The Hindu : Sport : Sanath Jayasuriya to play his natural game

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Saturday, Apr 28, 2007
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Sanath Jayasuriya to play his natural game

Special Correspondent

SWEET SECOND?: Sri Lanka will once again look to the members of the 1996 World Cup winning side, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas. — PHOTO: AFP

Bridgetown: Sanath Jayasuriya, who didn't have a great final in 1996, will be a key wicket on Saturday for Australia.

"As I am an opening batsman, I've always been a target," said Jayasuriya. "It is nothing new to me. I know how to handle such situations. I am always ready to face any bowler."

There has been some talk that Shaun Tait will be used to bounce the left-hander. Would he rein in his horizontal-bat shots?

"If they plan to bounce me, there is nothing we can do about it. I have to be prepared to play anything. Anybody can bowl bouncers; we also have bowlers who can bounce. Whatever they do, we will play according to our plan.

Gaining in confidence

"I've always batted the way I bat now. All batsmen go through ups and downs and I too went through such phases. I refused to give up and worked hard with assistance from coaches. Now I play like I used to play in the 1996 World Cup. I have gained in confidence and aim to play my natural game."

Meanwhile, one of the other members of the World Cup winning side of 1996, Muttiah Muralitharan, said victory against Australia on Saturday would be the greatest moment of his career.

A second World Cup title, Muralitharan said, would be bigger than the first in 1996 and all his astonishing wicket-taking records.

"I had moments in 1996, I was very young and I didn't know much about it," said Muralitharan. "Now I know what it takes to win a World Cup.

This may be my last World Cup so if we can win it will be the greatest moment in my life rather than my individual records."

Different strokes

Muralitharan said Sri Lanka's batsmen could throw Australia off with strokes no other side plays.

"We have batsmen of the calibre of (Sanath) Jayasuriya, (Mahela) Jayawardene, (Kumar) Sangakkara, and (Upul) Tharanga," said Muralitharan.

"If they click, the way we played in England, we had total domination and I only played in two matches. If our batsmen get set we will be more dangerous than any other team in the world because we can play more shots than any other players."

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