The Sri Lankan cricket captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, was suffering from a bout of tonsillitis and did not take part in the practice session at the Buffalo Park nets on Thursday morning.
According to coach Dav Whatmore he has taken the necessary medication and will be fit for nets on Friday and the important Super Six game against Zimbabwe on Saturday. Jayasuriya, who was hit twice by Australian speedster Brett Lee in Sri Lanka’s opening Super Six match last Friday at Centurion, still sports the imprinted seam of a ball on his lower arm.
”We’re a bit disappointed with the results of our Super Six matches,” the Sri Lankan captain said, referring to the big losses Sri Lanka sustained against both Australia and India.
”We’ve got to win well against Zimbabwe on Saturday,” he added.
Both Jayasuriya and Whatmore are aware that a win by New Zealand over India on Friday would effectively mean the end of their World Cup dream. ”The boys are a bit down at the moment,” Whatmore admitted after a nets session at Buffalo Park on Thursday.
The former Australian Test player was hesitant to talk about a ”dead match”, preferring to keep his hopes up.
”If India win tomorrow, you’ll see a different team.
”It’s the last throw of the dice, isn’t it….then we’ve just got to then win Saturday and get through to the semis,” he said.
Should there be nothing in the match Whatmore would be tempted to play a couple of players in the Sri Lankan squad who haven’t had too much cricket of late.
”But that depends on the selectors,” Whatmore added.
Opponents Zimbabwe were due to arrive in East London on Thursday. – Sapa