The Hindu : Sport : `We respond well to challenges'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 20, 2007
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`We respond well to challenges'

S. Dinakar

Chennai: Cricketing wisdom flows through Michael Tissera. In his playing days, runs flowed from his willow.

The former stylist is now Sri Lanka's cricketing manager. Apart from his organisational ability, Tissera's inputs to the think-tank are considered valuable.

Tissera's strokeful 52 in a volatile clash against Australia at the Oval in the inaugural '75 World Cup is still remembered. The graceful man now says, "We have the side to regain the World Cup."

The Lankan cricket side, returning home after a 2-1 ODI series defeat to India, halted briefly in the city. Tissera squeezed out time to share his views on the team and the World Cup in an exclusive interview with The Hindu.

Lack of discipline

He mulled over the lack of discipline in the Sri Lankan bowling. "We did not bowl well in the last two games, especially early on. Our pacemen tried to swing the ball away, but in these surfaces you need to hit the pitch hard, without bowling short, and get the ball to come up at the batsmen, particularly in the Power Play overs. You have to bowl wicket-to-wicket."

India is grouped with Sri Lanka in the World Cup, and Tissera is looking forward to the duel. "It should be a great match. Don't forget we respond well to challenges. The Sri Lankan team here this time, even without Murali and Vaas, was unrecognisable from the side that visited India in 2005 for the one-day series."

He also draws confidence from Sri Lanka's recent performances. "We beat England in England, drew against New Zealand away. We will be stronger in the World Cup with Murali and Vaas."

Then he dwells on the pitches for the World Cup. "There are reports that many of the newly laid wickets could be lively. But if you look at the surfaces in the Caribbean over the last few years, they have tended to play slow and have encouraged the spinners. Much would depend on the nature of the tracks."

Tissera's favourites

Ask him to pick his favourites and Tissera responds, "Sri Lanka, Australia, India and Pakistan. If the pitches assist the pacemen, then South Africa is in with a chance as well."

He does not read too much into Australia losing the No. 1 ranking in the ICC table — "There is a lot of difference between the World No. 1 and the side that has the best chance of winning the World Cup."

Despite the reverse in India, Tissera believes Sri Lanka is an upwardly mobile outfit. And he gives a large portion of the credit to skipper Mahela Jayawardene: "He is an excellent captain. He is very positive and this rubs off on his men. His field placements are excellent, so are his bowling changes. He reads the game well. His rapport with vice-captain Kumara Sangakkara is extremely good. The team took a while, but has now settled down to coach Tom Moody's ideas too."

Greater consistency

However, he concedes the Lankan batting could do with more consistency. "If you ask me about one area we need to work on, this is it. Youngsters like Chamara Silva have come good but we are not firing consistently."

Switching to bowling again, he speaks of Muttiah Muralitharan's value in the middle-overs, where a game often witnesses major momentum shifts. "He can both contain and strike, the pressure builds on the batting side. He is a phenomenal bowler and a great competitor. Sanath Jayasuriya adds to the spin bowling apart from continuing to be an explosive bat."

In the end overs, reverse swing could prove decisive. Says Tissera, "Lasith Malinga will be a key man in the West Indies. He has grown much stronger and is probably as quick as anyone today."

A positive for Sri Lanka from the tour of India was the manner the side fielded under pressure in the second ODI. "We came back brilliantly in that game. The support staff has worked really hard on fielding."

Soon, he leads the Lankan bunch to the waiting team bus for a short trip to the airport. The road to the World Cup will be longer.

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