Published: Mar 08, 2015, 08:48 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 09, 2015, 09:34 AM (IST)
Sri Lankan fielding wasn’t up to the mark on Sunday in their defeat against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), in a crucial game against Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, but fielding coach Trevor Penny played it down. After the match, Penny spoke to the press and shared his contentment with the progress. (ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Points Table)
Q: Trevor, are you quite happy with the way things went out on the field, looking back on the previous two games?
Trevor Penney (TP): I thought we fielded well. It’s always difficult when there’s a lot of runs scored, a lot of boundaries, and sometimes you don’t feel you’re in the game, but we made some good run outs and some good catches, so yeah, pretty pleased with the fielding.
Q: Trevor, you seem to be doing a lot of fielding drills during your training. Can you say that you are 100 per cent happy with the commitment Lasith Malinga shows during those fielding drills?
TP: Definitely. He’s come back from a five-month layoff with a bad ankle. The most important thing is that he can bowl for us and slowly get his fielding right and his fielding fitness right. Yeah, with the doctors and physios and stuff, we’re handling him just right. Yeah, I’m pretty happy.
Q: Trevor, as a fielding coach, can you explain what most of the people talk about the Sri Lankan fielding not up to the expectation during this tournament?
TP: I’m very happy with the fielding. The ground fielding, everyone is improving. There’s been the odd dropped catch here and there, which even Australia dropped a couple today, as well. With the ball being hit very hard these days, the half chances, the fielders are more athletic, they’re going for more catches, so there’s going to be a few more half chances dropped. Yeah, I’m happy the way the guys are going, and we should be firing 100 per cent by the quarter-final.
Courtesy: ICC
