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Decisive match for Sri Lanka

S. Dinakar

Australia to rest Brett Lee for the second game in succession

— Photo: AFP

A DIFFERENT BALL GAME: Even with their team a certainty for the tri-series finals, Australians Mitchell Johnson (left), Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey (right) will not take things too lightly when they face Sri Lanka on Friday.

Melbourne: Cricket’s latest million dollar Australian had an extended session at the indoor nets here on Thursday. Andrew Symonds, under the media glare for more reasons than one, stroked fluently even as the bowling machine cranked up impressive speeds.

Symonds has been under criticism down under for his outspoken views on the Pakistan tour hours before Wednesday’s IPL player auction. The muscular all-rounder, however, was silent and intense during the pre-match session at the MCG.

Symonds has been short of runs in the ODIs. But from the team’s perspective in the CB tri-series competition, he is not under pressure. Despite a few key batsmen faltering, Australia is virtually assured of a place in the final.

In the final stretch of the league, the host can even afford to rest pace spearhead Brett Lee for the second game in succession. The Aussie bowlers have delivered and the lower order has orchestrated rear-guard actions.

Area of concern

On the contrary, the lack of batting depth is a major area of concern for Sri Lanka as it attempts to stay afloat. Too much has hinged on the top four.

Chamara Silva and Chamara Kapugedera have not contributed enough at No. 5 or 6. Consequently, there has been little or no acceleration at the end of the innings. Kumara Sangakkara has shown much resolve at No. 3, batting with focus and flair. But then, he cannot perform under stress on all occasions.

The Lankans need to get their game-plan right on a surface where there could be some juice for the pacemen.

The islanders, requiring to win at least one of its two matches against Australia, will think long and hard about the team composition. Does the side require five specialist bowlers when one of them, paceman Farveez Maharoof, proved expensive against India?

Friday’s match at the MCG could effectively decide Sri Lanka’s future in competition.

Seventh batsman

The team-management might seek to play a specialist seventh batsman and get more overs out of Sanath Jayasuriya’s left-arm spin. This, however, is not an easy call to make for Jayawardene

His team has just six points from five games and Australia has 17 from six. Further, spells of rain have been forecast for Friday and a game of interruptions will not suit Lanka.

The Jayasuriya blitz powered Lanka to a winning start against India in Canberra but the Sri Lankan giant has been silent since.

Tillekeratne Dilshan donned the cloak of a match-winner in the same game but has subsequently gone off the boil.

Skipper Jayawardene has been fluent even if he has not built monuments like Sangakkara.

He would be hoping for the others to put up their hands. The Lankans could revert to Upul Tharanga opening the innings and push Dilshan back to the middle order.

Impressive Malinga

Lasith Malinga has been impressive with his pace, lift and swing and off-spin great Muttiah Muralitharan has shown signs of regaining form. The bowlers, though, need the batsmen to put runs on the board and the fielders to support them. The Lankan fielding was ordinary in Adelaide as India clinched a thriller.

On the other hand, the Aussies have seized half chances on the field, have a vibrant attack led by left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson.

Batsman-keeper Adam Gilchrist has recovered well from his thumb injury. In case, the injury flares up on the morning of the match, the host has Brad Haddin who can don the big gloves.

The teams (from): Australia: R. Ponting (captain), M. Hayden, A. Gilchrist, M. Clarke, A. Symonds, M. Hussey, J. Hopes, B. Hogg, M. Johnson, S. Clark, N. Bracken, B. Haddin.

Sri Lanka: M. Jayawardene (captain), S. Jayasuriya, U. Tharanga, K. Sangakkara, T. Dilshan, C. Silva, C. Kapugedera, C. Vaas, I. Amerasinghe, L. Malinga, M. Muralitharan, F. Maharoof, N. Kulasekara.

Umpires: R. Koerzten & S. Taufel; Third umpire: B. Parry; Match referee: J. Crowe.

Play starts at 8.45 a.m. IST

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