Ricky Ponting bracing for the Sri Lankan challenge at Premadasa – ICC World Cup 2011
The weekend promises to bring excitement for die-hard cricket fans as the reigning champions, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, take on the wiles and guiles of one of the three co-hosts, Sri Lanka, at the Premadasa Oval in Colombo.
After a dull opening week, the cricket World Cup came to life with some fascinating games last week, which threw in surprises and shocks aplenty as cricket fever gripped the sub-continent in totality.
The Australians have already extended their winning streak in World Cup matches beyond an incredible 30 games with two comfortable wins in their first two games of the tournament. Ricky Ponting’s men were slightly rusty in their win
over Zimbabwe, especially with the bat, yet came out all guns blazing to thrash rivals http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 in their second game.
They hope to carry the momentum forward and keep their remarkable winning streak over all cricketing opposition continuing as they take on the formidable Lankans in their own backyard. The Lankans are extremely tough to beat at home,
especially when the ball spins and bounces sharply at times. The slow and low dust bowls are likely to suit them more than the Aussies and the same can be expected when the two teams square up at the Premadasa.
On the eve of the match, Ponting addressed the media and he stated that the team was in the right frame of mind after putting in the hard yards in Colombo through-out last week. He wants the team to focus hard in what is being perceived
as one of their biggest challenges in recent tournament history.
He added that the easy wins in the first two games means that the squad has not been tested yet.
"It's a little bit hard to judge in the first two games, we really haven't been pushed too much in the first two games," Ponting said. "The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 game was obviously a very easy win for us and then to bowl New Zealand out the way
we did and then pick the runs off pretty easily, we weren't really tested in that game either. It's not so much what we've done in the games that I'm happy with, it's just the way we've approached every session so far."
The Aussies have not toured http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 much in recent years and this means that they are set to be tested as things have changed significantly in Colombo, especially the Premadasa Stadium, which has undergone a major redevelopment.
The Aussies have to have their guard up against the variety of the Sri Lankan bowling attack. The Sri Lankan lions are choke full of slow bowlers plus the searing pace from the slingy action of Lasith Malinga, who has taken six wickets
including a hat-trick in his only match of the tournament to date against lowly http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752.
"We've played a fair bit against Malinga over the years," Ponting said. "He had a great game the other day against Kenya, and he looks like he's in pretty good form. He was one of the main focuses for us in the team meeting, talking
about the right way to go about playing him. His bowling in the middle overs and with the older ball is particularly good."
On the other hand there are questions being raised about the pedigree of the Australian spinners. Ponting has been talking up Jason Krejza, who has not made much of an impact yet besides leaking runs in the two matches that he has
played against lower ranked opposition.
The Aussie fans will be hoping of a good performance from their team that can put them in the right frame of mind ahead of even stiffer challenges later in the tournament.
Tags: