Fighting to get 11 fit men on the field:

Lankans walking wounded, now lose Chandimal

Another whitewash on the cards:

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia

The Sri Lankan cricketers who were whitewashed in the Test series, seemed destined to suffer a similar fate in the Commonwealth Bank One-Day series, unless they raise their game Phoenix-like from the ashes.

Unfortunately the Lankans have been plagued by injuries on this tour. With Kumar Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayewardene, Chanaka Welegedera and Shamindra Eranga all injured and out now comes the news that it is the end of an innings for Dinesh Chandimal.

Chandimal who kept wickets efficiently and batted admirably, has strained his hamstring scampering a quick run and was seen pulling up holding his hamstring. News filtering down is that Chandimal had been sent for a scan in the morning. But indications are that he will have to sit out the rest of the tour.

The injury to Chandimal further weakens the team. The Lankan selectors will be looking to glove Tillekeratne Dilshan, in which case the bowling will lack strength.

Another wicketkeeper batsman Kaushal Janith will come into the frame for selection. The Lankans play their second game today at the Adelaide Oval. The wicket here has not produced big scores.

Both teams will not find it easy piling up the runs and so an interesting battle could be witnessed. Surprisingly the Lankans seemed to have forgotten the basics that this style of game requires and their being beaten did not come as a surprise. After Australia won the toss and batted, what the Lankans put on show, to say the least was unacceptable.

The Lankan cricketers are better known for their prowess in limited over bashes, where they were feared for their ability to chase a target and win. ‘Better chasers’, they were tagged. But now they seem close to losing that tag if the manner in which they capitulated at Melbourne is an indication.

They looked poor the manner in which they executed all forms of the game. Initially they did not seem to be focused. Once the Aussie pair of Phil Hughes and George Bailey began to put on show their devastating batting act, the bowling and fielding fell to pieces. Another aspect of the game where the Sri Lankans faltered badly was the ugly running between the wickets which led to three run-outs that of Dilshan who was going, Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne.

Now that the Lankans have a coach, batting, bowling and fielding coach, it would be a good idea to employ a – ‘running between the wickets coach’.

Wonder what other coaches they will want. This game is must win game for Sri Lanka. If they don’t, and with the stars – Michael Clarke, David Warner and Matthew Wade likely to return for the three remaining games, their task of staying alive in the series will be dead. The Australian team had been tagged a second string outfit. For a second string outfit they performed brilliantly.

Now that the Aussies are in front, they will come harder to devastate and demolish the Lankans and have them down and out in the rest of the games. Adelaide Oval, Saturday.