Preview: Fired-up Australia face Sri Lanka at Colombo
By Suneer Chowdhary
Colombo: Mar 5, 2011
One team comes into the tournament without a single loss in World Cup cricket since the semi-final 12 years ago. The other side has entered the final of the World Cup on most occasions after the first team in the last 15 years. So, when Australia and Sri Lanka take on each other in the 20th game of the World Cup on March 5 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, chances are that the competitive juices will be in full flow.
Not the two sides need much to fire them up more. The media has done that for them. First there were reports that the ICC was looking into the reasons for Brad Haddin and Shane Watson’s slow start against Zimbabwe. Then, a local channel questioned the dismissals of Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera in the Pakistan game, both of which would have annoyed the two sides no end.
Then, there are the bowling attacks that the two sides possess. Till before the presence of Lasith Malinga, one almost felt that the Lankan attack was one-dimensional and over-reliant on spin.
With Malinga scything through the Kenyans in the previous game, he will be the leader of the pack that will also have Ajantha Mendis and Muthiah Muralitharan trying to weave their magic.
The relief of having Malinga back for this game can be gauged from the fact that the Sangakkara had a resigned look around himself when pressed for a reason for their loss against Pakistan.
On the other hand, Australia will continue to depend on pace. Hardcore, raw pace. Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson will test the likes of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene at the top and bay for early blood.
Where the tactics could get interesting is that the Lankans will understand that the backup Australian bowling in Steven Smith and Jason Krejza does not hold too much of a candle to their first three.
Whether they can see off the early portion of the innings, in what has become a roundly used strategy in the tournament, will depend a lot on how Dilshan and Upul Tharanga curb their natural instincts.
The game assumes crucial proportions because of the position that the sides are on the points table. In their group, Pakistan have won three in three, including a win over Sri Lanka.
Australia have won two in two and if they down Sri Lanka, they would join Pakistan at the top and Sri Lanka, with two losses to the stronger sides will actually fight with New Zealand for the third-fourth spot.
This could lead to Sri Lanka having to travel out of home if they end up playing India in the quarter-final – a proposition they will not enjoy too much.
Australia last played at the R Premadasa Stadium in 2004 and won two in a row. It is probably too long ago to judge a side but Ricky Ponting will have fond memories of the ground – he led the side in both those games and scored 60s in each of them. Similarly, Michael Clarke, still in his first season of international cricket had an unbeaten 31 and a 32-ball 36 in those games.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s record at this venue is phenomenal. Of the 75 games that have seen results, Sri Lanka have lost only 26.
Teams
Australia (Probable): Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, David Hussey, Steve Smith, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson.
Sri Lanka (Probable): Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (c & wk), Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga.
Umpires: Ian Gould (England) and Tony Hill (New Zealand).
Time: 14.30 hours local (09.00 GMT)
(Suneer is a Mumbai-based cricket writer and can be contacted at suneerchowdhary@gmail.com and Tweets here: @suneerchowdhary)
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