics were widely criticised and he pondered resigning the England captaincy.

But the Essex batsman decided to carry on and has since been rewarded with last year’s Ashes success and a series win in South Africa during England’s most recent Test series.

“It was a game of fine margins and Sri Lanka came out on top and thoroughly deserved it,” he said as he recalled the 2014 Test at Headingley.

“It was a real tough moment for me as a captain, there’s no doubt about that, but I’m glad I hung in there for what’s happened since.

“It’s probably taken me three years to feel comfortable in the job and hopefully I can carry on for a bit, and while I’m still enjoying it and while the guys are still responding I’m staying there.”

Sri Lanka are still getting used to life withour star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who between them amassed more than 24,000 runs in Test cricket before they both retired from international duty last year.

“They’re irreplaceable but sides move on and evolve,” said Cook.

“Sri Lanka have got a history of punching above their weight and are really, really competitive, no matter what’s gone before.”