Sri Lankans confident for the opener

The Sri Lankan cricketers who are one of the favourites to carry away the 2011 World Cup, are oozing with confidence and should canter home without having to raise a sweat when they play Canada at 2.30 p.m. today.

The game will be the first to be played at the President Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Sooriyawewa in Hambantota. As the name suggests, the stadium honours the country's President for his unstinting support to promote sports-the great leveller in life-in the provinces; and not least to take cricket to the hinterland.

President Rajapaksa who kept a watchful eye to ensure the completion of three stadiums where the World Cup matches will be played will be present to watch the action unfolding out in the middle.

The Sri Lankan cricketers who have been preparing for this event in full gear and from all accounts are in great form with a very positive spirit.

Cricketing warriors

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara has been given the 15- man squad to his liking and there is every confidence that our cricketing warriors will perform optimally. It is a well-blended side both on paper and on form. In big events such as the World Cup, much will depend on the tactical calls that the skipper will make. Given the experience that both Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena have gained and the inspirational performances they have both demonstrated it's not hard to predict that their leadership will steer us towards a crowning achievement.

It is hoped that earlier concerns that were expressed by some players that they did not have the opportunity to practise at three stadiums, is now a matter of the past. We need to be forward looking. Big league cricket requires a tough-mindedness that will not tolerate any excuses.

Experienced hands

If Sri Lanka are to win the plum, then it is paramount that the experienced hands perform regularly and consistently. In this aspect skipper Sangakkara, vice captain Mahela Jayawardena, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga will have to shoulder a big responsibility in batting.

Angelo Mathews, who has been a star attraction with his ability to use the long handle with devastating effect will have to carry the middle order batting which shows a weak link.

Lasith Malinga who credited himself with a mind boggling performance - four wickets in four balls - in the previous World Cup in the Caribbean is expected to strike fear to all opposing batsmen, especially the openers and obtain the early breakthrough that could cripple the rest of the batting of opposing teams.

The spin department will be in the safe and capable hands of Muttiah Muralitharan. This World Cup will be his swan song and he is determined to go out in a blaze of glory by helping his country win the World Cup.

Warm up games

Muralitharan has not been that impressive in the warm up games. But he has the ability to come good when the chips are down and the opposing batsmen will do well not to take him easy.

Sri Lanka could have done with a leg spinner for variation. With the sub continent wickets bound to favour spin a spinner of Bandara's class would have been beneficial.

The Sri Lanka cricket selectors would have watched the destruction caused by Indian leg spinner Puyash Chawla. He had the Australian batsmen in a flat spin with top class leg spin/ googly bowling . None of the batsmen could read his tantalising spin.

Chawla made a mockery of the Australian batsmen and now Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in a quandary. Leaving him out of the team will be tricky.

Sky high

The Sri Lanka team's confidence is bound to be sky high now that they beat the Netherlands and the West Indies in the warm-up games. While winning is good they be wary of being complacent.

Complacency has led to the down fall of many teams and the Lankans will while drawing strength from the recent good form in the games against the West Indies and the Netherlands, to stay focused on the more important games ahead

Another factor that the Lankans must be wary of is pressure. By now they should be knowing what pressure is all about. They must be geared to ride it whenever it presents itself.

With skipper Kumar Sangakkara having a heavy load behind the stumps it will be the bounden duty of deputy skipper Mahela Jayawardena to be vigilant and guide the bowlers by constantly speaking to them and directing them how to go.

Sampath Bandara does it again

Sampath Bandara a versatile sports journalist has done it again. This time round he has produced a book on spin magician Muttiah Muralitharan titled 'Murali the greatest among the great' which should be a best seller.

Bandara who played cricket for Kingswood in 1982 has been an expert cricket writer since joining the ANCL Group. He has made many tours with the Sri Lanka cricket team and written extensively on their performances.

Bandara describes Murali as a magician from the Emerald Isle, truly craftsmen beyond comparison. With his god gifted wrist and golden fingers, he claimed 800 Test wickets in 133 matches, averaging 6 wickets per Test.

His world records are incomparable, never to broken in the foreseeable future.

This is a comprehensive reference book, a photo archive and valuable memorabilia of Muttiah Muralitharan's outstanding cricketing life.

Bandara has already two other books on the game. This is his fifth work on sports.

The foreword is by former Sri Lankan opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny. The book is a collector's item.

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