The Hindu : Sport : Can England surprise the Lankans?

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Wednesday, Apr 04, 2007
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Can England surprise the Lankans?

S. Ram Mahesh

FACE-OFF: The contest between Kevin Pietersen and Muttiah Muralitharan could be decisive in the teams' Super Eight match on Wednesday.

St. Peter's: England's one-day side is a bit of a curiosity. People with lesser refinement may call for it to be placed between the bearded lady and the dog that yelps the alphabet.

One would think England has all the tools. In Ed Joyce, Michael Vaughan, and Ian Bell, the side has classical top-order batsman with years of county experience in clammy conditions — ideal to deal with the hassles of early starts should England bat first.

In Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, and Andrew Flintoff, the side has middle-order batsmen as capable as any; and they are different players — Pietersen with his shepherd's eye, his great reach, his pliant wrists; Collingwood with his short-arm jabs, his ability to play the angles, his desire to badger and hustle; Flintoff with his technique, his weight of stroke, his immense muscle. Paul Nixon, the keeper, has an air about him that conveys intent, even if it's scatty.

Capable bowling side

The bowling is perhaps the biggest curiosity. In Sajid Mahmood and Liam Plunkett, England has quick bowlers who have troubled the best with either discomfiting length or late swing.

Flintoff has claims to being among the world's best fast-bowlers when he's not capsizing pedalos. Monty Panesar isn't as good as he is hyped to be — but that's because he's made out to be Shane Warne and Bishen Bedi combined.

This, one feels, is a side that can do some damage. Yet, ahead of Wednesday's Super Eight match against Sri Lanka here at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, its journalists give it no chance.

Worse, its coach Duncan Fletcher doesn't think he has the best possible squad. And his back-to-basics refrain sounds just a touch matronly.

"As long as the top-order can build some partnerships, that's the crucial aspect," said Fletcher. "We must be very careful we don't put too much pressure on them. They are experienced, they've been around a bit. Once it's set they can accelerate from that platform. It's hard to ask guys to suddenly change to something they haven't really done."

The familiar excuses are dusted and re-used: England doesn't take one-day cricket seriously; it evolved slowed than the format; Twenty20 is undercutting one-day cricket in England. But, shouldn't a country with a profusion of limited-overs cricket in its domestic competitions punch higher than middle-weight?

Importantly for England, Flintoff batted and bowled in the nets on Monday and allayed injury fears after his left ankle was treated during the game against Ireland.

Sri Lanka stands at the other end of the evolutionary chain. Sanath Jayasuriya should have been extinct, but remarkably he is one of Sri Lanka's three fittest cricketers. He continues to play match-turning innings like the one against the West Indies, ten years after he struck fear in bowlers' hearts.

Tillakaratne Dilshan is the most dangerous number six in the world, and the fielding is decades ahead of other Asian countries, but the bowling is what truly sets the side apart. "(Lasith) Malinga is a threat, he is unusual to any other bowler," said Fletcher, detailing why the slinger is difficult.

Fascinating contest

Pietersen did his bit to promote his battle with Muttiah Muralitharan: one of the defining contests of Wednesday's game. "Muralitharan is the hardest bowler in the world to face," he said.

"Much harder (than Warne). Murali spins the ball both ways whereas Warney you can sort of counteract. Muralitharan just winds you up because he knows he is going to get you out. He just smiles and laughs."

Pietersen reserved his best words for the match. "Wednesday the World Cup starts for England. It's a huge week for us. We can't leave Antigua on Monday with just two points. It'll be a great batting line-up when it's firing."

The teams (from):

England: Michael Vaughan (capt.), Ed Joyce, Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Nixon, Ravinder Bopara, Jamie Dalrymple, Monty Panesar, Jon Lewis, James Anderson, Liam Plunkett, and Sajid Mahmood.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt.), Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Malinga Bandara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Sanath Jayasuriya, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga, and Chaminda Vaas.

Umpires: Billy Bowden and Asad Rauf. TV: Rudi Koertzen. Match referee: Jeff Crowe.

Hours of play (IST): 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. and 11.15 p.m. till close.

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