Wanted to sign off in better way, but Lanka too good - Johnston

St.George's (Grenada), Apr 19 (UNI) Ireland skipper Trent Johnston said he would would have liked to sign off their maiden World Cup campaign in a better way but there was no getting away from Sri Lanka.

''We faced a very solid and quality side like Sri Lanka in our last match and they showed us up,'' Johnston told media persons after his team's eight wicket drubbing against the 1996 champions.

''It is not easy to prepare against a bowler of a class of Murali.

Let me be frank, we never had faced anything like that (Murali,'' he said ''It was another tough game for us. They came very hard on us,'' he admitted and added ''that is why Sri Lanka are one of the tournament favourites.'' The skipper said, ''We started off OK and then the quality of their (Sri Lanka) bowlers came into their own. I certainly hope the people of the Caribbean and the world won't judge us on this game.

We've had one hell of a tour and I've been proud of all the 15 guys that we've brought out here.'' Asked how he looks back at the World, now that his team's assignments are over, Johnston replied ''The highlight of the World Cup for us was probably after we beat Pakistan when we went back to all our families and friends in Ocho Rios in Jamaica. That was a special time for us, seeing all the support that we had.

''I've appreciated our supporters, especially the people who have travelled so far to back us through this World Cup. For me that was a special moment.'' He said,''Our goal was to come out and try to raise the profile of Irish cricket, not just to prove to people around the world that Ireland could play cricket but also in our own back yard where a lot of people don't know that cricket is played but they certainly do now.

''That goal is achieved now and we can let our hair down tonight and reflect on what has been a great seven weeks.'' ''If any body had asked me a fortnight before start of the World Cup that we will lose our last match of the tournament by eight wickets at the hands of Sri Lanka, I would have thought it as a good natured joke (because no body thought that Ireland will make it to the Super eight).Well this happened,'' Johnston said.

''In all the nine matches we played in the tournament, we did put up a fight at some stage of each of these matches and that for me was great act,'' he said.

He said, ''I'd like to thank our coach Adrian Birrell. This is his last game in charge - it's not the send-off I'd like to give him but from all the boys, we really appreciate the effort. From Irish cricket followers we thank him very much for what he has done for us.

He has been a huge servant of Irish Cricket.'' UNI