Preview: Top two position at stake as New Zealand take on Sri Lanka

By Suneer Chowdhary

 

One of the pre-tournament favourites India is struggling to live up to the expectations in Group B. The other, from Group A, is treading down a similar path. So when Sri Lanka play New Zealand in their last league game of the World Cup 2011 at the Wankhede Stadium, they will hope to win at least one of their games against a currently Test playing sides before they move to the quarter-finals.

By Suneer Chowdhary

 

Mumbai: Mar 18, 2011

 

One of the pre-tournament favourites India is struggling to live up to the expectations in Group B. The other, from Group A, is treading down a similar path. So when Sri Lanka play New Zealand in their last league game of the World Cup 2011 at the Wankhede Stadium, they will hope to win at least one of their games against a currently Test playing sides before they move to the quarter-finals.

 

Sri Lanka have won the games that they, and the rest of the sides, were expected to win. Canada, Kenya and Zimbabwe were brushed aside. What would have pricked their pride was the loss to Pakistan that was followed by an abandoned game against Australia, which has now translated into only seven points so far.

 

What this also means that Sri Lanka cannot top the group A even if they manage to beat New Zealand – their best place will be second. New Zealand, on the other hand, can climb to and remain at the top if they can win this game and Pakistan over Australia.

 

The good news from the Lankan perspective was the conversion of starts by the usually-dashing Tillakaratne Dilshan. He had had a couple of half centuries before he made that big 100 against Zimbabwe to shut them out of the competition.

 

Where Sri Lanka will have question-marks over their form is the middle-order batting and the bowling behind Lasith Malinga and to an extent Muthiah Muralitharan.

 

Mahela Jayawardene has not been in his elements after his first game century while the likes of Angelo Mathews and Thilan Samaraweera have not had sufficient time at the crease.

 

On the other hand, the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekera has hardly proved effective while Malinga continues to be the only wicket-taker in the side.

 

New Zealand came into the tournament having won nothing in the sub-continent of the 12 they had played but things have begun to fall into place. The Daniel Vettori injury aside, the side has ticked most of the boxes in the lead-up to the last eight stage and their opponents will do well to not be complacent.

 

For one, the strength of the batting comes much more to the fore now that the blade of Ross Taylor seems to have got going. Taylor would be thankful for those initial drops off him in the Pakistan game where his stroke-play metamorphosed from ugly nervousness to free-flowing, six-hitting at will over the innings.

 

Since then, his confidence seems to have returned and coupled with the batting of Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum, it will be a tough cookie to crack for the Sri Lankan bowling.

 

Vettori had missed the previous game as well but the absence of Kyle Mills will allow one of Hamish Bennett or Luke Woodcock to come into the playing eleven. Bennett would probably have been an ideal option otherwise but getting a quick bowler in conditions that are expected to be hot and humid could backfire.

 

Mumbai has seen the hottest day in March in 55 years on Wednesday and things may not improve drastically for the teams come this Friday.

Teams:

 

Sri Lanka (Probable): Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (c&wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajanta Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera.

 

New Zealand (Probable): Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (wk), Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor (c), Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, James Franklin, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Hamish Bennett, Tim Southee.

 

Umpires: Asad Rauf(Pakistan) and Richard Kettleborough (England).

 

Time: 2.30 pm local (09.00 GMT).

(Suneer is a Mumbai-based cricket writer and can be contacted at suneerchowdhary@gmail.com and Tweets here: @suneerchowdhary)

 

Pictures © Getty Images

• 
• 
•