Sri Lanka need to be smarter

Sri Lankan skipper calls for better shot selection from batsmen

By Paul Higham   Last updated: 16th February 2008

mahela jayawardene Sri Lanka 07

Jayawardene: Smarter cricket

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Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene lamented his side's shot selection in their one-day defeat against Australia, saying the batsmen need to play smarter cricket.

Chasing 236 to go to the top of the CB Series table, Sri Lanka were all out for 173 in the 46th over as Australia won their match by 63 runs.

Although Kumar Sangakkara led the innings with 80, he was woefully short of support as time and again the Sri Lankan batsmen threw their wickets away.

Jayawardene backed his side's attacking intent at the top of the order, but admits that they need to think about their shorts more if they are to succeed in international cricket.

"We need to go hard, but the shot selection has to be a bit better," said Jayawardene.

"In world cricket a lot of guys do go hard up front, with the powerplays and all that, but the guys have got to be a bit smarter.

"The way we lost wickets was not good. At crucial times, we keep losing wickets and you can't do that in a run chase."

Batsmen

Sri Lanka did inflict a 128-run defeat on India in their previous match, but the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Jayawardene, Chamara Silva and Tillakaratne Dilshan have all failed to really sparkle as yet.

Jayawardene also wanted the tailenders to start to put their hands up with the bat and show they can help to build competitive totals.

The skipper wants the likes of Farveez Maharoof, Chamara Kapugedera and Nuwan Kulasekera to show their batting skills.

"These guys can bat and they have scored runs and we need to get their confidence back," Jayawardene added.

Jayawardene played down Andrew Symonds' controversial catch that got rid of Silva for a duck during the match, where replays showed the ball might have touched the ground.

Umpire Daryl Harper did not refer the decision but the Sri Lanka captain did believe that there was some doubt about the validity of the catch.

"I had a look at the replay a couple of times and there is a bit of doubt," he said. "But without going upstairs, it is quite difficult for the on-field umpires to see,"