Wet weather may disrupt Triangular Series opener

Dinesh WEERAWANSA

TRI-SERIES CRICKET: Both Sri Lanka and South Africa have kept their options open by delaying to name their final X1s as prevailing wet weather threatens to disrupt the Unitech Triangular series 'opener' between the two sides, to be played underlights at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo today.

The organisers, expecting the rainy weather to continue, announced on the eve of the opening game that tickets issed for today would be valid for tomorrow, which is kept as the reserve day.

The preparations of the two teams, as well as India, the third team taking part in the tournament, have been badly affeced due to the rainy weather Colombo and the suburbs are experiencing over the last few days.

The injury-hit South African camp registered an unimpressive three-wicket win with only three balls to spare against a Sri Lanka Development team, which did not include any of the big names.

Nevetheless, the visitors struggled to lose seven wickets in chasing the Development team's total of 136 for 8.

The three of the leading South African players who have been nursing injuries - skipper Mark Boucher (left elbow), Shaun Pollock (niggling) and Makhaya Ntini (left hamsting strain), did not figure in the warm-up game played at SSC grounds on Saturday.

The South African made full use of their only warm-up game between the Test series and ODI Triangular series by exposing alll members of their squad.

Even Dale Steyn, who has played in just four one day internationals and being kept after the Test serues as cover for Nitini, did did nor playbefore.

But the Media Manager of the South African team, Gorden Templeton expressed confidence in obtaining the services of both Boucher and Pollock. "I feel they should be okey and be avaliable for selection.

They are due to undergo a fitness test before we finalise the team," he said yesterday. Templeton said they would have a work out under lights last night before they come to a decision on the final X1.

Sri Lanka's chief selector Ashantha de Mel too said they will not rush to name the team. "We want to have another look at the wicket and decide the final X1 only by tomorrow morning. We are keeping our options open, we have to decide whether we are going in with three or four pacies to support Muttiah Muralitharan," he said.

Further showers at night may inspire the selectors to have three fast bowlers to support exterinced left-armer Chaminda Vaas - Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof.

If Sri Lanka decides to play an extra specialised spinner to support Muralitharan at the expense of a fast bowler, then Malinga Bandara would get a chance.

Sri Lanka will stick to its world record breaking pair of Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga, a rich blend of experience and youth, which has clicked well.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena, as in Sri Lanka's smashing 5-0 triumph in England, would bat at No.3, ahead of his deputy Kumara Sangakkara.

Though Sangakkara batted at one down in Tests, the selectors would prefere to retain Jayawardena at No.3 in the ODI side, a position at which the Lankan captain blasted two centuries in the ODI series.

Sri Lanka's captain-vice captain combination, which established the world record for the highest Test partnership for any wicket (624), are set for another personal milestones in their distinguish caeers. Jayawardena is 83 runs short of completeing 6,000 runs in ODIs.

Having aggregated 5,917 runs in 220 ODIs at an average of 32.33 with eight centuries and 33 fifties, Jayawardena is in line to complete that grand double of 6,000 runs each in both the ODIs and Tests.

He has already agggated 6,250 runs in 83 Tests. His deputy, meanwhile, needs just 26 runs to reach the personal milestone of 5,000 runs in ODIs. In 173 matches so far, the wicket keeper bat has aggregated 4,974 runs at an average of 35.78 with five centuries and 33 fifties.

The three-nation tournament is bound to produce some exciting action. Though both India and South Africa are rated well above Sri Lanka in the current ICC ODI Championship, the hosts, with their recent impressive run from England summer tour where they made a 5-0 whitewash, are bound to give the visitors a testing time. Easpecially the Indian and South African bowlers will have to sweat hard to earn wickets.

South Africa is rated second in the current ICC one day championships with only eight points behind the table leaders Australia. India is at No.3 with 113 points, just two points behind their arch rivals Pakistan.

But Sri Lanka is only sixth in the current standings with only 107 points, four points behind fifth-placed New Zealand.

If the top five Sri Lankan batsmen who are in peak form - Jayasuriya, Tharanga, Jayawardena and Sangakkara, the hosts could well hold the upper hand.

But the toss too would play a key role if the bad weather continues. Under the present conditions, winning the toss at a day-night game is definitely going to be a bonus and it would be interesting to see weather Sri Lanka could capitalise on their 2-0 Test series win over South Africa.

Even the Indian captain Rahul Dravid admitted that the high-riding Sri Lankans should make their presence felt as the hosts. "Sri Lanka team is playing very good cricket at the moment. They are always difficult opponents at home. At the same time, South Africa is placed second in the world rankings and should be a tough opponent," Dravid said."

Sri Lanka has been pretty strong at home in the last few years. They have also been playing good cricket abroad. Their confidence should be high," the Indian captain added. He was of the view that the recent tour of England has trasformed the Sri Lanka team to a champion lot.

India, the third team taking part in the three-nation tournament, would come out for the first time with a first round game against Sri Lanka, which would also be a day-night affair at Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

Chris Broad and Billy Bowden are the ICC-appointed Match referee and ICC umpire for the Unitech triangular series.

The teams:

SRI LANKA: (from) Mahela Jayawardena (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Marvan Atapattu, Chamara Kapugedera, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara, Ruchira Perera, Prasanna Jayawardene.

SOUTH AFRICA: (from) Mark Boucher (captain), Boeta Dippenaar, Loots Bosman, Herschelle Gibbs, A.B. de Villiers, Shaun Pollock, Johan van der Wath, Robin Petersen, Andrew Hall, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Ashwell Prince, Roger Telemachus, Thandi Tshabalala, Dale Steyn.