With two of Australia's first-choice pace trio missing for tomorrow night's season-opening Twenty20 international, it is little surprise that Sri Lankan veteran Mahela Jayawardene rates the host's batting as its strength.
Shaun Tait's recuperation from elbow surgery and Mitchell Johnson's Sheffield Shield duties in Adelaide will thrust responsibility onto Dirk Nannes, a 34-year-old who first played for Australia just over a year ago. Support will come from his Bushrangers teammates Peter Siddle, Clint McKay and John Hastings, of whom only Siddle has played international Twenty20 - a single match last February.
Mahela Jayawardene |
''The batting looks stronger, with David Warner and Shane Watson and Cameron White has been in pretty good form for the past six months,'' Jayawardene said.
Jayawardene got first-hand knowledge of White's rich form in that period. The last time these teams met, at the World Twenty20 in May, White belted an unbeaten 85 from 45 balls to lead Australia to a crushing 81-run victory. There was mutual admiration in the separate press conferences, with White later citing Jayawardene, and captain Kumar Sangakkara, as Sri Lanka's undoubted ''class players'' with the bat.
''There's no secrets there, they've been great players for Sri Lanka over a number of years, so they're probably the two big wickets. Tillakaratne Dilshan is a dangerous player at the top of the order as well, and we know they have a host of spinners,'' said White, Australia's vice-captain in this format.
''It will be interesting to see what combination they play because, obviously traditionally, it doesn't spin a lot here. In saying that, Lasith Malinga's one of the best Twenty20 players in the world, I think, so they've got a pretty good team. A very good team, not to be taken lightly.''
Elite Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan has only played Australia once in international T20, conceding 0-29 in the World Twenty20 in 2009, but was in top form for last month's Champions League, claiming 12 wickets at an average of 11 for Chennai.Jayawardene said Muralitharan’s early confirmation of his retirement - he retired from Tests in July and will stop playing internationals after next year's World Cup - had had a marked effect on his persona within the team.
''He has nothing to prove to anyone right now. The last year or so I think we've seen a different Murali, more relaxed, I reckon - especially in the dressing room.''
Australia and Sri Lanka had their final sessions yesterday. TheAge |
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