http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – 2nd Test – Match Preview - Part 2 - Continued...
As for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tasmania-c854. He is no express pacer, as revealed by Arthur, but his nagging line and length is what makes him a handy customer. Moreover, his recent record at the MCG is impressive, where he has taken 14 wickets in the last two first-class games.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822 will carry the slow bowling duties.
As for the touring Lankans, they find themselves in a situation pretty similar to the one they faced against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kepler-Christoffel-Wessels-c71006 to claim that even the A team can beat the Lankans. However, the tourists did not get bogged down, and registered an emphatic win at Centurion - their first on Proteas soil.
At Hobart, it was the Aussies’ turn to call the shots with former fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rodney-Malcolm-Hogg-c86412 terming the current Sri Lankan attack as the worst ever. Though the team showed incredible determination on the last day, it was the home side which held the ascendency all along.
Now at MCG, the Lankans will be hoping to prove their doubters wrong and script their first Test win on Aussie soil. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779 has openly expressed the need to play more Tests, but the current bouts remain their only chance to leave a mark on the longer version, given that the team will mostly perform in the limited-overs arena in the coming year.
The left-handed maestro also called on the senior players to step up as a unit, which could provide their inexperienced bowlers some much-needed cushion. While the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TT-Samaraweera-c2712 all doing well individually in the past couple of series, they have not been able to perform collectively.
That ultimately exposes the frailties of their pace-attack, which then heavy relies on the prowess of Rangana Herath. The left-arm spinner has been the team’s most consistent performer over the 12 past months, and will be eager to put in an inspiring performance.
"It's great that we are playing a Boxing Day Test Match. It's important that we realise that it's a great occasion and also understand where we went wrong in the first Test. First innings is always important, especially when you are playing good sides. We really need to buckle down and put on a good enough total for our bowlers to be able to put pressure on the opposition from that position onwards," Sangakkara said.
No changes are expected in the Lankan line-up as they aim to fend off the Aussie threat. The pitch at Melbourne will aid fast bowlers but will also help the spinners as the match enters the final two days.
Australia (Probable XI) 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BW-Hilfenhaus-c1204, 11 Nathan Lyon.
Sri Lanka (Probable XI): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ranaweera-Mudiyanselage-Shaminda-Eranga-c83939, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.
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