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Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has emphasised the need for his batsmen to give his bowlers a chance on the tour of South Africa by getting runs in tough conditions. Mathews said the team had been batting on granite to try and get used to extra bounce ahead of the three-Test series beginning on December 26.With Dushmantha Chameera coming back into the team and young Vikum Sanjaya earning his spot, we have got a fairly decent pace attack which can put them under pressure, but we need to score runs as a batting unit, Mathews said ahead of the teams departure for South Africa. Its going to be our main challenge; the boys have worked extremely hard in the past few weeks.Part of that hard work was facing deliveries coming off granite surfaces to try and mimic the conditions in South Africa. The pace the boys are used to, its just the the bounce and the conditions that we need to get used to, Mathews said. We used a lot of granite stuff, especially the batters. When you use a piece of granite, the ball is coming on to you quicker. The granite is laid down on the pitch and you can throw the ball on it so that it comes on quicker.Weve done everything possible to try and counterattack the South African fast bowlers and get used to their conditions. We have about 12 days before we play our first Test on Boxing Day. Well try and use those days to the maximum so that we get things right.Mathews was aiming to break the predominant trend in modern-day cricket, where teams struggle to win away from home. Sri Lanka won a Test series 2-0 in Zimbabwe in October and November but South Africa, who won 2-1 in Australia recently, are significantly tougher opponents. When Sri Lanka last toured South Africa, in 2011-12, they lost the three-Test series 1-2.Most of the teams do well and win at home but struggle overseas. It happens to any team but we want to try and achieve some wins overseas and turn the tables, Mathews said. I am confident that my team can do it. We got a good combination where we have five fast bowlers, two experienced spinners and a solid batting order.Sri Lankas batting was boosted by the return of Mathews, who recovered from a leg injury, and Dinesh Chandimal, whose broken hand had healed. They will slot into the middle order along with Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva. Mathews hoped that his side would have stability, which he said was a reason for South Africas success.Except for one or two changes, they are pretty much a settled team for the past four-five years, Mathews said of South Africa. They have been going with the same sort of players, maximum 20. They have managed a set combination and now the results are showing. The settled combination is the one that has led to their success today.We are now doing the same, we talked about it a lot. The solution is not to chop and change but be patient with the players.Sri Lanka have a three-day warm-up game in Potchefstroom before the first Test in Port Elizabeth from December 26. The second Test is in Cape Town from January 2 and the third in Johannesburg from January 12, after which the teams play three T20Is and five ODIs. Chicago Blackhawks Gear . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Stitched Blackhawks Jerseys . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/ . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Chicago Blackhawks Shirts . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. Chicago Blackhawks Pro Shop . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. CLEVELAND -- The football popped into the air and Jason Pierre-Paul knew exactly what to do next.Use both hands.I knew one of these days I was going to catch the ball, he said. I knew if I was ever catching a ball, Im going to the end zone.Pierre-Paul returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown and recorded three sacks to lead the New York Giants to their sixth straight win, 27-13 over the Cleveland Browns.Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes -- two to Odell Beckham Jr . -- as the Giants extended their longest winning streak since 2008 and moved closer to securing their first playoff berth in five years. The Browns (0-12) have lost 15 straight dating to last season.With the Giants (8-3) slogging through a game where they seemed to be playing down to Clevelands level, Pierre-Paul helped New York open a two-touchdown lead and avert disaster with his third career touchdown -- maybe one that meant a little bit more to the defensive end.Under pressure, Browns quarterback Josh McCown was hit as he threw by New Yorks Jonathan Hankins and the ball was corralled by Pierre-Paul, who tucked it under his left arm and rambled untouched for the TD to give the Giants a 20-6 lead. It was another stirring moment in the comeback for the 27-year-old Pierre-Paul, whose career was nearly ended by a horrifying fireworks accident in 2015, when he lost his index finger and parts of two others on his right hand.The fumble return only reaffirmed Pierre-Pauls return to form as an elite player, coming a week after he had 2 1/2 sacks, forced a fumble and deflected a pass in a win over Chicago.Im not proving anything, he told reporters Sunday. I told you all last year when I came in, I already won.Pierre-Paul is the first player to have three sacks and a fumble return for a touchdown of at least 40 yards since 1982, when the NFL first recognized individual sacks as an official statistic.His humility after the performance was just as impressive. He has been an inspiration to his teammates, who have marveled at his resiliency.Hes basically taken over these last two games, Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. Ive been a fan of JPP since he came into the league, and knowing what hes been through, its so encouraging to watch him now.Pierre-Pauls TD was originallyy ruled an interception before being changed to a fumble.ddddddddddddIt was an interception, he said with a laugh. How else can you get seven points? The ball never touched the ground, so were going to call it an interception.The Giants recorded seven sacks on McCown, who said there are few players as tough to block as Pierre-Paul, who was limited in practice this week because of a knee injury.He is a big dude and a heck of an athlete, and he plays hard, McCown said. You have those types of things where he has a very rare skillset for that size and speed. That is what gives him an edge.Here are a few other takeaways from the Giants win:NEW ROLE? Beckham had a 59-yard punt return TD called back by a holding call, but that didnt stop him from celebrating in the end zone.As he mimicked the powder toss made famous by Cavaliers star LeBron James, a close friend, Browns punter Britton Colquitt informed him the play was coming back.I told him, `I dont care, I still ran it back on you, Beckham said.Giants coach Ben McAdoo wouldnt commit to Beckham taking over return duties.DOWN BROWNS: Cleveland is four losses from history, and first-year coach Hue Jackson may have reached a breaking point.Jacksons eyes teared up when discussing a nightmarish season that is almost over. The Browns are trying to avoid joining the 2008 Lions as the only 0-16 teams, and Jackson is vowing his team wont be bad in 2017.I am not feeling like this next year, Jackson said. There is no way. Uh-uh. No. I am a fighter, and I dont lose many fights.WAR OF WORDS: Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins wont be exchanging Christmas cards.Despite Pryor catching six passes for 131 yards, including a 54-yarder, Jenkins ripped him on Twitter following the game with a vulgar post. Pryor answered back with praise, writing you are a great corner. Solid defender! You played a solid game. Good luck rest of year.Earlier in the week, Jenkins said Pryor, a converted quarterback, wouldnt be a challenge and called him another receiver, just bigger.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '