Dyson hopes to instil winning attitude in Sri Lankan team

John Dyson, Sri Lanka's new coach, and his Australian support team have started an intensive skills and fitness training programme to prepare Sri Lanka's cricketers for a tough summer ahead that includes home series against England and Australia.

Dyson, a former Australian opening batsman and former assistant coach at New South Wales, arrived in Colombo on Monday to begin an 18-month contract. His arrival coincided with the players completing phase one of their pre-season training, an exhausting four-week fitness regime.

To ensure that the players are in peak condition, the Sri Lanka cricket board has also hired a full-time physical trainer for the first time. Shane Duff, a trainer from New South Wales, will join Dyson and two physiotherapists, Paul Klarenaar and CJ Clarke, to complete an all-Australian backroom team for the national side.

"The timing of our arrival has worked really well," said Dyson on Thursday after overseeing a gym session with the players. "The players look in terrific shape and are now bursting to get in the nets after the completion of phase one of their fitness preparation. Nets will start next week.

"There are two more phases of fitness to go and this will all be integrated with the individualised skills training and the start of the domestic one-day tournament this month.

"Before we know it England will be here, but we are not focusing too much on one tour. We are just trying to get everyone ready for a big year. There is a huge amount of cricket to be played," he said. "Fortunately, the break they have had after such a hectic schedule last year means that the players should be refreshed and rejuvenated by the time England arrive in November."

In addition to the ongoing fitness drive and the skill work about to commence, Dyson hopes to develop a hard-nosed "winning attitude" among the players, believing that this will be the key to turning a talented team into a consistently powerful international force.

"I won't be imposing a style of play, but I want to develop an attitude where we play to win all the time, as opposed to perhaps playing to save the game," said Dyson. "That may be difficult in a country where the game is so passionately followed and expectations consequently so high, but we can learn from the transformation of attitude in the Australia team since the 1980s.

"Under Steve Waugh - a super-positive captain - they now look to win at all times no matter how deep in trouble they may be. They win much more than they lose with that approach. This will be a long-term process. There is no magician who can come in to hypnotise the players and start a winning run. But I am very excited as Sri Lanka have a very talented pool of players."