Wayamba confident ahead of Champions League

Siddarth Ravindran

August 25, 2010

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	Jeevantha Kulatunga's opening combination with Mahela Jayawardene was instrumental in Wayamba winning their domestic T20 tournament. © Cricinfo Ltd Enlarge
Related Links News : Guyana aim for Champions League glory Players/Officials: Mahela Jayawardene | Jeevantha Kulatunga Series/Tournaments: Champions League Twenty20 Teams: Sri Lanka

Wayamba, the Sri Lankan domestic Twenty20 champions, are one of the low-profile teams heading for the Champions League, but could surprise some of their more famous competitors with a squad containing 11 players who have international caps. They exited in the first round of the Champions League last year but the biggest name in their line-up, Mahela Jayawardene, said that experience will help Wayamba put up a better show in South Africa next month.

"Last year was a bit of an eye-opener for us, participating in that kind of an event," Jayawardene said at a press conference where the team's new shirt was unveiled. "We had quite a few players who hadn't played against international teams. It was a great opportunity for them. We realise where we went wrong; most of our guys now have much more experience playing T20 cricket, playing domestically as well."

Wayamba played both their matches in 2009 on a difficult Feroz Shah Kotla pitch, losing to the Delhi Daredevils and beating one of the favourites, Victoria, before bowing out on net run-rate. Their captain, 29-year-old Jehan Mubarak, was also confident the lessons learnt in India last year, and Wayamba's thorough preparation for this campaign, will yield results.

"We are much more prepared than we were last year, we have had the experience of playing in a previous Champions League," Mubarak said. "Our preparation has been quite extensive this year; we have been practising for at least three months. We have the talent and experience among us to deliver the goods."

In the domestic competition, Wayamba steamrolled their way to the title, winning every game, most of them by big margins. Asked about his team's strengths, he mentioned the opening combination of Jayawardene and 36-year-old Jeevantha Kulatunga, who was Player of the Tournament. "We won most of our games quite easily, lot of that due to Mahela and Jeevantha who gave us brilliant opening stands right throughout the tournament," Mubarak said. "But apart from that there's the bowling and the fielding, the combined team effort and the unity with which we played."

Another of Wayamba's strengths is their spin department, spearheaded by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis, who could fluster the many batsmen in the Champions League who have never faced him. "It is very tempting [to play both spinners], depends in addition to the conditions on the opposition as well, how well they play spin," Mubarak said. "It is early summer in South Africa, pitches might be on the slow side, might take a bit of turn."

The team have a couple of warm-up matches, against Royal Challengers Bangalore and local side Titans, who did not qualify for the tournament, to get used to the South African conditions. Jayawardene said holding the Champions League in different countries will help increase the number of cricket fans around the world. "Taking the Champions League across makes sense, you create a new audience," he said. "We saw the second IPL, when we played in South Africa, the fan base there surprised everyone, taking it across the cricket playing countries would create a different brand itself and a new fan following as well."

Wayamba's first game is against South Africa's Warriors on September 11. The other teams in their group are IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, Big Bash winners Victoria and New Zealand's Central Districts.

Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at Cricinfo

Taylor, Styris star in hard-earned win for New Zealanders

Cricinfo staff

August 4, 2010

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New Zealanders 220 for 7 (Taylor 67, Styris 57) beat Sri Lanka Board President's XI 219 for 9 (Perera 62*, Tuffey 2-34, McKay 2-38) by three wickets
Scorecard

	New Zealanders' seamers had the home batsmen in trouble early on © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Thisara Perera | Scott Styris | Ross Taylor Matches: Sri Lanka Board President's XI v New Zealanders at Colombo (SSC) Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka Triangular Series Teams: New Zealand | Sri Lanka

New Zealanders endured poor passages of play in the latter stages of either innings, but did enough to seal victory against Sri Lanka Board President's XI in their first match on tour. The win was easier than suggested by the eventual three-wicket margin, as Ross Taylor and Scott Styris struck fluent fifties before the visitors crossed the line with 72 balls to spare.

BP XI elected to bat first, but did not account for their opponents' inspired fast-bowling pack. Things began to go awry in the third over when Daryl Tuffey breached Mahela Udawatte's defence with nine runs on the board. Dinesh Chandimal was run out for two in the next over, exposing the middle order. They did not fare too well as three wickets fell for the addition of just one run: Lahiru Thirimanne edged Tuffey behind, while Chamara Silva and Thilina Kandamby did likewise against Tim Southee and Jacob Oram respectively. The score read 34 for 5 in 12 overs and BP XI desperately needed a repair job.

Kosala Kulasekara put his head down in the company of Milinda Siriwardana and they steadied the ship, adding 29 in 10.4 overs before Clint McKay got into the flow of things, getting the former to give Gareth Hopkins his fourth catch behind the wickets. With both teams having twelve players to choose from, BP XI were batting fairly deep and it worked in their favour. Farveez Maharoof kept Siriwardana company for a 64-run stand for the seventh wicket, off 93 balls. Just when they looked set to step up, New Zealanders managed to dismiss both batsmen before they could reach fifties.

That the hosts had something to bowl at was down to the effort of Thisara Perera who stunned the bowlers with an impressive assault. Southee suffered the most damage, going for 64 while the rest of his colleagues finished with respectable figures. Perera smashed eight fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 39-ball 62, as the last 7.5 overs went for 81 runs. Seekkuge Prasanna gave him good support, lashing a six and two fours in his 18 as BP XI finished with 219.

New Zealanders' chase faced an early setback when Nuwan Pradeep got BJ Watling to nick one behind for four. However, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor made light of his fall, adding 65 at better than a-run-a-ball. Guptill struck three fours in his 33-ball 26 before Prasanna struck him in front of the stumps. Thereafter Scott Styris laced into the bowling in an aggressive partnership with Taylor to put the result beyond doubt.

Taylor played some pleasing shots, picking seven fours and a six before Kandamby sent him back after a partnership of 95 in 14.1 overs. Styris smashed two sixes and five fours, racing to 57 off 45 balls before he too fell to Kandamby's wiles in the 30th over. New Zealanders had a few nervous moments, losing Grant Elliott and Hopkins, with 23 runs still to get. Oram however held one end up while Tuffey lashed four fours to ensure there was no upset.

New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka

New Zealand crush Sri Lanka A by 185 runs

Cricinfo staff

August 7, 2010

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	Kyle Mills contributed with both bat and ball © Getty Images Enlarge
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The New Zealanders crushed Sri Lanka A by 185 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium as the hosts were dismissed for 91 chasing a stiff target of 276.

The Lankan chase got off to a poor start when opener Dilshan Munaweera was run out for 10. Kyle Mills then scythed through the batting order, taking three wickets in as many overs. He accounted for Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara and Kushal Perera as Sri Lanka A were reduced to 25 for 4. The Sri Lankans never recovered from those early blows and kept losing wickets regularly, as the other New Zealand bowlers kept up the pressure. As many as seven batsmen failed to reach double figures as the hosts were bowled out in 22.4 overs.

Earlier, Bradley-John Watling and Jacob Oram scored contrasting half-centuries as New Zealand recovered from a mid-innings stutter to post a challenging 276. Opening the innings, Watling scored a patient 74 from 95 deliveries and shared an 88-run stand with his captain Ross Taylor who made 47 off 48. Watling was bowled by Jeevan Mendis with the score on 159. Grant Elliott and Gareth Hopkins fell soon thereafter to leave New Zealand struggling at 193 for 7. However, Jacob Oram combined with Mills in an unbeaten 83-run stand for the eighth wicket that came in only 9.5 overs. Oram provided a late flourish to the innings making 61 off only 45 deliveries with four fours and two sixes.

Sri Lanka tri-series 2010

Welegedara, Kandamby left out of tri-series

Cricinfo staff

August 7, 2010

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	Chamara Silva is back in Sri Lanka's ODI side © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Dilhara Fernando | Thilina Kandamby | Chamara Silva | Chanaka Welegedara Series/Tournaments: Sri Lanka Triangular Series Teams: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka have left out left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara, allrounder Farveez Maharoof and batsman Thilina Kandamby for the tri-series, which begins on August 10 in Dambulla. Chamara Silva, who last played in the tri-series also involving India and Zimbabwe in May and June, makes a return, as does fast bowler Dilhara Fernando. Sri Lanka have also picked allrounder Thisara Perera, who was the leading wicket-taker in the one-day games on the A tour of Australia in June and July.

Muttiah Muralitharan, who recently retired from Tests, was rested, though he has made himself available for selection for the 2011 World Cup. Maharoof's omission is surprising because the allrounder impressed in the Asia Cup, taking a hat-trick during a five-wicket haul in the league match against India.

Silva, at one point, was a regular in Sri Lanka's middle order until a series of low scores cost him his place in the Asia Cup. Fernando played in the second Test against India at the SSC, while Perera represented Sri Lanka in 10 ODIs and was also part of the Chennai Super Kings squad in the IPL. The other participating teams in the tri-series are India and New Zealand and all the matches will be held in Dambulla.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vc), Chamara Silva, Thisara Perera, Dilhara Fernando, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath.

ICC World Cup 2011

Premadasa Stadium still behind schedule - ICC

Cricinfo staff

June 7, 2010

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	Work on the playing surface at the Premadasa is still not on track © Cricinfo Ltd Enlarge
Related Links News : ICC happy with state of progress of Sri Lanka venues Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Sri Lanka Grounds: R.Premadasa Stadium

The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup, is still behind schedule in terms of readiness of the pitch. The ICC completed its routine three-day venue inspection in Sri Lanka and expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the two new international venues, Pallekele and Hambantota.

The Premadasa is the only ground in Colombo with floodlights, and Sri Lanka Cricket is spending eight million dollars to renovate the stadium and relay the pitch. The inspection team made a similar unfavourable progress report in February, when the ICC's pitch consultant Andy Atkinson said that work on the playing area was behind schedule. Four months on, he said the status hadn't changed much.

"Premadasa is a worry for me," Atkinson told AFP. "I would like to get some games in to try out the pitch conditions before the big show next year."

Eugene van Vuuren, the ICC's structural engineer, said good progress had been made at the other two venues. "With the exception of the Premadasa stadium, others are on track to play a few first-class and international matches before the tournament starts next February," van Vuuren said.

The Suriyawewa Stadium in Hambantota, on the Southern coast, is due to host its maiden first-class domestic match in July. The Pallekele Stadium near Kandy has held an Under-19 match.

Sri Lanka will stage 12 matches, with the Premadasa hosting seven, including the first semi-final. Hambantota and Pallekele will host two and three games respectively.

Development of World Cup venues on track - Shetty

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

August 2, 2010

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	'Stumpy' the baby elephant is the mascot for the 2011 World Cup © Cricinfo Ltd Enlarge
Related Links News : Premadasa Stadium still behind schedule - ICC News : ICC unhappy with facilities in Bangalore Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Bangladesh | India | Sri Lanka

The tournament director of the 2011 World Cup, Ratnakar Shetty, has said that the development of the stadiums was on schedule and that the governments of the host countries - India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - were working together to ensure an "incident free" competition.

Several venues in India, Bangaldesh and Sri Lanka are being redeveloped or constructed from scratch and Shetty was confident they would be ready before the December 31 deadline.

"We are monitoring the development of all the World Cup venues, particularly the re-development of stadiums. The events are properly chartered and time is of the essence for us," Shetty said. "The World Cup has been previously held in the subcontinent in 1987 and 1996, and our aim is to deliver a World Cup remembered as a memorable event for spectators to enjoy and the teams that are participating to be at full strength."

In February, the ICC had written to the BCCI expressing concerns over facilities at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium. Andy Atkinson, the ICC pitch consultant, reportedly suggested several changes that need to be undertaken ahead of the tournament. In June, the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was deemed to be behind schedule by an ICC delegation in terms of readiness of the pitch, but progress at the two new venues in Pallekele and Hambantota was assessed to be on track.

Shetty also said that the hosts were working towards improving the security for the event. "Each of the countries now has full-time security advisors and they are preparing the national security plans as well as the tournament security plans. The three governments are working out to ensure that this will be an incident free 2011 World Cup."

Shetty was in Colombo for the naming of the 2011 World Cup's mascot - a baby elephant called 'Stumpy'. The ICC had conducted an online competition inviting the public to suggest a name for the mascot.

Malinga returns to Test squad

	Lasith Malinga is set to play his first Test since December 2007 © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: Lasith Malinga | Ajantha Mendis Series/Tournaments: India tour of Sri Lanka Teams: Sri Lanka

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has been named in the 16-member Sri Lanka squad for the three-Test series against India beginning on July 18, setting him up for a return to Tests after two-and-a-half years . However, there was no place for spinner Ajantha Mendis, who tormented India during their previous Test visit two years ago.

Malinga played his last Test against England at Galle in 2007 before a knee injury laid him low and forced him out of cricket for nine months. Malinga was cured by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse's personal physician Dr Eliyantha White and since then his appearances for his country has been only in limited-over internationals and in Twenty20 Internationals.

Malinga's return to Test cricket was slow because the team physio did not want to push him too early to play in the longer version of the game. However selection committee sources stated that they had got the greenlight from physio Tommy Simsek who has been monitoring Malinga's progress carefully that he was now fully fit to play in a five-day Test match.

"Malinga has nine more days before the first Test against India and we are confident he will be fit to play. He has been bowling long spells at the nets and has shown no side effects," a selection committee source said. Since making his Test debut against Australia at Darwin in 2004, Malinga has played in 28 Tests and captured 91 wickets.The other members of the fast-bowling department are Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara and Dammika Prasad.

Offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan who is due to retire at the end of Galle Test has also been named in the squad along with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and young off-spinner Suraj Randiv who is likely to take Muralitharan's place for the rest of the series. Mendis, who became a star with 26 wickets in three Tests against India when they visited in 2008, was left out.

The Sri Lanka Board President's team to take on India in a three-day practice match ahead of the Tests was also named. Thilan Samaraweera will lead the side which includes first-choice Test keeper Prasanna Jayawardene and promising batsmen Lahiru Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjan and Dinesh Chandimal.

Test squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (vc), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Dammika Prasad, Suraj Randiv, Thilina Kandamby, Chanaka Welegedara, Lahiru Thirimanne.

Sri Lanka Board President's XI: Thilan Samaraweera (capt), Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thilina Kandamby, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Ashan Priyanjana, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando, Chaminda Vidanapathirana, Sachitra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Kusal Janith, Dinesh Chandimal

Make UDRS mandatory - Kumar Sangakkara

	There will be no UDRS in the Test series after India objected to its use © Getty Images
Related Links News : No UDRS for Sri Lanka-India Tests News : ICC wants review system used at World Cup Players/Officials: MS Dhoni | Kumar Sangakkara Series/Tournaments: India tour of Sri Lanka Teams: India | Sri Lanka

Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, has asked the ICC to step in and make the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) mandatory for all Test series, following India's refusal to use it for the upcoming series. Sangakkara also said the ICC should perhaps pay for the technology needed to implement the system successfully, because it is something the ICC wants to introduce and the broadcasters have usually paid exorbitant monies for their rights and might not be able to afford extra costs for sophisticated tools such as Hot Spot.

"I was under the impression that the ICC has set the standards on this by saying that everyone should use the DRS system," Sangakkara said, suggesting he was not aware of the results of the latest discussion on UDRS at the ICC's annual conference. "I think last year in India also, the entire team felt a little hard done by when we came to know that we couldn't have the DRS."

The ICC's directive, too, was as ambiguous as the body's role is in international cricket. "The host member would determine whether to use DRS in home Test series (following consultation with the visiting country)," said the ICC release, in one sentence giving the home board the power to "determine" whether the UDRS should be used, and also empowering the visiting team to contest it.

"The role that ICC has to play here is to make sure that all boards are bound to have the DRS," Sangakkara said, "Rather than when one side refuses, the other side can't enforce the DRS, as is under the current playing conditions.

Sangakkara reiterated how the absence of DRS hurt his side on its tour of India ("It cost us close to 500 runs and lots of wickets"), and also how the presence of the same system proved to be an advantage when they hosted India in 2008. Then, Sri Lanka successfully challenged 11 decisions as opposed to India's one.

"There were of course complaints by the Indian team, which led to - I think - subsequent series' being played without the review system," Sangakkara said. "Having reviewed all the matches, there are flaws. You need Hot Spot and all, but even with the existing technology in place, we can still have a very fair DRS."

MS Dhoni explained his side's decision with what has been a genuine concern with the UDRS: why challenge decisions when the best available technology is not being used? "DRS is still not a 100 % correct system," Dhoni said. "We have seen that, in spite of having the DRS, not everything goes correct. Most of the teams have played a series under the DRS, so it is important now to come up with a foolproof plan. See what exactly works. In a bat-pad scenario, Hot Spot really works, it is close to over 98 % correct. Even on LBW decisions, we need to have something like that."

Which brings us to the present conundrum: Several broadcasters pushed themselves to the commercial brink to secure telecast rights, and they obviously hadn't budgeted for the extra cost to make the UDRS successful. Which is what makes the ICC's role important, because essentially the DRS is its baby. "That's another option [paying for the technology] maybe the ICC should look at," Sangakkara said. "Provide the technology, make everything standard, if the costs the exorbitant, subsidise the costs. These are all the things we can look at. Maybe the broadcasters - they of course pay such a lot for cricket, but they also make sure they earn almost as much - maybe they could work out ways of subsiding it."

Bowlers the focus in tour opener

	Ajantha Mendis will have to prove to the selectors that he's the man to fill the void left by Murali © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: Dilhara Fernando | Ajantha Mendis | Yuvraj Singh Matches: Sri Lanka Board President's XI v Indians at Colombo (Colts) Series/Tournaments: India tour of Sri Lanka Teams: India | Sri Lanka

Colts Cricket Club Ground is an idyllic, old-fashioned cricket ground, surrounded by trees, in Havelock Town in Colombo 5. A late replacement for the Nondescripts Cricket Club, the Colts Ground was slated to host what is usually a quaint tour game to kick off India's tour, but the game has now become almost a Test trial for both sides.

India have run into fitness issues, with Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth injured and Harbhajan Singh down with fever. Sri Lanka have chosen a strong Board President's XI side, with six members from the Test squad looking to impress the team management. Ajantha Mendis, not in the squad for the first Test, has been given an opportunity too.

The Indian XI is now wide open. If Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and M Vijay get picked for the tour game, a really impressive show from any one of them against an attack featuring Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welegedara and Mendis could seal him the No. 6 spot for the Galle Test.

More interesting and desperate is the bowling department. With Zaheer and Sreesanth now out, Abhimanyu Mithun will be backing himself for the Test pace attack along with Ishant Sharma. Mithun, though, will look for a solid performance against the likes of Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne to make sure that Sreesanth's replacement, to be named some time on Monday, doesn't overtake him in the preference for the Test slot.

Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha have for long been taking turns to assist Harbhajan in the spin department, but neither of them has impressed the selectors enough to become a definite starter. With Harbhajan still recovering from the fever and yet to attend a training session, both of them are likely to get a chance to stake claims for the Test spot.

Sri Lanka, too, have an uncertain bowling line-up, especially the pace department. While Muttiah Muralitharan is a definite starter, Galle being his last Test, either of Rangana Herath or Suraj Randiv will form the spin duo. Among the fast bowlers, though, any two of Lasith Malinga, Dammika Prasad, Fernando and Welegedara can be picked in the XI.

Two of them, Fernando and Welegedara, will get a chance in Colombo to send notice to the captain and the coach. That two of them have been asked to show their form in the tour game could suggest that Malinga and Prasad have a lead over them, but a five-for against a near-Test side never hurt anybody.

Most interesting, though, will be how Mendis bowls. He will be up against the same batting line-up that he tortured two years ago; the same batsmen have been torturing him since. He knows there will be a vacancy with Murali retiring after the first Test. He also knows he needs to convince them that he is the man to fill it. Mendis will be bowling to get his Test career back on track, to the same set of blokes he launched it against in the first place.

Finalists clash in dress rehearsal

Match Facts

Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Start time 1430 (0900 GMT)

	Upul Tharanga will play his 100th ODI © Associated Press
Related Links Matches: Sri Lanka v India at Dambulla Series/Tournaments: Asia Cup Teams: India | Sri Lanka

The Big Picture

The neighbourly affection between India and Sri Lanka knows no bounds. What was meant to be a ceaseless flow of riveting action between the two teams was rudely interrupted by an inspired Zimbabwe, who deprived India of a place in the tri-series final in Harare. But India bounced back in the Asia Cup, upstaging Pakistan to seal another meeting with their favoured rivals and restore the trend. Tuesday's contest, a dress rehearsal for the final, despite the monotony of what began in January last year, will be one that India will welcome. They are without Virender Sehwag, ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury, and will want to achieve some stability at the top of the order leading into the final.

Sri Lanka have won their games with greater comfort, with their bowlers restraining Pakistan in the opening match and the batsmen, led by Tillakaratne Dilshan, dominating Bangladesh to prepare themselves well for the remaining two games. Both teams, however, have untested players and could try out their bench strength ahead of the final.

Form guide (most recent first)

India: WWLLW
Sri Lanka: WWWLW

Watch out for...

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: Though relatively inexperienced, they have acquired a strong reputation in India's middle order and their responsibility has grown in the absence of Sehwag at the top. Both batsmen have had a quiet Asia Cup, following impressive performances in Zimbabwe, and now have the match they need to shape up for the big game.

Upul Tharanga: He has filled in admirably at the position vacated by Sanath Jayasuriya. Tharanga's scores in his previous six innings read 40, 27, 69, 72, 11 and 54, complementing the belligerence of Dilshan with an assured solidity.

Team news

Dinesh Karthik is Sehwag's replacement for the remainder of the tournament and is likely to open on Tuesday with Gautam Gambhir. India may be tempted to rest one of their seamers, possibly Ashish Nehra who has just recovered from back spasms. They have Ashok Dinda in the reserves as well as the spinner R Ashwin. Saurabh Tiwary is a candidate for the middle order, but the rest will be keen to spend some time in the middle ahead of the final.

India (possible) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Dinesh Karthik, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harbhajan Singh/R Ashwin, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Ashish Nehra/ Ashok Dinda.

If Sri Lanka choose to try out their bench strength, they may consider resting Lasith Malinga and play allrounder Farveez Maharoof. Another possible change is the inclusion of Suraj Randiv for Muttiah Muralitharan, who may be given a break ahead of the final.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera/ Thilina Kandamby, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Farveez Maharoof, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Chanaka Welegedera.

Stats and trivia

• India and Sri Lanka are meeting for the 18th time since the start of 2009 in an ODI.

• The game is the 2999th ODI. The 3000th will be held on the same day, between England and Australia. Incidentally the same two teams played the very first ODI in 1971.

• Upul Tharanga is set to play his 100th ODI

  Quotes

  
  "This is an important game for us. We don't take any game lightly. Obviously, if we win the match, we can go to the final with a better frame of mind."
  Harbhajan Singh values the momentum India stand to gain if they win on Tuesday.

Sublime Jayawardene takes Sri Lanka to 195

20 overs Sri Lanka 195 for 3 (Jayawardene 98*, Sangakkara 68) v West Indies
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Mahela Jayawardene scored freely all round the wicket to reach 98 against West Indies © Getty Images
Related Links Players/Officials: Mahela Jayawardene | Kumar Sangakkara Matches: West Indies v Sri Lanka at Bridgetown Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 Teams: Sri Lanka | West Indies

Sri Lanka profited from an amateurish fielding effort from a deflated West Indies to post 195 for 3 after winning the toss and opting to bat in the second match of the day at the Kensington Oval. The chief architect of the mammoth total was Mahela Jayawardene who, in a sublime display of risk-free strokeplay narrowly missed out on his second century of the tournament, eventually finishing unbeaten on 98. He was well supported by Kumar Sangakkara in a 166-run partnership for the second wicket, the highest of the tournament so far.

And that in itself is an indication of the ineptitude of the West Indian fielding and bowling effort, as at least five straightforward chances were missed. Jaywardene displayed silky touch and superb manipulation of the bowling to take full toll, and Sangakkara, while not quite in Jayawardene's league at the moment, matched him almost shot for shot.

It had seemed likely that, with the pitch offering bounce and carry, West Indies would adopt a similarly aggressive bang-it-in approach as Australia had earlier in the day, and indeed Kemar Roach seemed eager to exploit the pace-friendly conditions as he hit the deck hard in his opening over to trouble both openers.

Jerome Taylor, on his return to international cricket after a six-month lay-off, was far more willing to pitch the ball up, and paid the price for it initially as Sanath Jayasuriya, batting up the order in place of the wretchedly out-of-form Tillekaratne Dilshan, clipped Taylor's first ball firmly back over his head.

In an eventful over, the second was then slapped low but straight to Kieron Pollard at backward point. It was a regulation chance for a fielder in that position, but Pollard couldn't hold on to it, and the lapse set the tone for West Indies' performance in the field for the rest of the afternoon.

Roach, who bowled consistently above 90mph in his opening over, deceived Jayasuriya with a slightly slower bouncer to have the veteran caught at short fine leg, but Taylor suffered another lapse from his fielders in his second over, as the normally-reliable Chris Gayle put Sangakkara down at slip before he had scored. Jayawardene lifted the very next ball handsomely over wide long on for six. With that, the moment had passed and the rest of the match was entirely Sri Lanka's.

Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene flashed airily at the odd delivery, but were level-headed enough to keep their composure and capitalise on the bad balls that came, predictably, at least once an over. After an erratic Dwayne Bravo had been carted for 22 in a two-over spell, Darren Sammy, whom West Indies have looked to to keep things orderly in their middle overs in recent times, was brought on but today his first over was dispatched for 10, with Jayawardene favouring the area behind point on the off side.

As the partnership gained momentum, West Indies seemed almost resigned to the fact that a large total was in the offing, and a missed caught-and-bowled chance from Pollard's first ball of the match barely registered. Jayawardene passed fifty with a paddle-pull over the 'keeper, and though he swished airily at the odd delivery, more often than not he was able to hit cleanly through the ball and got good connections on most of his shots.

As West Indies' fielding became ever more ragged, a fourth chance was missed as Benn found bounce and turn to elicit a rare mistake from Jayawardene, who was tempted out of his crease by a flighted delivery. But Fletcher fumbled the take, allowing Jayawardene to scramble back. Three balls later, things became even more farcical as Jayawardene top-edged Benn almost straight up in the air, and Fletcher and Wavell Hinds, the two closest fielders, both stood back and watched the ball plummet down, each expecting the other to go for it.

Sangakkara eventually holed out to long off for 68, but it looked as though Jayawardene would be able to reach his second hundred of the tournament when he took 10 runs from Bravo's final two balls to reach 97 with six balls still to be bowled. He was stranded at the wrong end in the final over, unable to reach the landmark, but through him Sri Lanka were able to post a massive total. Chasing it down will be a mountainous task for West Indies, and one feels that only if Chris Gayle is at his explosive best will they be able to get close.

Under-pressure Sri Lanka face buoyant Zimbabwe

The Preview by Sriram Veera

May 2, 2010

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Match Facts

Monday, May 3,
Start time 0930 (1330 GMT)

	The aggressive Ray Price will lead Zimbabwe's spin attack © AFP
Related Links News : Zimbabwe coach looks to spin Matches: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Providence Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 Teams: Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe

The Big Picture

It's what Zimbabwe did in the warm-up games that has made this game a cracking prospect. They defeated both Australia and Pakistan to announce themselves in the Caribbean. All the pressure is now on Sri Lanka, for if they lose tomorrow, they will have to go back home. Only Mahela Jayawardene turned up in the first game. He sparkled as an opener in the IPL and promises to continue doing so here but it remains to be seen who steps up to support him. Angelo Matthews had a few good games with the bat in the IPL but Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan struggled to get going.

For Zimbabwe, the spinners have done the demolition job: Ray Price, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer and Greg Lamb have been accurate and miserly. And Elton Chigumbura has starred with the bat. It's been a common theme in the recent months. Price and Utseya have often bowled with the new ball and Cremer has impressed with his legbreaks.

Form guide (most recent first)

Sri Lanka LLWLL
Zimbabwe WWLWL

Watch out for...

Ray Price is one of the more aggressive spinners out there in the world circuit. He can almost snarl at the batsman and has the longest follow-through for a spinner. He can attack or defend aggressively and is known for his nagging line and length.

Angelo Mathews is one of those impact cricketers who can win a game single-handedly. He has an undeniable talent with the bat and can be quite crafty with the ball. He is a rapidly maturing batsman who is learning how to finish games.

Team news

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Mahela Jayawardene, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt, wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Sanath Jayasuriya, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

Zimbabwe (possible) 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Tatendu Taibu, 4 Brendon Taylor, 5 Charles Coventry, 6 Elton Chigumbura, 7 Andy Blignaut/Craig Ervine, 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Prosper Utseya, 10 Ray Price, 11 Greg Lamb.

Pitch and conditions

The scores are likely to remain low in Providence, where the slow surface has been difficult for stroke making.

Stats and trivia

• Mahela Jayawardene smashed 81 runs as an opener in the first game against New Zealand. It was the first time he had opened in an Twenty20 international but he has had considerable success as an opener in domestic T20s and in the IPL games.

• Ray Price has played five Twenty20 games with an economy rate of 3.5, and has been hit for only two sixes.

  Quotes

  "Everyone is excited by the prospects for Zimbabwean cricket, but we are also realistic in terms of what we feel we can achieve in the short term."
  Alan Butcher, Zimbabwe's coach, is not getting carried away by the recent results

  "If we win every game from here we'll be champions. But there's no room for any more mistakes."
  Trevor Bayliss lists out Sri Lanka's task ahead