Our strategy worked – Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka ‘A’ No.4 bat Bhanuka Rajapaksa, former Royal College left-hander who played a match-winning knock of 72 in 73 balls, coming in to bat when his team was in trouble losing two quick wickets for 22 when chasing 259 to win a must-win game yesterday, said his team’s ploy to attack the England ‘A’ left-arm spinners worked handily paving the way for them to win the match by six wickets in the 3rd one-dayer of the two teams at Kurunegala.
“After we lost the first two games, our coach (Romesh) Kaluwitharana asked us to attack the England left-arm spinners who dominated us earlier. I think the strategy worked really well.
I was advised to hit hard at the loose balls. I did so though we were in a spot of bother (2 down for 22) when I went to the middle. But the wicket was really good for batting.
Before the match, our plan was to restrict them below 275 because we knew we could chase such a target on this wicket.
I hope to do my best if I’m called for the National side (now in Australia for a triangular ODI series). There are pretty good batsmen in the National side now but by being able to mix with them for top international matches I will gain vital experience.”
