Jayasuriya hopes Test triumph is just the start

Rex Clementine

September 2, 2001

Sri Lanka recorded their first series victory in two years at home when they beat India in the decisive final Test Match in Colombo on Sunday and Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya hoped that it would be a springboard to future Test success.

"It was an important series victory and hopefully first of many to come," he said with a beaming smile.

Failures against Pakistan, South Africa and England had put the team under considerable pressure in this series, especially when India leveled the series in Kandy.

"The last two series were pretty disappointing," said Jayasuriya. "We just didn't bat well on those occasions and luckily the players realised that. If you take the decisive third Test against England, we were bowled out for 80 odd runs in our second innings. You simply can't do that."

"Everyone was under a bit of pressure and as the captain I am always under extra pressure to perform."

India's seven-wicket victory in Kandy seems to have been a wake up call for the team.

"We had a meeting just before this game with all the batsmen and I told them to play their natural game," he revealed

The Sri Lankan captain paid tribute to Mahela Jayawardene and Marvan Atapattu, both of whom scored centuries, but singled out veteran left-hander Tillakaratne and debutante Thilan Samaraweera for special praise.

"Thilan (Samaraweera) batted like an experienced player out there and never looked like getting out," he said. "He looks like a genuine allrounder."

"Hashan (Tillakaratne) was under tremendous pressure to perform in this game and I am really happy that he came back to form at the right moment," he said.

Sri Lanka took control of the match after a spectacular eight-wicket burst from man of the series Muttiah Muralitharan.

"We needed was to get them out for 250 and it was not going to be easy, but Murali just changed the whole game in the first day itself by bowling out India for 234," he said.

"We were then able to enjoy the best batting conditions of the match on the second and third day," he said.

India were left 376 in arrears with over two days to bat to save the game. They started well adding 107 for the first wicket.

"When the wickets proved hard to come by we didn't get worried, because it was such a huge task that I knew the Indians would panic at some stage if we kept bowling tightly, " he said.

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