The Sri Lankan team which faced defeat continuously in the four ODIs against India is scheduled to begin the 5th game tomorrow (16) in Ranchi. After the terrible defeat in the 4th game, what Angelo Matthews said was that the Sri Lankan team has flopped in all three
departments of bowling, fielding and batting. 'When we look at the way the Indian team won in the 4th game, we can see these setbacks in the team very clearly. Our bowlers could not inflict any pressure whatsoever when the Indian team clinched 233 in the last 18 overs and that goes to show their batting and our poor bowling.
Bowlers cannot always bowl very well. But on a pitch like this, when Indian batsmen get into form, the bowlers should be able to make some sort of a challenge.
"The Sri Lankan fielding was not at all satisfactory. The straight-forward catches which were offered right into the hands were dropped. The catch offered to Thisara Perera in the 4th over by Sharma when he was just 4 being dropped only resulted in Sharma adding another 260 runs to his credit. Even when he was 201 a catch of Sharma was grassed". Matthews says that, "under certain conditions such as this, when a strong Indian batting line-up is seen in a one-day game, it is not easy to trounce them.
The all-rounder skills of the Sri Lankan team should somehow or other be brought to form and then that would develop some faith in a win in the final game", Matthew says finally.