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| Sunday, 7 March 2004 |
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Murali to pose greater problems to Aussies in Tests GALLE, March 6 (Reuters) - Australia face selection headaches as they finalise their team for the first test against Sri Lanka starting in Galle on Monday. The tourists are full of confidence after a winning start to their six-week tour and the selectors now have to make tough choices in both batting and bowling departments. "It's always a problem when you are picking an Australia team and even more so with this squad," Ricky Ponting told reporters. "We have 15 guys and 14 of those guys can put up their hand up and say that they should be in the test side. They're going to be some hard selections to make." Shane Warne is available after a 12-month drugs ban and should return alongside fellow leg spinner Stuart MacGill on a turning pitch. In the pace bowling department, Jason Gillespie's name is inked in, leaving Brett Lee, Michael Kasprowicz and Brad Williams fighting for one place if two spinners play. Lee's sore left ankle is receiving intensive treatment and Australia hope that he will recover in time after an explosive showing in the warm-up match. The make-up of the top six poses the trickiest dilemma, with the selectors having to choose two from experienced left-hander Darren Lehmann, all rounder Andrew Symonds and Simon Katich. Whatever the final XI, Ponting is confident that his team can avenge their 1-0 defeat by Sri Lanka on their last tour in 1999. "It has always been a hard place for us to come and play but we are improving in these conditions all the time and the guys now know what it takes to do well over here," he said. Sri Lanka, who have picked four specialist spinners in a 15-man squad, must also decide on the best balance for their bowling attack. Seamer Nuwan Zoysa will probably partner Chaminda Vaas, although there is an outside chance the hosts could play only one pace bowler. No changes are anticipated to a settled top seven unless the selectors want to make room for an additional bowler. Sri Lanka coach John Dyson is backing his slow bowlers to make inroads. "I don't think they (Australia) have seen a big turner yet but everyone knows Galle has a reputation of being a real turner," Dyson told reporters. Although Australia combated leading off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan confidently in the one-dayers, Dyson predicts greater problems for the tourists in the Tests. "In test cricket he is a different kettle of fish," he said. "In one-day cricket he can't have men around the bat and hasn't got as much flexibility." Sri Lanka squad: Tillakaratne (capt), Atapattu, Jayasuriya, Sangakkara (wk), Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Gunawardene, Vaas, Zoysa, Kulasekara, Muralitharan, Dharmasena, Chandana, Lokuarachchi Australia squad: Ponting (capt), Gilchrist, Langer, Hayden, Martyn, Symonds, Katich, Lehmann, Warne, MacGill, Kasprowicz, Lee, Gillespie, Seccombe, Williams. |
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