da bet vitoria： Having played in 235 One-Day Internationals, Sri Lankan captain SanathJayasuriya should know a thing or two about the game
Matthew Appleby10-Jul-2001By Matthew ApplebyHaving played in 235 One-Day Internationals, Sri Lankan captain SanathJayasuriya should know a thing or two about the game.And he believes New Zealand will give his team, who are hosting a triangulartournament beginning on July 18th, a run for their money.Not that the devout Buddhist will talk about cash. “There’s a lot ofallegations flying around,” the 32-year-old says, in regard to internationalcricket’s match-fixing malaise.”While there’s inquiries going on I can’tcomment and that is the problem I have at the moment,” the opener continues,frustrated at being unable to air his view.Jayasuriya has never been accused of giving anything but 100% to histeam, which he began captaining after their disappointing 1999 World Cupperformance.Jayasuriya has toured New Zealand five times and made his Test debut atHamilton in 1990/91. The 59 Test-veteran now holds the record (576 with RohanMahanama against India at Colombo in 1997/8) for the record Test stand forany wicket.The quietly-spoken, Matara-born left-hander also has a one day internationalrecord, this time against the Black Caps, to his name. At Sharjah, in April,Jayasuriya hit Chris Harris for 30 in an over, breaking his own previoussix-ball feat of 29 off Aamer Sohail of Pakistan in 1995/96.Jayasuriya, curiously, does not regard the Indians, who make up thetriumvirate, as the Sri Lankans’ main opposition.”They’re not really mainrivals, but they’ve been playing well. It will be a hard tournament, as anygame against an international team is not easy. It will be tough for us,” hetold CricInfo at a recent benefit match in Nottingham.Fellow Sri Lankans,Chaminda Vaas (back from injury), Marvan Atappattu and Aravinda De Silvaalso played under the watchful eye of New Zealand chairman of selectors, SirRichard Hadlee.But the key man in Jayasuriya’s book is Muttiah Muralitharan, who has beenplaying successfully for Lancashire. “Muralitharan has been bowling a lothere in England, and in international cricket,” said Jayasuriya. “It’s beena good experience for Murali I think. He is the main bowler for us.”Of the Black Caps, Jayasuriya cited Dion Nash as a threat. He generouslydescribed Nash as “one of the great all-rounders. I hope he’ll come back togive their team strength.”We were in New Zealand a few months back and many players had been goingthrough injuries-like Chris Cairns,” the opener added. “After that they’vebeen grooming youngsters and they are trying to build their team up at the momentlike we are.”However, it is the man who scored 103 from only 83 balls at Auckland thisyear, with six sixes and 10 fours, who could give New Zealand theirbiggest problems in the five games they will play against the 1996 World Cupwinners.The tournament concludes on August 5th with a Colombo final, after sevengames in 11 busy days for the New Zealand team, brought together from theirwinter employment around the world.