Angelo Mathews, Sri Lankan skipper, has admitted that his side played cautious cricket which costed them the first Test in Dunedin. New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 122 runs at the University Oval on Monday (December 14).
Speaking about Sri Lanka's performance at the post-match presentation, Mathews said, "I though we fought hard. They got off to a flier and we had too many loose balls. I thought we were too cautious in the first innings. We will have to be more positive."
Mathews was especially critical of Sri Lanka's bowlers. "There was a lot of grass on the wicket but we did not land in the right areas," he said. "We did not bowl pretty well. We did well in the second innings but it was too late. We did not show much intent in the first innings."
On being asked whether he was surprised by Brendon McCullum's decision to declare the second innings with over five sessions remaining, Mathews said, "Not really, It was a tough wicket to get 20 wickets and they needed time to get us out. We showed guts and it was exciting to see the batters bat too."
It was something that Brendon McCullum agreed upon too. The New Zealand captain had taken a brave decision to declare the second innings with a lead of 404 runs to win. Even as the total was big enough to be defended, it offered Sri Lanka a chance in the match with over five sessions of play remaining. "Sometimes, you have to risk losing to win. We desperately needed some time to beat Sri Lanka. The way the bowlers went about it was outstanding," he said.
Even as he rues the absence of now-retired Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, Mathews thinks 'lack of experience' is merely a reason. "We don't have Sanga's and Mahela's in the team, we are inexperienced, but it's all about the mindset," he concluded.
"It was a professional display but it was pretty hard to get 20 wickets. The guys bowled well and we batted well too. Overall, a professional performance," McCullum said at the post-match presentation at the University Oval in Dunedin.
"The way Guptill and Latham started, it was tricky and the batsmen hit the ball down the ground and we got to a four-an-over start on the first morning. Wagner with the pace and bounce even on day five was a testament to how good the surface was. Overall, the pitch definitely suited us. When you know you have guys like Wagner who can bowl hostile spells, you are always in the game. We will have to make sure we put up another thorough performance in Hamilton," he concluded crediting his team's batsmen and bowlers.
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