Mahela Jayawardene on Wednesday emphatically said that his team would adjust to the bouncy track in Jamaica, where they would play their semifinal game of the cricket World Cup.
ST GEORGE'S/GRENADA: Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene on Wednesday emphatically said that his team would adjust to the bouncy track in Jamaica, where they would play their semifinal game of the cricket World Cup.
After subduing Ireland in only two and a half hours in their final Group Eight game, Jayawardene didn't seem worried that his batsmen could be facing Shane Bond-led New Zealand on a bouncy pitch in Jamaica.
"One of the great things about our team is the adjustment we have done in different venues. Trinidad had offered bounce and plenty of movement while Guyana and pitch here helped the slow bowlers; Antigua was different too.
"We have a very good balanced side too. So we wouldn't mind the conditions in Jamaica," he said.
Jayawardene believed he would have the full squad to choose from in the semi-finals even though Lasith Malinga is only "90 per cent fit" and Dilhara Fernando has a niggle in his ankle.
"Fernando is taking injections for it while Malinga is just about getting fit. But I have no anxiety on fitness issue and believe would have the full squad to choose from in the semi-finals," he said.
One chink in Sri Lanka's armoury has been their opener Upul Tharanga who has made 219 runs from nine matches at an average of 24.33 runs. Speculation is rife that Sri Lanka could replace the young left-hander with the proven, former captain Marvan Atapattu who is yet to get a game in this competition.
"That is an option for us to consider but Tharanga has spent the last 12 months with us in that position. He could come good in the two matches that count," he said.
"Marvan (Atapattu) is an option but we would take the call only after looking at the conditions," he said.
Pundits of game have been baffled that even when Muttiah Muralitharan tends to take the ball away from left-handers, Jayawardene has not opted to keep a slip in place.
Jayawardena said the move was a tactical and calculated one.
"It's because teams do not play Murali in conventional manner. If you don't have conventional batting, you cannot set conventional field. That is why you notice catches off Murali are accepted sometimes at fifth slip, leg gully and short square leg. There is no set formula.
"But if I feel that the team would be best served by having a slip fielder than I would do so. It just depends on situation and how batters are countering him," he said.
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