IRELAND BATSMAN ED Joyce is aiming to bring his good form into their two-game series with Sri Lanka this week.
Clontarf in Dublin hosts an RSA Insurance One-Day International Series between Ireland and ICC World Twenty20 champions at Clontarf this morning and Thursday.
And, having just signed a new two-year extension with Sussex, 35-year-old Bray native Joyce would love to add to his first ODI century, which he earned in the defeat to Pakistan last year.
“They (Sri Lanka) are missing five or six players and are a bit under-strength but they’re still a very strong side,” Joyce said.
“Twenty20 champions, over a long period now they have been on of the best 50-over teams around as well. Getting to a couple of finals and not getting home but always there or there abouts.
“They will obviously go into the games as favourites but we know the conditions well, we’ve got guys in good form. I got a good hundred here last year so it would be nice to get one of those against them. If we get into a winning position we will hopefully drive it home this time.
“These are the only two ODIs against test-playing nations this summer so we obviously need to put in some good performances as we always do. We’ve got our home conditions in our favour so we are confident we can do that.
We had two good games against Pakistan last year which we probably should have won both of. It would be nice to get in that position again and hopefully drive it home.”
On his own current form, he added: “I feel really good and as if I know my body a lot better than I did two or three years ago. I actually feel better than I did in that time which is really encouraging from my point of view.
“I’ve started the season really well and want to finish my career at Sussex so it’s great that the club saw fit to give me a two-year extension until 2016.”
