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We did not perform anywhere near potential
October 11, 2007
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The deficiency was in Sri Lanka's batting department which did not function as a cohesive unit
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This Sri Lankan team hates losing. And to lose the series with a particularly below-par performance like we did last night was especially hurtful. After the game the whole dressing room was incredibly disappointed. We should have won the series and expected to win the series. We set ourselves extremely high standards but we did not perform anywhere near our true ability and deserved to lose.
Obviously, in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, the sense of acute disappointment will linger. But very soon, before the final game on Saturday, we have to move on and this experience into a positive. This has to be a wake-up call that spurs us into a new period of intense development and progress as a team. Like we did in the lead-up to the World Cup, we have to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to accept the challenge of constant improvement.
The reason for our defeat is obvious: our woeful batting. You always miss players of the calibre of Muttiah Muralitharan but the bowlers actually did a magnificent job throughout. The deficiency was in the batting department which did not function as a cohesive unit. One or two batsmen performed in each game, but that is rarely enough. You need your top order to perform as a unit and you cannot afford so many failures.
Batting was particularly hard in Dambulla. Nevertheless, that's no excuse; we should have done a lot better in home conditions. The problem was that we always lost early wickets and were put under a lot of pressure. Then, yesterday, on a pitch that should have yielded at least 240-250 runs, we were indecisive, did not bat with our normal 100 per cent intent and executed our shots poorly. A total of 211 for 9 was never going to be enough unless England collapsed early.
England's new-ball bowlers did really well and certainly deserve credit. I thought they stuck to their game plans and also held their nerve at crucial times. But our batsmen must take responsibility for not reversing the pressure and getting back on top. England have improved but, if we had played anywhere near to our potential, we would have won this series.
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England's new-ball bowlers stuck to their game plans and also held their nerve at crucial times
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There isn't long to go before we leave for Australia - on October 23 - and that means we have to quickly regain our confidence. The batters need to practise with a heightened sense of purpose and commitment. We need to find ways of taking our games forward. We need challenges every training session and must feel a sense of achievement after every single practice. We need to re-learn a lesson taught to us before the World Cup - when you cruise, you cruise downwards.
I have no doubt that we can quickly get things back on track for what is going to be a tough series in Australia. You can rebuild confidence with both practice and performance but to do so you need two things: absolute faith in your ability and the knowledge that you have done everything possible while training to prepare yourself.
We have a long and hard season ahead of us and this England series was the worst possible start. However, we can improve immeasurably and I have no doubt we will recover the form and confidence necessary to provide Australia and England some tough battles in the upcoming Test series. England can enjoy themselves now but it will not be so easy in December.
© Cricinfo
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