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| Sunday, 29 January 2006 |
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Atapattu and Jayasuriya to face fitness test Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia The Sri Lankan cricketers will welcome the return of the belligerent batsman Sanath Jayasuriya when they front up to Australia on the WACA here in Perth, on Sunday, in a Victoria Bitter encounter under lights. The Lankans sadly missed Jayasuriya when they lost the kangaroos in Adelaide. The consensus was that had Jayasuriya played, the Lankans could have reversed the result. This is a vital game for Sri Lanka in their quest to enter the best of three one-day finals and one they must endeavor to win. However Jayasuriya's chances of playing will depend on a fitness test he will have to undergo on the morning of the match. Michael Tissera, manager of the team when asked said that in addition to Jayasuriya undergoing a fitness test, there is also an injury worry over Captain Marvan Atapattu. Atapattu who strained his back in Adelaide is still in pain and he too will have to undergo a fitness test. Tissera exuded confidence that the two players who are indispensable would take the field. If Atapattu is unfit to play, Chaminda Vaas who deputized in Adelaide will again be given the opportunity to lead. He showed good leadership qualities, with some clever bowling changes and admirable field placing. However the management is confident that Jayasuriya and Atapattu will be fit to take the field and give the Aussies a good run and avenge their five-wicket loss in Adelaide. Medium pacer Ruchira Perera who has been bowling economically, however will not be considered because his thigh injury has still not healed. The Sri Lankans are second in the points table and a win here could see them get to the top. In the game against medium fast Akalanka Ganegama was awry presenting the Aussie openers,especially Adam Gilchrist delicious deliveries which he dispatched to the boundary. There is the possibility of the fastest bowler in the squad Dilhara Fernando making his appearance. This is because the Perth wicket has been known to be pace friendly. His express pace should worry the Aussie batsmen. One thing he must guard against is his fondness to bowl no balls. This shortcoming is a luxury to the opponents in this style of game. It is a pity that his coaches have been unable to get him to shed this bad habit. Again the Lankans would look to their batting blue chips Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena to get into their run acts. They must stay put at the wicket, cut out the risks and force the pace with intelligent batting,because theteam relies so much on them. As for the bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Kulasekera have done their bit, constantly worrying the batsmen and drying up the runs. Kulasekera has been a revelation on this tour and his nagging line and length and with the ability to move the ball both ways has had the batsmen in great worry, Muttiah Muralitheran and Malinga Bandara have been bowling well within themselves And they must endeavor to get into the more wicket taking habit. They have been containing the batsmen, which is well and good. But wicket taking is also important. As for the Australians, they will again be sans regular skipper Ricky
Ponting who is again being rested. Nathan Bracken who bowled well against
the Lankans in Adelaide will not play as he has flown back to Sydney for
personal reasons. It is likely that Brett Dorey who was hit out of the
attack in Adelaide by Jayasuriya playing. |
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