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It is now a two-horse race: Jayawardene

Special Correspondent

Adelaide: Irfan Pathan denied suggestions that the IPL contracts issue was weighing on the minds of the Indian cricketers. “We are focussed on winning the match tomorrow (on Tuesday),” he said.

On his improved bowling display on this tour, he said, “Working with Dennis Lillee and T.A. Sekar at the MRF Pace Foundation helped. Venkatesh Prasad and senior cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar have also helped me a lot.”

Although bowling with the new ball would suit a swing bowler such as him, Pathan said he had learnt to operate with an older ball. He admitted that it was disappointing to see the batsmen fail after the bowlers had done well but added this was a part of cricket.

“Sri Lanka is a good side. There will be pressure on us tomorrow but we are confident we can win the game,” he said.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene believed his side could win the remaining games against India. “Australia looks good to make the final and basically it is now a two-horse race for the spot of the other finalist,” he said.

Jayawardene said his team would continue with five bowlers and added paceman Ishara Amerasinghe, who missed the last two games due to a side strain, was likely to play Tuesday’s game.

Backing Murali

The Lankan captain backed off-spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan to come good. “We are not concerned about Murali’s bowling. He should bowl well here,” he said.

Jayawardene said the Aussies were not the same force they were once. “The other sides have a chance against them but the bowling and the fielding have bailed the Aussies out.”

He also said it was about time the Lankan batting came good. “The batting has been inconsistent. We have bowled well.”

Australian coach Tim Nielsen said Ishant Sharma has bowled “beautifully” on the tour. He said there were four to five bowlers in the tri-series who were bowling consistently at speeds between 140 and 145.

“They have been swinging the new ball and reverse swinging the old. It has not been easy for the batsmen.” Nielsen also acknowledged that his batsmen were not in the best of form.

He said the IPL contracts issue was in the minds of the Aussie cricketers but did not believe this affected the Aussie performance.

Nielsen conceded that there were contradictions, at the moment, about how Cricket Australia, the players association and the IPL looked at the issue.

Meanwhile, Adam Gilchrist who hurt his thumb while standing up to Staurt Clark here on Sunday, appears to have recovered.

The influential batsman-keeper is expected to play in Friday’s clash against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.

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