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| Sunday, 22 January 2006 |
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Jayasuriya may play as super-sub Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia The Sri Lankan cricketers who are brimming with confidence after their convincing win against South Africa will face the rampaging Australians in a day-nighter at the Sydney Cricket Ground, here tomorrow. The best thing that could have happened to the Sri Lankans is the arrival of the dashing Sanath Jayasuriya. If he plays it would certainly add strength to the Lankan game allround. There is the possibility of Jayasuriya, who is acclimatising to conditions here, being played as the super-sub. As super-sub, captain Marvan Atapattu would be able to use him judiciously and to great advantage. Obviously the selectors would not want to unsettle the winning team that played against the South Africans, but depending on the conditions and the nature of the wicket, the selectors could experiment. In the game against the Proteas, the Lankans played the cricket that is essential in this style of game. They batted with great aggression, never allowing the opposing bowlers to settle down to a line and length, and when they bowled did the exercise beautifully and the fielding was spot on. Against the Aussies, they must continue the same aggression' exerting the maximum pressure and who knows, like the Proteas did the homesters could wilt under pressure. It was encouraging to watch the Lankans winning at Brisbane.They must now endeavour to give it continuity. Continuity and consistency is what this game is all about. The Lankans had poor tours to India where they lost the one-dayers 6-1,and continued this poor form in New Zealand losing 4-1. One hopes hat they would not carry this plague of winning only one and losing the rest here in Australia. The Lankan openers Jehan Mubarak and Upul Tharanga will not have it easy as they did against the South African opening bowlers. The Aussie opening bowlers,especially Brett Lee is bowling at his peak and with frightening pace. The Lankan openers Upul Tharanga and Jehan Mubarak must go the way they did against South Africa. True Lee and McGrath would not be easy to negotiate, but if the openers take to them, they might to go awry. The batsmen following Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardena, Marvan Atapattu, Russell Arnold and Chaminda Vaas must make it their business to contribute. How the Lankan batsmen will go will depend a lot on Sangakkara .Sangakkara is one batsman the Aussies and the South Africans respect and if he gets going, the others too would score. Sangakkara's one fault is that he tends to lose concentration when well set for a big score and sacrifices his wicket. A bit more concentration should help tighten his batting. It was encouraging to see the bowlers, steered as usual by Chaminda Vaas undo the Protea batsmen. If they bowl wicket to wicket then they should be a handful to the Aussie batsmen. Malinga Bandara spun his leggies well and so did Muttiah Muralitharan. The Aussies are weak against good spin bowling and the Lankans must remember this. The home team will once again be without Adam Gilchrist. He is one batsman who can maul any attack. The Aussie batsmen can wilt under pressure as the did like against the South Africans. Pressure is what the Lankans must exert on the Aussies and if they do this there is no reason why the Lankans can't come out victors. The weather here is hot and humid much to the liking of the Lankans. It sure would be energy sapping to the Aussies. Batting first would be an advantage to the Lankans. A big Sri Lankan contingent would be present to urge the Lankans on. |
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