Australia v Sri Lanka – 2nd CB series final – Australian players to watch out for
The Australian team will be looking to preserve their winning streak in the 2nd upcoming Commonwealth Bank series final against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758, scheduled for March 6, 2012, at the Adelaide Oval.
After having triumphed over the visitors in the first of the best-of-three finals, a second victory could lead the Aussies to secure the series win. While the top order of the host team excelled in terms of batting, the middle order gave their wickets away too easily, and will need to contribute with more solid scores in order to keep the innings going at a steady pace.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540 failed to shine in the last match (1-74), but his performances throughout the series have seen drastic highs and lows, and should he experience a sudden return to form, batsmen like David Warner and David Hussey will need to step up to the challenge.
As far as bowling is concerned, the Aussies will need to watch out, not only for Sri Lanka’s top order, but also the middle and lower order – pacer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558 and Brett Lee will be expected to handle the pressure throughout the innings.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DA-Warner-c1301
After his impressive knock of 163 off 157 balls in the previous match against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, expectations will be sky-high for the 25-year-old batsman to repeat the feat, and Warner will be no less eager for an encore, after having scored his first ODI century.
After having started the series on a slow note, with unremarkable scores of 8, 6, and 18 to his name, Warner displayed flashes of brilliance, such as a 68 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 at Sydney. However his recent century (which, incidentally, is the highest score by an Australian batsman in the series so far) has cemented his reputation as a hard-hitting batsman.
The opener currently ranks 5th on the series record list for most runs, with 358, and has Australia’s 4th highest batting average in the tri-series, 39.77, with a strike rate of 95.21.
The only flaw in the batsman’s form appears to be a groin injury he sustained in the previous match – should he make a full recovery, the Sri Lankan bowlers will have their work cut out for them.
David Hussey
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s chances at securing another victory.
Despite his poor outing in Australia’s last innings (he managed a mere 1 before he was caught and bowled by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559) the right-handed batsman remains at the top of the list of records for most runs in the CB series, (and most runs by an Australian batsman in the tri-series), with 413 runs at an average of 68.83 under his belt. In addition, his 74, scored against Sri Lanka at Melbourne, is the 3rd highest score by an Aussie batsman in the ongoing tournament.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brett-Lee-c48419
Despite his fractured toe, pacer Brett Lee has refused to sit out too many matches for his team, and looks to be in fine form, following his impressive 3 for 59 in the previous game, which saw him taking down the threatening top order, Jayawardene, Dilshan, and Sangakkara, before they had a chance to get too comfortable at the crease.
He currently ranks at number 9 on the list of the highest wicket-takers in the series, with 8 wickets at an average of 29.87, and if the 35-year-old’s determination to play through his injury is anything to go by, he will be eager to add to his tally of wickets in the upcoming match.
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