Harbhajan reveals his strategy to curb Jayasuriya

Harbhajan Singh: Will the ply work? © Getty Images

Harbhajan Singh has said that he has a way to curb Sanath Jayasuriya's murderous methods. He revealed a few strategies ahead of Sunday's Asia Cup final at Colombo.

"When Sanath sweeps," a PTI report quoted Harbhajan as saying, "he turns his eyes away which is an encouraging sight to me. It is not the sweep of a Matthew Hayden who is looking at the ball while executing such strokes."

Harbhajan also revealed the field that he plans to have for Jayasuriya. "I will have five fielders on the on side for him -- one at short fine leg, the other at deep fine leg, one fielder right in front of square leg umpire, the fourth one at deep midwicket and the fifth at mid-on, drawn a little inside the right."

All this was in the hope that he may induce Jayasuriya into an airy sweep. Apart from deciding to feed Jayasuriya on the leg side, he also has said he would bowl over the wicket and deny him the room to play the cut. "I would not bowl round-the-wicket to him. He has such a brilliant tap shot which is defensive in nature but still goes for a four. By bowling over the wicket, I would not be giving him room."

Harbhajan termed his ball to get Marvan Atapattu, in the do-or-die clash, as his best ball of the tournament. "He came forward to me, was beaten in the flight and picked up by Yuvraj Singh in front of the square-leg umpire."

Harbhajan said he felt extremely comfortable bowling after a long break and added, "I am now doing things which I never bothered about before. I give the finger ice-treatment after matches. I have three devices to strengthen my bowling fingers. One is sort of plaster-of-paris , which I squeeze to strengthen my fingers from the inside. There is a loop which I tie to two fingers and expand it to strengthen my fingers from the outside. Then there is a squeezing ball."