Sangakkara hails team effort by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

---

Player:	KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera
Event:	New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2009

---

DateLine: 23rd August 2009

 

Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara was pleased with his team's effort which helped secure victory over New Zealand.

 

New Zealand, resuming on the final day at 30 for one, needed 383 more runs for an unlikely victory in the first Test at Galle.

 

Instead they were bowled out for 210 just before tea as Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

 

The victory marked a fine turnaround for the hosts who were reduced to 16 for two within the first half-hour on the first day.

 

"We had three very good individual performances with in the batting department," Sangakkara said.

 

"Dilshan batted magnificently in both innings and he really put us back on top and took the game away from the Kiwis after we lost those early wickets on the first day.

 

"Mahela batted beautifully again and Samaraweera (both scored centuries in the first innings) showed his class again.

 

"He has put in a lot of hard work to get where he is and it's showing. The bowlers, especially the pacemen who had to work really hard, were fantastic."

 

Sangakkara also said that it was not hard to lead a team with such a wealth of talent.

 

"When the side is playing so well, you really don't have to make any tough decisions. It's just made for you," he said.

 

"You throw the ball to someone and they always respond. Once the Kiwis negotiated an over from Muralitharan, they have Ajantha Mendis to contend with from the other end."