Will
Sri Lanka’s star batsmen sparkle today?
Sri Lanka and Pakistan will look up to their batsmen to deliver
when the two sides meet again in a Bank Alfala Triangular Cricket
encounter at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium today.
Although both
teams have a win each after the first round, Sri Lanka and Pakistan
batsmen have struggled to adapt to the overcast conditions and seamer
friendly tracks with none of the three teams reaching the 200-run
mark.The conditions will remain the same despite two new wickets
being prepared for the next three games.Thus the toss will once
again play a crucial role with the side calling correct opting to
field first and give their seamers the opportunity of making full
use of the moisture on the wicket and the overcast conditions.
Sri Lanka's
new one-day captain Marvan Atapattu acknowledges that his team's
batting is of concern and he expects the boys to come out of it
in today's game.
Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya will have to lead from the front
if Sri Lanka’s batsmen are to put up challenge against the
Youthful Pakistani outfit.
As the saying
goes Jayasuriya has to fire if the Lankans are to win.The dashing
left hander was out for a first ball duck against Pakistan in the
first game and will be all out to prove himself when he takes on
Pakistan again. With over 9000 runs to his credit Jayasuriya is
aware how important this game is for his team and will have to use
his head as much as his powerful forearms when he fronts up to the
Pakistanis.
Sri Lanka will
stick to the Jayasuriya-Kaluwitharana opening alliance and follow
it up with Atapattu, Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Dilshan. However
the team is still uncertain of playing the third seamer Dharshana
Gamage. If Gamage is left out either Kaushalaya Weeraratne or the
spinning allrounder Kaushal Lokuarachchi will play. A final decision
will be taken this morning after taking into consideration the ground
conditions.
Pakistan are
very likely to go in with an unchanged side but like their opponents
will expect their batsmen to do the needful.The experienced Yousuf
Youhana has failed to find his touch and Pakistan expects the guy
will turn a corner in the crucial game.
The team spent much of the week practising indoors in Colombo before
travelling to Dambulla on Wednesday evening.
Pakistan enjoy
the advantage after defeating the host Nation by a convincing 79
runs in the opening game. However the team is aware that today's
game is a crucial one if they are to keep alive their cahances of
qualifying for the final.
Probable
teams
Sri Lanka: Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan
Atapattu (Capt),Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne
Dilshan, Kumar Dharmasena, Chaminda Vaas, Dharshana Gamage, or Kaushal
Weeraratne or Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Prabath Nissanka, Muttiah Muralitharan.
Pakistan team:
Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Faisal
Iqbal, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif (Capt and wk), Umar
Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami.
Red
Shirts down Airmen after turn-around
CR&FC-32, Air Force-9
By Bernie Wijesekera
Air Force forwards reveling in ideal conditions underfoot gave the
CR&FC a few hiccups in the initial half to lead 6-3. However,
after the turn-around, the red-shirts changed their game plan to
outplay the Airmen by 32 points (2 goals, 3 tries and a penalty)
to 9 (3 penalties) in a Premier League match at Longden Place yesterday.
It was a dull dreary day for rugby with both teams finding it hard
to handle the wet ball.
![](../images/rugby.jpg)
Out of my way! A CR forward makes a rush to the goal line with
an Air Force player in close pursuit. CR won the game 32-9.
Pic by Ishara S.Kodikara |
What they did
was indulge in aimless kicking. Man-to-man the Airmen tackled the
nippy CR line to a standstill. The Airmen, sans any stars, did well
against a star studded team. Most of the Airmen had taken up to
the game only after joining the Air Force. To their credit, they
played well within themselves.
In contrast
the red shirts had a bunch of youngsters who have been in the forefront
of school rugby. Haren Kaluarachchi, Zulki Hamid, Dilan Abeygunawardena,
Nishantha Kumara etc. The Airmen took the lead with two spot kicks
by Ranjith Anthony. CR answered with a spot-kick arrowed by Charitha
Kodagoda. The Airmen led 6-3 at the short whistle.
In the second
half CR changed their ploy bringing in Champika Nishantha to the
base and Imtiaz Mustaq to the wing and Kaluarachchi as centre. The
red shirts opened scoring in the fourth minute of the second half
when Kalu scored off a second phase attack. Kodagoda added the extra
points (8-6).
The Airmen hit
back again with another penalty put over by Anthony (9-8). However,
CR took control with their rugby skills. Varuna de Silva rolled
over off a short tap. Kodagoda made the conversion 15-9.
A 40-yard solo
run by Mustaq to the corner flag made it 20-9. Another try by skipper
Shamley Nawaz - 25-9. The fifth try was by Asanga Rodrigo, which
Roshan Peiris converted. When the referee Aruna Jayasekera blew
no side, the red shirts had won 32-9. |