“If we simply have a look at 50-over cricket for the second, our game plan is better suited to good wickets,” Silverwood stated on the eve of the third ODI towards Afghanistan. “I requested for flat wickets and fortunately I obtained the assist in that from the powers that be.”
“For a way we would like to play our cricket, the character of how we would like to play it, then we’d like good wickets to do this. And to additionally permit gamers the chance to galvanise that game plan by means of the truth that you possibly can exit and do it time and time once more. Gradual, low wickets do not swimsuit us to do this.
“For me the wickets have been wonderful right here [in Pallekele]. Sure, we have seen a number of runs, however that is what we would like. We want to give you the option to put up these massive scores after which we’d like to give you the option to defend them.”
When it comes to defending these massive totals, within the first game, regardless of Sri Lanka piling on a mammoth 381, Afghanistan ran them shut solely falling on the last hurdle following a spirited chase. Within the second game nevertheless, with 308 defend, Sri Lanka’s bowlers made life a lot more durable for Afghanistan, in the end leading to a monumental collapse the place the guests misplaced their last eight wickets for simply 25 runs.
For Silverwood, this final result was particularly satisfying because it had been a results of the gamers actively taking over board and implementing the suggestions from the teaching workers.
“After the primary game I assumed there was loads of room for enchancment,” Silverwood stated. “So we sat the lads down – all of them, not simply the bowlers – and we confirmed them utilizing the Hawk-Eye information what we have been speaking about. The areas that we bowled, the lengths that we bowled, what was and wasn’t profitable, and talked about how we have been going to tighten that up. They usually did it superbly within the final game.
“Different issues that we use is first and sixth ball – are you able to begin your over properly and end your over properly? Are you able to push the stress again on to the batsman, and make them play the massive shot? Relatively than giving runs both facet of the over. And it is the job of the subsequent bowler to decide up the place they left off. So that you’re continually making an attempt to construct that stress on to the batsman. And I feel you noticed us do this, significantly within the final game. We noticed that with the boundary rely coming down.”
Silverwood, who has been working carefully with the Sri Lankan seamers, was filled with reward for Fernando, who up till then had been primarily categorised as a Check bowler.
“He definitely put his finest foot ahead within the final game,” Silverwood stated. “The way in which he turned up on brief discover, and the way in which he carried out was unbelievable. The abilities that he is obtained – what he confirmed us throughout the Check match – lend themselves very properly to one-day cricket as properly. The way in which that he can hit size laborious time and time once more, the traces that he bowls are very tight, and he is obtained a really correct bouncer.
“For me, we’d like to hold pushing him on, hold engaged on that slower ball so he has that variation, however as for the essential skillset required to achieve success in 50-over white-ball cricket he definitely confirmed he is obtained that within the final game.”
Going ahead, the plan unsurprisingly is to construct in the direction of stability in order that Sri Lanka can have a far better displaying on the subsequent ODI World Cup in 2027.
“We’re in that constructing section once more now, we’re constructing for that World Cup, and we’ve got to ensure that we put all of the constructing blocks in place,” Silverwood stated. “So once we do arrive there we’re in a great place, all people’s obtained expertise beneath their belt, all people is aware of their roles, and all people has had success alongside the way in which as properly in order that they carry that confidence with them.”
