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I won't 'run away' from captaincy: Mathews

3 July 2016 09:50 am - 28     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Angelo Mathews said he had no intention of quitting as Sri Lanka captain after yet another crushing defeat by England.

Sri Lanka lost the fifth and final one-day international by 122 runs in Cardiff on Saturday as England took the series 3-0, with one tie and one no result, following their 2-0 success in the preceding three-Test campaign.

England, sent into bat by Mathews in the Welsh capital, made 324 for seven with Joe Root (93) and Jos Buttler (70) putting on 109 for the fifth wicket.

Sri Lanka, whose two wins this tour have come in a pair of one-day internationals in Ireland, will have one last chance for a victory on English or Welsh soil on their current trip when they face England in a lone Twenty20 at Southampton on Tuesday.

"There will be good times as well as bad," said Mathews, who became Test and one-day skipper in 2013 before taking on the T20 leadership just before this year's World Twenty20 in India.

"This is a tough time for me as a captain and for the whole unit but you can't run away from it," added the 29-year-old all-rounder.

"I'm pretty sure if we keep improving day-by-day we can come out of this hole," he insisted.

"For the past two months we've been having the same problems, either batting bowling or fielding has let us down in every single game.

"Especially in the one-dayers we needed a perfect day to win against England.

"We didn't have that perfect game and we paid the price."

"Congratulations to the English boys, they put us under a lot of pressure and didn?t give us the slightest of chances. They outplayed us in all three departments."

Last year, Sri Lanka thrashed England by nine wickets at the World Cup in Wellington but since then batting greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have both retired.

Mathews, asked if he had been surprised by England's progress, replied: "A few years back they were in the same situation as us, a rebuilding phase and they have stuck to their plans, they?ve stuck to their players and now you can see the results.

"They've been playing some fantastic cricket and are very competitive outside England as well."(AFP)


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  Comments - 28

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  • Jesus Sunday, 03 July 2016 03:17 PM

    Yes you don't have to runner way but you will be chased anyway..

    Moosa Monday, 04 July 2016 09:37 AM

    Let's not blame any one person. The fact is that we are in a process of rebuilding our team. Let's have faith in them, they will deliver soon.

    LankaBoy Monday, 04 July 2016 09:06 AM

    Heh! Heh! At least now he realizes that he is not capable....But we knew form the beginning it was a show. Where the selection committee.......

    CitizenPerera Monday, 04 July 2016 06:50 AM

    I sympathize with Angie. It is a daunting task for any captain when the rest of the players are below par, mediocre and not fit for international competition.

    dhammika perera Monday, 04 July 2016 05:56 AM

    Typical Lankan style.Look at MR. Still hanging there.Dhammika

    Wise Donkey Monday, 04 July 2016 02:31 AM

    You need not runaway, we will runaway from watching the agony of being repeatedly beaten badly by other teams. This never happened before!

    BV Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:25 PM

    YOU HAVE GOT A YOUNG INEXPERIENCED TEAM.YOU ARE THE BEST TO GROOM THEM.YOU SHOULD HANG ON TILL THE TEAM IS GROOMED . via DM Android App

    Gayan Sunday, 03 July 2016 07:50 PM

    Nobody can beat Ranil's record.

    Bubble Banda Sunday, 03 July 2016 07:11 PM

    Sharon you are a trouble maker, put everyone in trouble like Mahinda.

    J Palitha Sunday, 03 July 2016 07:08 PM

    Mathews is like our Old defeated King Mahinda, to remain as a captain until his last breath.

    Sam Sunday, 03 July 2016 06:36 PM

    He shouldn't have left the field at the first place. Yes chandimal has a long way to go before becoming the captain.

    Desmond Jeromme Sunday, 03 July 2016 06:28 PM

    Halloo, no need to run away, you will be chased soon - before that please quit SriLanka Cricket for heaven sake.

    Bala Sunday, 03 July 2016 04:16 PM

    Last ODI at Cardiff why did u put Eng to bat oon a good wicket and put pressure on yourself batting second. No good captaincy and field placing also very poor.

    Aba Jayasekera Sunday, 03 July 2016 03:59 PM

    Those who say you must go don't know what they are talking about. You are a good captain and the only one who could be made captain. However I think some of your tactics are wrong. For instance in the ODI when you won the toss you decided to bat. You could do this if the side could score 325 to 350. But in that match we scored only 248. The English side could score this sum at less than 5 runs per over. England always get the opponents to bat in ODI s when they win the toss. The reason is that the side batting first don't know what there target should be. They believe at any time that their score is not sufficient and try to score as much as possible and then lose wickets

    Unchikun Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:12 AM

    Yes, in Sri Lanka this is the philosophy from all walks of like. "Hang on until you get kicked out".

    Warra Sunday, 03 July 2016 03:01 PM

    I think he should reconsider is post as a captain. To me Matthews is a highly talented player when his not the captain and in recent years has dropped in performance when captaining the side. The team is in shambles and not going his way at the moment. His not an attacking captain and occasionally makes silly decesions on the field. This series was an uttter mess and the same old mistakes repeates its self with every series lost. Hope for the best in the future.

    RD Sunday, 03 July 2016 02:35 PM

    Defect of the first one-day is not Anjelo's fault. When he left the field, England was 82 for 6. We lost it due to poor captaincy of Chandimal. We need to groom someone else and I heard Siriwardana is a good captain but he could not establish his place in the team. Therefore, until we find a good captain, we need Angelo to lead the team

    Lords Sunday, 03 July 2016 02:13 PM

    A very poor captain. Current team is not that inexperienced but current captain has a poor knowledge of the modern day game. Sri Lanka badly needs a good captain who has a knowlege of the game even if it means recalling a retired cricketer.

    Coconut Republic Sunday, 03 July 2016 01:54 PM

    You are certainly a great allrounder and a team player, but your leadership is very defencive. You lack the killer instinct at crucial moment.

    Onlooker Sunday, 03 July 2016 01:49 PM

    Quitting should start from SLC itself. Starve cricket of big money then all these so called administrators will run away.

    Noor Sunday, 03 July 2016 01:47 PM

    The issue was with Sri Lankan cricket when we hado good players like sanga mahela sanath murali the legends ofsl cricket. They never groomed players for future. They were focused on Thier career. Arjuna groomed players under his captaincy. I don't know whom to blame for the current situation.

    kk Sunday, 03 July 2016 01:31 PM

    For example RW via DM Android App

    Sharon Sunday, 03 July 2016 12:34 PM

    Absolutely no need to quit. We are with you Anji via DM iOS App

    De Silva Sunday, 03 July 2016 11:12 AM

    Mathew is an excellent allrounder but a bad captain.He should seriously think of resigning. It is not running away. But in the interest of the game.

    Jude Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:59 AM

    Angelo M. Is the only suitable player to Captain SL.!!! Couple other players can't handle pressure of being Captain. However, I solely put the blame on Angelo for not winning the first ODI against England!!!

    ANTON Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:50 AM

    HARD LUCK ANJI, AT THE MOMENT YOU HAVE GOT THE NEWEST , YOUNGEST AND INEXPERIENCED TEAM IN THE WORLD TO FACE THE GIANT ENGLISH TEAM. .. BUT DO WHAT YOU DO , DO WELL , ALL THE BEST , GOD BLESS YOU.

    Labby Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:44 AM

    As a player he is hugely talented, no doubt about it. But as a Captain he has very negative tactics, and that is not helping the team.

    IVJ Sunday, 03 July 2016 10:20 AM

    I don't think it should be your decision Angelo. The administration should take care of appointing captains.


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