Sri Lanka ‘will face uphill battle’ in South Africa Test series, says Boycott

Cape Town(ANI): A shortage of genuine wicket-taking bowlers in the touring Sri Lankan team will mean that South Africa’s batsmen will cash in during the upcoming three-Test series, former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has said.

“I said months ago: without Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) and (Lasith) Malinga - they were two wicket-taking bowlers - Sri Lankan cricket will struggle.

Bowlers win Test matches; wicket-taking bowlers. They were two of the best. They haven’t got magic wicket-taking bowlers (now) ... sorry, that’s a fact,” Sport24 quoted Boycott, as saying.

“And if you can’t bowl the so-and-so’s (opponents) out, you’re not going to win,” he added.

Boycott, however, did offer sympathy to the Lankan players over their unpaid salaries from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

“The best way to create a good atmosphere, or a working environment, is to pay the players. Every penny they are owed, get them paid. If Sri Lankan cricket wants to move forward, positively, and in harmony with the players, then you’ve got to make sure players are paid ... on the dot,” he said.No more playing for love of the country and empty promises. The players have families (to provide for) ... it’s a sorry state of affairs,” he added.