Lankans search for consistency

If it was said before Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka started that in less than a month the home team would be trying to emulate the visitors they have historically made a habit out of routinely thrashing, it would have been hard to believe. That is what Sri Lanka Cricket chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya said on the eve of the washed-out second ODI in Dambulla on Monday, saying that they need to do what Bangladesh are doing with the bat, ball and in the field.

And that is what Asanka Gurusinha, who before the series started had taken over as manager of a side that was and is winless in ODIs this year, said during the pre-match press conference yesterday ahead of the third and series-deciding ODI against Bangladesh today. That the hosts are under pressure can be gauged by the fact that yesterday was the second pre-match conference in a row that Gurusinha, and not captain Upul Tharanga, faced up to the press.

"There is pressure and there will be criticism anywhere. A few years ago everyone was criticising Bangladesh and they have come up. We have to do that. We've got to cop it if we're not performing. We've got to go out there and give everything we have. Then if we lose the game, then Bangladesh have played very, very good cricket.

"There's no problem -- it's just a team that's playing a good side and getting out to some bad shots I think. We do well in patches but the consistency is where the important part is. And the patience as well," the former Sri Lanka batsman said.

Not only have the results -- a 90-run loss in the first ODI and a wash-out after scoring 311 in the second match -- gone against them, they have had injury woes too. Veteran campaigners like Lasith Malinga and regular captain Angelo Mathews were ruled out with injuries before the series started, while batsman Kusal Perera and wicketkeeper-opener Niroshan Dickwella were ruled out with injuries during the series.

"Niroshan is out for about three weeks. He had a hit on his left thumb [last Sunday during practice] actually. Initially we thought he could play but then the x-rays showed us he had a fracture," Gurusinha said, adding that he expected it to be a good match today.

"There's a little bit of grass on it [the wicket] and the ball will move a bit in the first hour to hour and a half. It'll be a good batting track at the end of the day. If you're prepared to play shots it will be good. I feel it'll be a great game tomorrow, because SSC is a great wicket."