Sri Lanka It's Happening

April 25, 2007

Yesterday the Sri Lanka cricket team played against what is probably the best New Zealand team ever. The trouble for the Kiwi's is that they were playing what might be called the best Sri Lankan team ever. So Sri Lanka has managed to sail through to the final but it wasn't plain sailing all the way. And it probably wasn't the best Sri Lankan team either.

The best team would not include Dilhara Fernando. For years, Dilhara Fernando has been bowling plenty of no-balls, wides and half trakers yet the selectors perisist with him because he has the ability to mix in a wicket taking ball into the confusion. However there are far better bowlers in the Sri Lankan side, most notably among them being the leg spinner Malinga Bandara.

For years when Sri Lanka didn't have a great second spinner, the team always played two. Now that there is a good spinner on the squad, they have chosen to play an extra seamer instead of a spinner.

Dilhara's bowling against New Zealand was erratic even by his erratic standards, and the question needs to be asked, if there is a repeat against the Aussies in the final can the other bowlers pull it back like they did against the Kiwis? As for the australians they are having their own Semi Final in a little while. They Aussies would fancy themselves against any opposition but they would love to play against chokers South Africa.

Posted by raditha at April 25, 2007 5:42 PM