Vital outing for Lankans today
Today’s match – a day game is vital for the Lankans. If they are to keep their nose ahead of the Englishmen, they have to win this game on the R. Premadasa turf.
The loss at Hambantota was rather disturbing. On a wicket that was tailor-made for batting, the Lankans were exposed once again. First was the vulnerability of their bowling attack and then how they tend to succumb to pressure while fielding. When England was batting it was like a replay of the ghost Indian series we rather would like to forget. After scoring over a six runs an over the bowlers found no way to curb the English aggression.
What disturbed the Lankan chief selector, Sanath Jayasuriya, most was the bowling of Ajantha Mendis. “He is a trump card, but he has not bowled well during this series. We will try him once again so that he can regain his confidence with a good spell.”
Jayasuriya said he also had introduced the 23-year-old left arm chinaman bowler Lakshan Sandakan into the fifteen. According to the situation of the wicket there is likelihood of him being drafted into the playing eleven.
The Lankan Chief selector said, “It’s vital for us from this point onwards, while continuing with the winning habit. We also have to keep a tab on combinations. On this, we would have to work through this series and in New Zealand.”
The Lankans at practice at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday - Pix by Shantha Ratnayake
“We want to see how the opening combinations are working, what the seam combinations would be with the inclusion of Malinga in the latter half of the World Cup preparation and the spin combination. We are also looking at the two open spots in the Lankan lower middle order”.
He said they were having a close look at both Lasith Malinga and Sachithra Senanayake. If Senanayake’s report which is due sometime today is positive, he certainly would be a part of the two final ODIs scheduled to be played at Pallekelle and Colombo.
The good news is that Senanayake returned to Premier League Cricket on Friday – turning out for the Sinhalese Sports Club and bowled nine overs for a miserly 17 runs while bagging one wicket.
With the return of Mahela Jayawardena, Thilina Kandamby who failed to seize upon the chance afforded to him has been left out while Suranga Lakmal, Sri Lanka’s other premier seamer, has been brought in from the injured list.
However, Jayasuriya also feel that Dinesh Chandimal also should also get another look at and he may be tried out during the tail end of the series and for now he would be playing Premier League cricket.
The selectors were to pick the initial World Cup squad of thirty players to be registered with the ICC yesterday.
The Englishmen begin the fourth ODI with a backward step as Eoin Morgan is billed to lead the visitors. Regrettably, Alastair Cook who finally came to grips with the bat making a brisk 34 while putting on a eighty-four run opening stand was thumped with a game’s suspension for slow over-rate by match referee David Boon.
Like the Lankans the Englishmen too have their own bowling woes. But, to compensate, Moeen Ali who has taken over the number two slot in the batting order is on a roll.
Besides Ali, Joe Root and Jos Butler also batted well when they took away a possible Lankan win towards their camp. However, Cook’s vacancy will be filled by either Ian Bell who was left out of the last game or James Taylor who is yet to play a game.
Lankan Squad for today’s game will be selected from: Angelo Mathews (Captain), T.M Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Lahiru Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjan, Jeevan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Dhammika Prasad, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Gamage and Ajantha Mendis.
England Team will be selected from: Eoin Morgan (Captain), Ravi Bopara, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Ben Stokes, James Treadwell, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Jos Buttler, Harry Gurney, Joe Root, James Taylor and Chris Woakes.