Australia slipping: Jayawardene

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AUSTRALIA'S crown as one-day cricket kings is starting to slip and that's a good thing, says Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene. More... Australia slipping: Jayawardene By Greg Buckle February 11, 2008 AUSTRALIA'S crown as one-day cricket kings is starting to slip and that's a good thing, says Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene. Jayawardene said India's five-wicket win over Australia had not only opened up the tri-series competition but provided another example of the chinks in the armour of Ricky Ponting's side. India have shot to the top of the tri-series standings on eight points from three games, one point ahead of Australia, with Sri Lanka on two points and desperately needing a win on Tuesday at Manuka Oval against India. “(India) bowled really well up front to put pressure on the Aussies and batted well under tough conditions,” Jayawardene said. “It does open things up now. If we win, everyone has got one win each. “We just need to make sure that we give our best shot and make this tournament much more interesting than what it is.” “Australia are not dominating world cricket at the moment,” Jayawardene said. “Yes, they are playing some good cricket but on and off. They are being pushed to the limit which is a good thing. “The rest of the world is catching up to them, especially in one-day cricket.” Sri Lanka were bowled out for 125 in a dismal batting display against Australia in Sydney on Friday, with the world champions winning by 128 runs. Jayawardene says the World Cup finalists need to show more application with the bat and find an answer to the pace and bounce of Indian sensation Ishant Sharma, who took 4-38 on Sunday. “If you don't perform on that given day, you can be beaten,” Jayawardene said. “We just need to come back strong after the last outing that we had. Our batting is a bit of a concern. “You can have those kinds of days. That happened to the Aussies. They batted seven guys and they couldn't get 160. There are no excuses for the way we batted. The application out there that day wasn't good. “For us we just need to forget about what happened the other day and concentrate on how we are going to go about things. “For us we need to think positive. We think we can win the next four or five games in a row and get ourselves into that final.” Jayawardene said Tillekeratne Dilshan was likely to play despite a knee infection which has been troubling the No.6 batsman this series. The Indians flew in to Canberra energised by their win in Melbourne. Apart from 19-year-old Sharma, the Indians have also been boosted by the form of 20-year-old Rohit Sharma, who made an unbeaten 39 on Sunday. “The challenge for them will be to try to be consistent over a period of time. They are playing some very good cricket, there's no doubt about that,” Jayawardene said.

[King]

Yesterday it was Sehwag and now it's Jayawardene. It's a bit rich coming from Jayawardene though after having been thrashed in two tests and struggling to even score just over 100 against Australia in the ODI.

[Dhondy]

Piggybacking, it's called, Ravi. India give the Aussies a hard time, and suddenly the gap is closing for the rest of the world. Yeah right! Anybody remember the 5-0 thrashing that England received, or SL's own 2-0 demolition?

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Clark laughs off 'bold statements' by India Australia are desperate to show they are still the world's best after taunts from tri-series rivals India and Sri Lanka, says fast bowler Stuart Clark. More... Perth, Australia - Fast bowler Stuart Clark on Monday said Australia were desperate to show they were still the world's best after taunts from tri-series rivals India and Sri Lanka. Opener Virender Sehwag claimed Australia were "scared" ahead of their loss to India on Sunday, while Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said other teams were finally catching up. "I keep reading that certain members of their (India's) team say we are scared and things like that and I find that pretty much laughable," said Clark. "They can think whatever they want and they've made some bold statements. "India are playing good cricket, but the guys are keen to show everyone that we are still the best team in the world." Australia are entering a new era following the retirements of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn in the last 18 months, with Adam Gilchrist also about to hang up his pads. "They're not dominating world cricket at the moment ... they're playing some good cricket, but on and off," Jayawardene said in Canberra. "They're being pushed to the limit which is a good thing. "I think the rest of the world is catching up with them, especially in one-day cricket." However, Clark said Australia were simply down on form for Sunday's surprise five-wicket defeat. "On any day, if we are not on our game, any team can beat us and if we don't play cricket to our level then we can get beaten," he said. Clark, who said he was looking to become more unpredictable with his bowling to nail down a spot in the one-day side, also backed captain Ricky Ponting to emerge from his current form slump. The usually prolific Ponting has scored just 18 runs at 6.00 in the tri-series and also struggled for form for most of the narrow 2-1 Test series win against India. However, Clark said Ponting's class would prevail. "He's probably the best player in the world," he said. "There was going to be a period where he didn't do as well as he's been doing for so long. Hopefully that changes and you'd be a brave man to back against him." Australia's next match in the tri-series is against Sri Lanka on Friday.

[King]

"He's probably the best player in the world," he said. "There was going to be a period where he didn't do as well as he's been doing for so long. Hopefully that changes and you'd be a brave man to back against him." Australia's next match in the tri-series is against Sri Lanka on Friday.

I don't reckon by any measure he is the best in the world. He's struggling to come to terms against Ishant and Sreesanth right now. He's a top gun all right but the best in the world, "no chance".

[mhr123]

I don't reckon by any measure he is the best in the world. He's struggling to come to terms against Ishant and Sreesanth right now. He's a top gun all right but the best in the world' date=' "no chance".[/quote'] Best players in the world don't get out in similar fashion 3-4 times.

[msb1991]

What about Tendulkar playing on to the stumps?

[Ram]

Sehwag has been very vocal off late. First he accused Aus of playing defensive cricket coz they "were afraid of losing" in the Adelaide test, now he has come out said the Aussies were "scared of the Indians"... I suppose you could say the second comment was bit over the top, but its nice to see some verbal volleys being played and Sehwag seems to be the nominated Indian team member.

[King]

Sehwag has been very vocal off late. First he accused Aus of playing defensive cricket coz they "were afraid of losing" in the Adelaide test, now he has come out said the Aussies were "scared of the Indians"... I suppose you could say the second comment was bit over the top, but its nice to see some verbal volleys being played and Sehwag seems to be the nominated Indian team member.

Meanwhile the Aussies have gone completely off the boil. No verbal volleys whatsoever apart from these denials from the likes of Clark. I guess a bit of self doubt may have creped in. BTW Aussie attack bar Lee looks very timid. Sure Clark and Bracken are good but the aggressive bowling option is just missing from the attack. Gilly standing up to all but Lee says a lot about Aussie bowling attack. I guess "PACE, PACE and MORE PACE" is lost for Australia. Johnson looks terrific but the 4 true fast bowler options is pretty much the days of lore I guess for Australia what with Tait taking a break from cricket. Even Warne looked more aggressive than most Aussie bowlers in the past year or two.

[IndianRenegade]

However, Clark said Australia were simply down on form for Sunday's surprise five-wicket defeat. "On any day, if we are not on our game, any team can beat us and if we don't play cricket to our level then we can get beaten," he said. Clark, who said he was looking to become more unpredictable with his bowling to nail down a spot in the one-day side, also backed captain Ricky Ponting to emerge from his current form slump.

That is true for any team. On a given day if a team plays to its strengths they rarely loose, or at least, it is a really tight game if they loose. To point it out as a reason for their failure to maintain their consistency that they once maintained isn't really an convincing answer. One would hope that he really doesn't think that is the answer. The fact that India has managed to consistently challenge them even in Australia, surely means that Australia are becoming more susceptible to failures than they once where. The fact is that they have faced some quality bowling against which any in form batsmen would have struggled. It would be rather wise to accept the problem is that the opposition has grown stronger or that they have gone weaker, than too blame it on form or luck or off-days. The first step in solving any problem is to identify the problem.

[fineleg]

There are more matches left in this series. It will be better if Sehwag and Co. make all these statements after they run Aus down in the finals (assuming we get there). To all our cricketers: Wait for the Aus tour to be over, see how we challenge them in Finals, and then boast if you want to abt them being "scared" etc. Talking abt all this when we are not even in the stage where Finals teams are decided is too early.

[flamy]

Making such statements after the fact will not carry any flavour. ah...sarchasm beat me...:)

[DomainK]

Piggybacking, it's called, Ravi. India give the Aussies a hard time, and suddenly the gap is closing for the rest of the world. Yeah right! Anybody remember the 5-0 thrashing that England received, or SL's own 2-0 demolition?

Right said. Lanka shouldn't forget that last ODI where they were thrashed out of the game. You need nerves to beat the Australians. Its India on its way to numero uno:two_thumbs_up:

[16 str8]

Ah, looks like the sharks are back. Australia loses an ODI and suddenly the world is falling apart. It's nothing that hasn't been said over and over in the last 15 years. But from Jayawardene? When was the last time Sri Lanka looked in the same league as Australia? Lucky he can play cricket, because he doesn't seem like the smartest bloke going around.

[maggot_brain]

Ah, looks like the sharks are back. Australia loses an ODI and suddenly the world is falling apart. It's nothing that hasn't been said over and over in the last 15 years. But from Jayawardene? When was the last time Sri Lanka looked in the same league as Australia? Lucky he can play cricket, because he doesn't seem like the smartest bloke going around.

World Cup 1996 Final.

[Sachinism]

^^ it would be more recent than that SL were a very very good ODI probably just a year back

[Chandan]

When was the last time Sri Lanka looked in the same league as Australia? .

World Cup 1996 Final.

^^ it would be more recent than that

ICC CT 2002, semifinal. Can't remember instances after that when SL gave Australia a run for their money..errr.. title!

[16 str8]

^^ it would be more recent than that SL were a very very good ODI probably just a year back

I think they are still a good side, but only in ODI's.

[maggot_brain]

I think they are still a good side' date=' but only in ODI's.[/quote'] In addition to this I'd say they're a bit like India used to be. They don't travel too well. There was a recent article on Cricinfo about how their bowlers aren't as good away from the Subcontinent.

[siddhu]

In addition to this I'd say they're a bit like India used to be. They don't travel too well. There was a recent article on Cricinfo about how their bowlers aren't as good away from the Subcontinent.

Most of their wins even on home grounds or outside of subcontinent were because of Vaas and Murli.. and especially Murli... when was the last time any other bowler performed in a Lankan Win or for that matter .... when was the last time any other bowler performed... period. I dread the days of what will be become of SL when Vaas and Murli hang up their boot