Bayliss backs Sri Lanka's attacking style for Twenty20s

[Buddhika_s]

Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka's new coach, believes that his teams attacking style of cricket would suit them in the upcoming Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

"Sri Lanka hasn't played a lot of Twenty20 cricket. But the style of cricket they play can be suited to the Twenty20 game. Sri Lanka is a team that plays an attacking style of the game. With a bit of experience and playing a few practice games, I am hoping the players can learn fairly quickly. I'm confident that we can give a good showing."


Bayliss who coached New South Wales before taking up the Sri Lanka job, had his first session with the national team today.

"They are a bright bunch of guys and very friendly people. Before we came here everyone was telling us how good these guys were, lovely people, hard trainers and hard workers. Certainly that's what we got this morning. I am looking forward to working with them."

"The opportunity to coach an international team and also a very successful one at that, was no contest. It's a dream, I suppose, where you can reach the top in whatever endeavours that you try. I am very happy and honoured that I've been given the opportunity to coach the Sri Lankan cricket team," Bayliss said.


Bayliss admitted that he had spoken to Tom Moody, whom he succeeded as coach, on several occasions. "We have got a fairly similar views on the way cricket should be played and the way it should be taken forward. Not a lot will change in the process. Sri Lanka has been very successful in their last 18 months. I don't want to change too much but continue along those lines. If one or two small things come up we will make the appropriate changes".


"Tom's opinion of the team was that they were a bunch of guys, very talented, easy to work with and easy to talk to. They play an attacking style of cricket similar to Australia. From that point of view and coming from Australia, there won't be a big change in the way we are going," Bayliss said, adding that he would be quite happy for the selectors to select the team and for him to coach it.


"Before the match starts, Mahela (Jayawardene) and I will be able to give our views. The attitude I had in New South Wales when I was coaching was the same thing. I didn't actually have a vote on the selections, but the one rule we put in place for the players was that there should be no whinging. Whatever you have been dealt, just get on with it."

Along with Bayliss, assistant coach Paul Farbrace and trainer Jade Roberts also had an interaction with the media.

Bayliss, who had a hand in the appointment of Farbrace, said: "Paul is a coach who knows his stuff and is a very hard worker. He is also a guy whom I will be able to get on with. He's probably got a similar personality and similar views on the way the game should be played. I think it is important that the two of us should work together."


Farbrace, who was the coaching director at Kent before joining the Sri Lanka team, was upbeat about his new job. "To work with Trevor and the other guys here, it really wasn't a contest. It's an exciting opportunity. You don't very often get the chance to work with exciting teams who are playing good cricket."

"Normally in sport you go with things like 'perhaps I am doing well' but that's when things change. This time it is an opportunity to handle a side and an excellent set up. I really want to get into and get stuck in."

Roberts, who is also a dietician, said he would rely on the players to be professional. "I've talked to the guys and my opinion is they are a very professional outfit. It's really upto them."

The three newcomers will join physio Tommy Simsek in the support staff. Simsek is the only remaining member of the Sri Lanka coaching staff from the 2007 World Cup.

© Cricinfo

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/sril...ry/307541.html

i just think they are too fat lol

[Sohel]

Trevor Bayliss seems to have a talent for overstating the obvious. I can't imagine being cautious with the likes of Sanath, Tharanga, Sanga, Mahela and Maharoof in any form of cricket, let alone T20. Other than BD, I'm rooting for Sri Lanka to go all the way, and West Indies to be the not so dark horses of the tournament. GO Tigers, GO Lanka, GO Windies !!!

[MysoreHuli]

Every Coach backs his team, so there's nothing surprise in Trevor Bayliss's remarks.

[rubel_18]

Originally Posted by MysoreHuli
Every Coach backs his team, so there's nothing surprise in Trevor Bayliss's remarks.

LOL, Yeh thats true

[AsifTheManRahman]

Well they might not have played a lot of T20 games as a team, but it's been around in their domestic leagues for a while. Not too sure whether their main players have played it a lot though. Then again, it wouldn't make much of a difference.