Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia

[koksmayu]

Sri Lanka's marauding opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has thrown down the gauntlet at the Australians to bounce him if they can in Saturday's final of the World Cup in Barbados. "It doesn't matter what they bowl to me. I have been around long enough in international cricket to face any sort of bowling. If they bounce me, I can pull and hook as well," said Jayasuriya with characteristic modesty. Australians have tried to bounce Jayasuriya in recent times, suggesting the left-hander is vulnerable to fast, rising deliveries. They also tried to put it in trial in a Super Eight game against Sri Lanka when speedster Shaun Tait bowled with extra venom and hostility at the Lankan left-hander. Jayasuriya was then up to the challenge even though he didn't last long. Australian captain Ricky Ponting suggested in a press conferences that Jayasuriya is the key to Sri Lanka's batting and the way go after him is to let loose the fastest bowler at him. Ponting is especially upbeat about the Kensington Oval pitch, which, by all accounts, should favour pace and bounce. Jayasuriya, however, is hardly perturbed. "It's not as if we haven't played on bouncier pitches. We also have fast bowlers who can take advantage of the conditions. In any case we feel we have the batters who can handle that sort of bowling," he remarkedJayasuriya was almost lyrical in his praise for captain Mahela Jayawardene whose century guided Sri Lanka to win over New Zealand in the first semi-final in Kingston on Tuesday. "It was one of the best hundreds I have seen. It came under pressure and the situation was intense. The team is also very happy because we needed it at that time," Jayasuriya said. Jayasuriya, who with 387 one-day internationals has played more matches than anybody in the history of the game, believes he is batting as good as he has ever batted in his life. "I feel I am batting as well as I did in 1996. The time between 2003 and 2005 was particularly hard for me, it wasn't that great for me. "But I picked myself up and have done some adjustments to my batting. Now I feel I am batting as well as I ever have." Jayasuriya believes the format of the ongoing World Cup was far tougher than the one they played during the 1996 triumph. "In this world cup we have needed a lot of games to reach the semi-finals. It's not so easy, you have to play really well." continued..

[Anakin]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia Hope to see some fireworks from SJ :wtg:

[kabira]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia I feel its Sangakarra who is best suited to play on bouncy track...He has been throwing his wicket away far too many times this world cup...

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia I putting a bet on SJ getting out to a bouncer, have a feeling the bowler will be that annoying MR MCGRATH :shrug:

[Gambit]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia C'mon Tait! Give him what he wants. SL to be bowled out for <150.

[Gaurav]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia Damn can't believe that I will miss the final :wall: I think SL will get thrashed.

[Holysmoke]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia gabbar singh, yeh kehkar gaya.. jo dar gaya, woh mar gaya... good to see him daring aus :hic:

[Bumper]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia Some bold talk from the Mathara baldie who averages 22 vs Australia in 42 attempts (as opposed to a career avg of 33) In his last 10 innings vs Australia, has crossed 15 only 3 times, one of that innings finished at 25. He has only 2 decent scores in the last 10 innings 55 & 114. Looking forward to a typical Jayasuriya's innings

[kumble_rocks]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia ^ It's more like bald talk! :hic:

[gs]

Re: Bounce me, if you can: Jayasuriya dares Australia Shiny baldie can cause serious damage if he can survive the initial 5 overs or so. He has to see Mcgrath off - the rest are crap.