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Jayawardene slams tourists

22/12/2007

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has questioned England's will to win after he led his side to a Test series victory over Michael Vaughan's men.

Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 213 to help the hosts to a first-innings total of 499-8 declared before England's hapless reply – 81 all out in the first inning and 251-6 in the second – was brought to a premature end by rain.

"I think we wanted to win this series more than they did. We saw a lot of negativity in that camp," said Jayawardene.

"That's when we realised from that if we concentrate, focus well and play to our strengths then they could not get close to us."

The result represents a welcome morale boost for the World Cup finalists who were well beaten in a test series in Australia in November.

Jayawardene believes that only the weather spared England from suffering a similar reverse as they struggled in the first match to be played at the rebuilt Galle stadium.

"It's unfortunate that we can't control the weather but I am very happy with the overall performance," he said.

"The first Test match was a close one as they really pushed us. We did well to win that. The second and third Test matches we dominated and improved as a team. I take 1-0 but probably we should have been 2-0."

England skipper Michael Vaughan conceded that his side had been outclassed, but sought to find some positives to take from the trip.

"They went on and batted very, very well and hit us very hard in the first innings, but we've showed a bit of character today and Alastair Cook has shown once again what a great player he is going to be for England," he said.

"But there's still a lot of areas for us to go away and work on and a lot of areas where we can learn from the way the Sri Lankans played."