SLC Chief, Mathews hold talks ahead of T20s, ODI with South Africa

Bouncing back graciously from a crushing defeat, Sri Lanka’s youngest test team led by Captain Angelo Mathews engaged in a lengthy discussion with President of Sri Lanka Cricket Thilanga Sumathipala yesterday.

During the meeting, the captain affirmed his team’s commitment to re-strategize for the upcoming T20 and ODI in South Africa.

The President convened this emergency meeting at the Sri Lanka Cricket Head Quarters with the participation of Vice-Presidents Jayantha Dharmadasa and K. Mathivanan along with Chairman of Selectors Committee Sanath Jayasuriya, Coach Graham Ford with Captain Angelo Mathews and Team Manager Ranjith Fernando. Chairman of Cricket Committee Aravinda de Silva, Secretary to the Board Mohan de Silva and High Performance Manager Simon Willis were also present during the discussion.

“Angelo is confident of bouncing back and winning the tournament,” the President said immediately following the meeting. “We believe that if you are afraid of losing, you can never have a winning team.”

While accepting and agreeing the team slip-ups and challenges faced during the recent test series, Captain Angelo Mathews remained confident regarding the white-ball challenge asserting that the team will give their best to secure a win for the country.

The meeting according to officials of SLC, helped boost the morale of the team after having been defeated by the South Africans on foreign soil. Sri Lanka has generally struggled to cope with the pace and seam of South Africa’s pitches, but they now have another opportunity to make a fresh beginning with a young team.

South Africa and Australia are said to be among the two toughest places to tour for Sri Lanka: in 20 Tests in those countries, Sri Lanka have lost 17, and won just one – in Durban in the 2011 Boxing Day Test. The two other big Asian teams have struggled in these countries too, but both India and Pakistan have had a few more wins. India have also played twice as many Tests as Sri Lanka in these two countries, which has obviously given their players a better chance to adapt. The difference between Sri Lanka’s batting and bowling averages is almost 21, which indicates how hopelessly outmatched they have been in these Tests.