Strauss confident ahead of next match

By Sam Hathaway
May 20 2006

Opener Andrew Strauss admitted that England’s downfall in the last test match was down to the nine drop catches. It cost England the match and Strauss hopes England will have recovered from the catching drought.

Strauss was one of the main culprits as England let Sri Lanka back into the match after dropping 9 relatively easy chances but Strauss believes England can win the series.
“There was a sense of despondency on that final evening because we felt that we should have won the game,” said Strauss. “No doubt about that.

“You have to give Sri Lanka credit for their dogged resistance. They all played exceptionally well on a wicket that died.

“It was pretty flat by the end but all credit to them for sticking in there when it looked like a hopeless cause.

“But it is going to take more than one bad day to get rid of all the confidence in the England dressing room.

“At home we have played exceptionally good cricket for the two years I have been in the side and we back ourselves to beat most sides here.

“And we will go into the next Test match just as confident as we went into the first Test.

“There is no reason not to feel that we will win the series.”

Certain parts of the media criticised Andrew Flintoff for bowling himself too much but Strauss backed his skipper saying that the all rounder has a 'very good cricket brain and bowls himself when he thinks it is right.'

“A Test match is a one-off event and you are trying to win it by using all the resources in your power to do that. That is all he was doing last week.”

Hopefully England will capitalise in the next match and come out on winning ways.