Sri Lanka v Australia: ICC World Cup 2011 – Clash of the Titans
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 5 at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
This match is one of the most awaited matches of the tournament. Speculations are that one of these teams will emerge as world champions in 2011.
The Aussies are the defending champions, while the Lankan Lions were runners-up in 2007
Last time this event was held in the Subcontinent was back in 1996, Sri Lanka came out as champions. They defeated the Kangaroos in the finals and will be looking to do something similar this time around.
However, in 2007 Aussies got their revenge as they won the coveted trophy for a third consecutive time beating the Lankans in the final.
The hosts played their previous game against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752 on Tuesday, March 1. They thrashed the minnows by nine wickets. Lasith Malinga returned from injury and showed no rustiness, as he bowled quick swinging yorkers and claimed six wickets in the process.
Malinga said, “This is a slow pitch and bouncers will not work so I decided to go for yorkers”.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 in the second match of their World Cup campaign. They chased down 206 runs with seven wickets in hand.
The pitch in Colombo is damp and will support slow bowling. The conditions are overcast and rain is expected.
Australia’s captain, Ricky Ponting, is not concerned by the slow and spinning track and said, “It certainly hasn't spun anywhere near as much [as last time we were in Sri Lanka] and the teams that have batted second have had a bit more of a chance in the game than before”.
Team Form
Australia may have lost their touch in Test cricket but in the One Day International (ODI) format they are still an extremely good side. They defeated arch-rivals, England, 6-1 in an ODI series before the start of the World Cup. They have won all of their last five matches.
The 1996 champions are in great form themselves. They have defeated http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, in their last five matches.
Key players
Malinga was impressive against Kenya and he’ll be pumped up to put on a similar performance. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajantha-c42419 Mendis will look to exploit the spin wicket and a shaky Australian lower middle order. Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan are the main batsmen for the Lankans.
The Aussie pace battery consisting of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson are in supreme form and they’ll hope to bring that form to this match as well. Shane Watson and Ponting have been in good form with the bat.
Sri Lanka (probable XI)
1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (captain & wicket-keeper), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Chamara Silva, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan
Australia (probable XI)
1 Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120, 5 David Hussey, 6 Cameron White, 7 Steve Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Jason Krejza, 10 Brett Lee, 11 Shaun Tait
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