After initial setback,Lankans aim to get campaign back on track

He quickly broke out of the casual game of football to pause,look upwards and take notice,before dropping his shoulders and shaking his head in displeasure

He quickly broke out of the casual game of football to pause,look upwards and take notice,before dropping his shoulders and shaking his head in displeasure. Tillakaratne Dilshan was not a happy man. The manual scoreboard at the Airport End of the Queens Park Club hadnt been changed since Sunday. The large white paint still read Sharma 101 and India: seven wicket victory.

No one really seemed to notice for the whole day,but as the Sri Lankans made their way into the nets for the late afternoon practice session on Monday,the reminder that Dilshan had lost his first game in charge of Sri Lanka polarised the side into a state of seriousness.

Captaincy surely hasnt been a walk in the park for the 33-year old from Kalutara. It has been very difficult. You have to constantly be on your toes. I am not allowed to think as a batsman anymore. I need to have my captaincy hat on always,including at practice sessions. The job comes with a lot of pressure,but then again,it is an honour to lead the country, Dilshan says.

Dilshan though,is confident that he will not make the same mistake that India did in the opening match of the tri-series. We will not take Zimbabwe lightly. I said at the start of the tournament that we are all evenly matched sides in this tournament,and I stick by it. Zimbabwe proved how good they are against India and I want every player to give their 100 per cent. A loss will be a lethal blow to our chances in the tournament,which a young side like ours cannot possibly afford, he adds.

Something for everyone

The health of the pitch has received rave reviews from the critics in Bulawayo,and Dilshan believes that it is one of the better wickets he has played on. Theres something in it for everybody,it is an excellent ODI wicket. Theres a good amount of spin,seam and bounce. For the batsmen,it is a real test of their abilities. The curator has done a fantastic job, Dilshan explains.

Curator Doug Higgins is pleased with the feedback. We leave as much grass on it as possible. Whats the point of pulling it all out and making it a batting dugger? The scores have been just ideal for one day cricket and it will be fair to say that Im happy with the result, says Higgins.

Study in contrast

The mood was much lighter at the Zimbabwean camp,as the hangover from their win over India hadnt yet erased completely. With the coaching staff Alan Butcher,Heath Streak and Dave Houghton watching closely,Elton Chigumburas men ironed out their flaws and built on their new-found confidence. It was in stark contrast to the Sri Lankan session in almost every respect,except for the chilly weather and the unchanged manual scoreboard.

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