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Jayawardene banking on spinners
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October 23, 2006 19:32 IST

Sri Lanka [Images] skipper Mahela Jayawardene [Images] is banking on his spinners for Tuesday's crucial Champions Trophy match against South Africa, as the track could assist slow bowlers.

"Every game is important. So there is no added pressure. We know it's a crucial game. It's more like a quarter-final," he told reporters at a pre-match conference in Ahmedabad on Monday.

He said a victory will consolidate their chances of making it to the semi-finals from Group B.

"I don't know all the calculations, but I think if we win we are more likely to get into the semi finals," he said.

Jayawardene said his side has a lot of part-time spinners who could come handy as wickets in India generally assist slow bowlers.

"We don't know to what extent the wicket will spin. But our part-time spinners can adjust to different conditions," the star batsman said.

He added that his side is fortunate to have a spinner of the class of Muttiah Muralitharan, "who is something special", and the seasoned Sanath Jayasuriya [Images] in the slow bowling department.

He, however, laid stress on coming out with a total team effort at the Motera stadium.

"It is for all individuals to got out and play their game," he said.

Jayawardene also hinted that Dilhara Fernando would be among the final eleven.

Jayawardene praised young talent Upul Tharanga, who has scored two hundreds apart from a 50-plus score in the ongoing Champions Trophy so far, but rejected claims that other batsmen had failed to live up to the expectations.

"Had they not been playing well we would not have done so well in the recent past. The emphasis is on the top four guys getting runs. Tharanga has done really well. But I am also happy with the way the other guys are playing," he said.

He said Jayasuriya is in a great mood after visiting home to see his new-born baby.

"Everybody in the side is happy for him. He is an important member of the team. If he can hit a century it will be brilliant. But we are not putting any pressure on him."

Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody said it would be premature to predict whether the title would go to a side from the sub-continent.

"We have seen lot of favourite sides lose in the last few days. We are now only concentrating on tomorrow's game as our first objective is to enter the semis."

Asked about the controversy over low-scoring matches on turning tracks during the tournament, Moody said, "I dont have an issue with the wickets turning or producing competitive scores of around 200-odd; the only question mark everyone has is the bearing the dew will have over the game."



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