These were the sentiments expressed by 'Captain Cool' Arjuna Ranatunga in an eve of departure interview to South Africa.
``This is Sri Lanka's first historic Test tour of SA after having gained Test status. We have fronted up to them here a few years back and they beat us. We are determined to reverse that situation and if luck plays for us, we see no reason why we should be second to the Proteas', said Ranatunga. Senior most captain
Ranatunga is the senior most captain in the test cricket circuit today. And he also stakes claim to being the best. He has loads of experience behind him, and when it comes to reading the game, he will be yards ahead of South African skipper Hansie Cronje.
The skipper is happy with the team that has been given him.
``The pacemen are the best avialable. I would have been delighted to have lanky paceman Nuwan Zoysa with me. But he is still recovering from injury and maybe I will have him with me on the tour to England', said Ranatunga.
Ranatunga was aware that the selections of Hashan Tillekeratne and Pramodaya Wickremasinghe were unpopular ones, but defended these two selections by saying that on a hardous and gruelling tour such as the one to SA experience is a must. In the deep end
'I have confidence in Tillekeratne and Wickremasinghe. Tillekeratne has unfortunately struck the deep end where his batting is concerned. Apparently he lost his concentration after the injury he suffered in the West Indies. He needs one good knock to regain his confidence and that hopefully will come in once of the run up games before the big ones.
'Tillekeratne's ability to concentrate and stay long at the wicket is an influence on the rest of the batsmen. If he strikes it rich with the bat, then it is a bonus for us. As for his fielding he is one of the best in the world.
Speaking on Wickremasinghe's inclusion the captain said that he was one of the best new ball bowlers. In recent times he had concentrated on bowling a good line and length and instead of trying to bowl various deliveries has settled down to sending down a vicious out swinger. If he can quickly settle down to doing this, he should silence his critics and come good. Gutty cricketer
``Wickremasinghe is quite a gutty cricketer. If he fails with the ball he has the ability to come good with the bat. So you see he is in the allrounders class and allrounders are what we are sadly lacking', said the skipper.
When questioned as to why one or to promising youngsters had not been included, the skipper had good reason and said: ``True, the selectors would have liked to have plonked in a couple of promising youngsters.
``But on a tour like this where we will be up against the best speed bowling combination in the world, it would have not been the ideal ground to blood the youngsters.
``Facing bowlers such as the world's fastest in Allan Donald supported by the menacing Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Fannie de Villiers and with the possible return of Bret Schultz will be no paradise. Depressing effect
'If these bowlers shatter the confidence of the youngsters, it will have a depressing effect on them and they will probably take a long time to recover. So it is best that these youngsters are blooded on other tours', said Ranatunga who had confidence writ all over him.
Asked about his team's chances the skipper said that given good wickets he sees no reason why they should not stand up to the Proteas and give them as good as they got.
'The team is easily the best and the fittest to leave the shores. If we play true to ability and if we put things together out in the middle, there is no reason why we should not enhance out Test standing. Sri Lanka ahead
``We are ahead of England, New Zealand and Zimbabwe and we see no reason why we should not be able to move a couple of notches ahead at the end of this tour', said Ranatunga.
The skipper acknowledged that the South Africans are now at their peak after the tour of Australia. But that is not going to make us cringe. We will go out and play the game to the best of our ability and in the best of spirits and may the better side win!
Ranatunga was confident that his batting aces - Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Tillekeratne, Kaluwitharne, Jayawardena, Mahanama, Arnold will turn out trumps. Ranatunga too is in the runs and should stay that way. Big responsibility
A big responsibility rests on the senior batsmen. The batsmen are going to have wickets where the ball will come on to the bat and on surfaces like this all our top batsmen should revel. If they can get in line and play straight then runs should not be difficult in coming.
'Black superman' Jayasuriya has been to South Africa and served notice of his prowess. He could annihilate any type of bowling. None of the SA pacemen will mean a thing to him. He is no respector of bowlers. He plays the way he only knows and that is attack. If he comes good the South African will be seeing the second coming of a Clive Lloyd or a left handed Vivian Richards.
While the skipper will be expected to carry a lot of batting responsibility as senior statesman, master blaster Aravinda de Silva too will be expected to make it his business to stay at the wicket and be an example to his fellow batsmen. Bowling worry
While the batting and the fielding can hold its own against the best in the world, it is the bowling department that is causing Ranatunga worry. While Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan will have to carry the attack to the South African batsmen, the skipper will be hoping that one or two of his other pacemen will be able to extract life from the wicket and come good. If this happens then Vaas and Muralitheran will not be pushed to the extremes.
The Sri Lankans have been hard at practice and also planning their line of strategy and attack and if the pieces fall together according to the drawing board then they should leave the shores of South Africa a happy and contended lot.
Coach Bruce Yardley, physio Alex Kountouri and manager Duleep Mendis have all put their heads together and got the squad into a powerful force and with former South African batting maestro Barry Richards talking to them about conditions and showing them how to play the swinging delivery, Ranatunga's Rambos are set to cause a few upsets.
Little to choose
The Lankans are also out to pocket the one-day series which also includes Pakistan and maintain their tag as world champions in the cowboy game. The three teams will ask or give no quarter and with little to choose between the three teams, the teams shooting first should scalp the one-day series.
Umpiring the world over in recent times has come in for questioning. When asked to comment on this Ranatunga said that umpiring is a thankless job and he acknowledges the difficult task umpires are performing.
'Consistency in this aspect is what I will be looking for', concluded Ranatunga.