Sri Lanka vs England – Match Preview – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20 2012
Defending champions, England, will take on the hosts Sri Lanka, today in their final Super 8 encounter of the ICC World T20 2012 at Pallekele, with their semi-final berth at stake.
Mahela Jayawardene and men, after losing to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in the Super 8 matches. In order to qualify for the last four, the hosts just need to avoid defeat
by a heavy margin.
In the presence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AD-Mathews-c913, Jeevan Mendis and Thisara Perera looking after the late middle-order.
The experienced trio has looked in great form throughout the event and all three have taken the responsibility on their shoulders. The Islanders have gone in with a strategy of having a top-heavy batting line-up with Dilshan and Jayawardene opening the innings
and followed by Sangakkara at three.
The Lankans however, must be wary of a top-order collapse as it can expose the inexperienced middle-order against good bowling attacks.
Jayawardene usually relies on Lasith Malinga in the bowling department but the devastating fast bowler has not looked himself in the tournament till date. However, he has to find back his form if the hosts are to have a realistic chance of lifting the World
T20 trophy for the first time.
The Lankan skipper, despite sitting pretty in Group 1, is not ready to take England lightly and thinks that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Eoin-Joseph-Gerard-Morgan-c56032 and Luke Wright pose a massive threat to his side, with both of them having a lot of T20 experience.
"Those two guys have been around for a while. Eoin has been playing regularly, Luke not so regularly but he has been travelling a lot," Jayawardene said. "Luke has played lot of T20 cricket also and England is an exciting team when we saw them play in Colombo.”
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559,
11 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BAW-Mendis-c1127
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806, their T20 batting line-up looks a touch thin and inexperienced.
The onus is on Morgan, being the most experienced batsman in the squad. Some of the sporting experts have urged the team management to promote the left-hander in the batting order, but the Ireland-born cricketer feels more comfortable in the middle-order.
"I think the role that I play within the side has changed over the last six to 12 months. The responsibility on my shoulders is one that I enjoy,” said the left-handed batsman. "I relish batting in the middle order and towards the end of the innings, and
nurturing guys along and getting us over the line. It's a role I enjoy a h**l of a lot.”
England (possible playing-11) 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danny-Briggs-c1315
On current form, Jayawardene’e men are going to start the match as clear favourites but the defending champions can never be written-off, unless or until they are officially out of the tournament.
Tags: