Michael Bevan

Colombo, Feb. 14 (AP): Australian batsman Michael Bevan today said he is close to total recovery from a fractured rib and waiting to contribute fully in the upcoming five-match limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.

“I’m a bit closer to total recovery,” Bevan said.

Bevan arrived in Sri Lanka early today, with the rest of the Australian one-day squad, after missing four matches in the just completed tri-series against India and Zimbabwe.

“I have not been out for too long and there is no reason why I shouldn’t be able to give 100 per cent,” Bevan said, adding he is hoping to take part in the entire one-day series.

“I’m just trying to play and help the team win as many matches as possible,” he said.

The 33-year-old left-hander averages close to 55 runs in limited-over Internationals, scoring 6,829 runs in 227 games.

Meanwhile, skipper Ricky Ponting said on Friday the Australians were coming to terms with the physical and psychological barriers of playing on the Indian sub-continent.

“I think it’s a huge challenge for us — anywhere in the sub-continent has always been a huge challenge for Australia,” Ponting said before the team’s departure for Sri Lanka.

“There are conditions over there that looking back through the records, probably Australian teams haven’t performed that well in.

“But saying that, a lot of the guys in the side now have played a lot of cricket in those conditions.”