Murali all set to face off Australians in his final tour of Australia
Trevor Bayliss, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157, the Lankan spin wizard, gears up for his final expedition in Australia.
Muralitharan - who has already retired from five-day cricket - is all set to leave one-day cricket as well, after the 2011 ICC World Cup is played in the subcontinent early next year. Murali reached Perth today ahead of the only T20 clash against Australia
that would be played on the 31st of October at the WACA Ground.
Bayliss declared the legendary spinner as irreplaceable and said Muralitharan was looking forward to his last tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 – the most unwelcoming place for Murali in his 18-year long cricketing career.
"He loves coming to Australia. The two matches(warm-up games) we've played so far he's been well received and he's bowling well," said the Lankan coach. "No one's ever going to be able to replace someone of the calibre of Murali and his character as well.”
Trevor Bayliss, who is also planning to leave the Sri Lanka team after next year’s ICC World Cup, described the magical spinner as the “lifeblood of Sri Lankan cricket”. He also hailed the services of Sanath Jayasuriya and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Chaminda-Vaas-c1223 to the Lankan cricket.
The coach further added that the era of Sri Lanka’s World Champion side (1996 ICC World Cup) is approaching its end.
"Between those guys and Murali, they've really put Sri Lankan cricket on the map and it will be a sad day for Sri Lankan cricket when the last of those guys retire."
Bayliss opined that the tourists would try to locate the weaknesses of the Australian side during the upcoming T20 international and the three ODIs. He said that the Lankan team is in Australia with an aim of winning every possible game.
Kumar Sangakkara’s men had won their two warm-up games against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834 Bulls and New South Wales, while one against the Blues was abandoned without a ball bowled. Bayliss termed it as a good start for his side and revealed that his players are quite confident
about beating the World Champions.
Bayliss is well aware of the fact that the Australians are going to be a very tough target at home but is hopeful after looking back at the recent performances of Ponting’s men.
"Results haven't really gone their way ... over the last little bit so they'll be out to prove a point,” said the visiting coach. "They're not quite as consistent as they have been in the past."
Despite their recent mauling at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823, said that the Kangaroos are still a very good cricket side and have got some good young players coming into the side. "It might take them
just a little while to be really consistent so we hope to take advantage of that."
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