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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

February 28, 2015

Marvan Atapattu

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND

MARVAN ATAPATTU: Back to what we have done in the past, in the last 12 months. Having said that, it's a brand new game, brand new tournament. It's a different tournament, different pressure, and we all understand that.

Q. Marvan, the feeling has been a bit concerned for you when we saw the side in Melbourne. What is it you need to do to sort of bring it back to what it was some time ago, the Sri Lanka feeling?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Well, it is a concern, no doubt, especially the catching, and obviously when we started off with two test matches, I think a catch here at the Basin Reserve cost us a test match. Having said that, we have had good times, brilliant times, and we have had times that we weren't very happy about. I think striking a balance on a long tour like this, it's important that we manage people and keep them fresh so we have taken a step forward, giving people a rest, trying to have them fresh for games like for tomorrow. We are still working on getting certain people, got to understand we have a few wicket keepers and all that in the side, but having said that, we certainly have room for improvement in that area.

Q. Is there anyone in the current England team in this form of cricket who Sri Lanka would fear?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: The format is such, it can be anyone. Any one of their top seven batsmen. They have a fantastic seaming bowling lineup there. It could be anyone. As I said, the format is such that we've got to guard against being complacent. We've just got to play the best cricket that we can on the day.

Q. Marvan, do you think having lost the first game to New Zealand and then having a tough game with Afghanistan and now having beaten Bangladesh quite convincingly, that the team is moving towards a stage where you are playing your best cricket that you're capable of?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Certainly, the last two games have been good for us, although we came very closeÂ it was a very close game against Afghanistan. Having said that, we would expect our No. 8 to score the way he scored in the Dunedin game. Yes, we would like to take game by game at this stage. We know in World Cups every game is important, and peaking at the right time is the most important thing. We as a group believe in that, and we think game by game, and hopefully we have a good result tomorrow.

Q. Marvan, I'm guess being you've watched England play during the tournament so far. What do you think their strength is?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Well, I mean, they are a balanced side. It is just that I don't think they can be very happy about how things have unrolled for them in the recent past. Having said that, they have qualified in the finals against Australia in Australia. That's always a positive. Having mentioned about peaking at the right time, I think India is a classic example. In terms like this, you need toÂ a victory against a good opposition, a good performance would obviously boost, and I'm sure England is looking forward to that. It can be their batting; they've got some terrific batsmen in their first seven, and if not, they've got the best seaming attack on the day.

Q. Marvan, Thisara (inaudible) looking for in the game against Afghanistan, but he has to share a fair amount of overs with seamers. How about his bowling? Is it still a concern?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Well, I mean, Thisara is a person who has got fifers in Australia in previous tours. See, we would like to think that he's a bowler who could give us 10 overs, and he has done it more than a couple of times, and when he does that, he picks wickets. In the team we have the confidence of him being a genuine allrounder at seven who can finish matches for us and then bowl his quota and pick a few wickets.

Q. One of the things about Sri Lankan cricket for a long time has been the way your players go out and express themselves. How do you create an environment where they can just feel like they can go and enjoy themselves?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: It's a lapse in the coaching, I guess. (Laughter.) Natural talent is something that we always encourage. It's not all about technique. If somebody has the flair and the confidence to go and do it on the big stage, in a big competition, without any fear of failure, we always encourage that.

Q. Is that easy to do, to build that confidence in players?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: With the skill levels that they have, with the different skills that they bring, it's almost easier because you aren't copying anybody or you are not looking to see what the other is doing in terms of technique, what is he still thinking, what is his preparation. He has his own way of doing things, and we encourage that.

Q. You might have seen AB deÂ Villiers' innings last night. That's the second time he's done something similar in the past month or so. We saw Rohit Sharma make 260 against your team a few months ago. Have we reached the limit of what is possible now in terms of fast scoring, or is there even more to come do you think?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: First of all, I think I always believed people who make big scores make big scores. It was almost a habit. When you start winning, you keep on winning. Same with people getting fifers, people getting 200s. Sangakkara is a classic example. I reckon there are ways and means that people could do it in a bit different way. I wouldn't be surprised if the score line stretches a bit more even.

Q. Do you see a 300 in a One Day International?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: You never know. I don't know. I don't want you to print something and be a fool of it, but you never know. See, now the average score at the 35over mark you are looking at around 200, 220. It could be stretched for sure. It could be stretched for sure. It's the mindset of a player and a team, the unit.

Q. Marvan, all the conditions are different here. Do you consider that?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Certainly yes. Certainly yes.

Q. Marvan, Eoin Morgan said yesterday he hopes the ball swings as much as it did for Tim Southee last week when they beat England. Would that be a problem for you guys? Do you think your guys would mind the swinging ball?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Well, any batsman wouldn't like the ball swinging too much, our batsmen, their batsmen. At the end of the day, it's the skill Southee had. Not too many bowlers in that lineup apart from Southee swung the ball on that day. If it swings, I think any batsman would struggle. It won't be in his comfort zones.

Q. Marvan, with Jeevan Mendis ruled out, in a sense you are more dependent now on Rangana Herath. Are you pleased with the way he's been bowling so far?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Rangana has been good, but it's different conditions for him. Obviously the ball hasn't turned as much as it does, but having said that, our sevenmatch series against New Zealand, he was a big factor when we won, the two games that we won, so on the day, on the wicket, conditions may change.

Q. Marvan, Upul Tharanga has been brought into the side. Do you intend on playing him in tomorrow's game, and if so, if he's going to play in the future games or tomorrow's game, what position do you consider him that he should play?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: We have brought him here as a replacement for Jeevan knowing that he can bat anywhere with the experience and the stats that he has given us earlier. If we want to play him, it could be from Nos. 1 to 7 anyplace.

Q. You obviously haven't trained today. Is that just to give the fellows a break?
MARVAN ATAPATTU: Yes, we have had a tough day yesterday, traveling from Melbourne, early morning flight, got here late afternoon with a two hour time difference. I think fatigue management is important as getting the guys on the field.
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