Muralitharan's absence a great loss to team - Ashantha de Mel

by Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: The 2007, Cricket World Cup finalist Sri Lanka, will try their hand at the further concised version of the game sans their ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who has been ruled out of cricket for five to six weeks due to a shoulder injury sustained during a county match in England.

The Sri Lanka team will leave for South Africa next Wednesday (Sept.5) to participate in the inaugural Twenty 20 World Cup which will take place from September 14th to 24. Twelve teams are divided into four groups. Sri Lanka will meet Kenya and New Zealand in the preliminary round.

Chairman selectors Ashantha de Mel expressed his disappointment, and said he would have loved to have Muralitharan and it is a great loss for the team losing 'Murali' at a crucial moment.

He was optimistic that Muralitharan could be fit in time for the Australian tour in November, where 'Murali' needs just nine wickets in two Tests to surpass Shane Warne's world bowling record of 708 Test wickets. Another off-spinner and allrounder Dilruwan Perera who is in the standby list will most probably fill the gap in the absence of Muralitharan.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena, refering to the new concept of the game, said that he will be looking forward to the challenge, and the preparations have been good with some good practice sessions and practice games and things are going quite well, he said.

"We have not played many 'Twenty 20' cricket matches. It is quite different, and I don't think many teams have played that much of cricket of this version either, and we are looking for the challenge," he said.

Jayewardena who firmly believes that Test cricket is the ultimate tester any day for a player, thought that the Twenty 20 concept is a good way of taking the game to developing countries.

"Twenty 20 cricket is a good way of globalising the game, but I don't think that the ICC will let the Twenty 20 take over the normal 50-over version of the game, and that's one aspect they are cautious about," said the Sri Lankan captain.

"It will also add more of a positive effect in Test cricket by improving the players' skill levels which has made Test cricket more result-oriented and even help players in the 50 over games", Jayawardena added.

Trevor Bayliss, the Sri Lankan coach, in his first major coaching assignment was optimistic of the sides chances of doing well. Bayliss has represented New South Wales for 11 years and his contemporaries are Mark Taylor, Geoff Lawson, the Waugh brothers, Steve Rixon to name a few past Australian Test players.

"Sri Lanka's chances will be very good if they could play to their one day playing ability. Teams like South Africa and England should play well. Sri Lanka's natural approach to the game while batting, bowling and fielding and if they could produce their best, they should have some good results," Bayliss added.

14th September Sri Lanka Vs Kenya at Johannesburg Local time, 1.30pm. 15th Sept. Sri Lanka Vs New Zealand at Johannesburg local time 5.30 pm. Subject to the teams indicated qualifying from the group stage to Super Eight, Sri Lanaka will take on: 17th September Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan at Johannesburg, Local time 9.30pm. 18th September Sri Lanka Vs West Indies at Johannesburg Local time 9.30 pm. 20th September Sri Lanka Vs Australia at Cape Town, Local time 1.30 pm. 22nd Sept; Semi-final at Cape Town local time 4.30 pm. 22nd September Semi-final Durban local time 9.30pm. 24th Sept. Final at Johannesburg.

The Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardena (Captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Silva, T.M.Dilshan, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilruwan Perera, Dilhara Fernando, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Jehan Mubarak, Hasantha Fernando, Gayan Wijekoon.

Stand by: Dilhara Lokuhettige, Nuwan Kulasekera.

Sriyan Samararatne (Manager), Trevor Bayliss (Coach), Paul Farbrace (Assistant coach), Tommy Simsek (Physiotherapist), Jade Roberts (Trainer), Nalin de Alwis (Computer Analyst), Lal Thamel (Masseur), Ashantha de Mel (Selector on tour).