Sri Lankans out to have kangaroos on the hop

Elmo RODRIGOPULLERE porting

The Sri Lankan cricketers who were given a rousing send off at the Sri Lanka Cricket Headquarters on Tuesday arrived in Adelaide where they began their tour of Australia with a warm up game.

After their opener in Adelaide, they will take on a Queensland side at the Allan Border Field, which ground is named in honour of the former Australian captain who once led Australia to grab the World Cup in India beating arch rivals England in the finals.

The Lankans under Mahela Jayawardena who has proved an able leader, are confident that they could register their first Test victory against the home team in their own backyard in one of the Two Test matches, with the first Test beginning at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 8.

The Sri Lankans who are domiciled in Australia are eagerly looking forward to the visit of the Sri Lankan cricketers. They reckon that without some of their leading performers, such as Shane Warne, Glen McGrath, Damien Martyb and Justin Langer, the Aussies could be rolled over.

But the Lankans say that even without this foursome, the kangaroos would not fall easy prey. They have the back up players who could put their hands up and perform and stall the Lankan push.

The Lankans here ask the cricketers not to be excited and be too overconfident, but play their usual game not being overawed by the occasion, and if they perform that way, then there is no reason why victory should not come their way.

The Lankans are also looking forward to that record breaking moment when spinning sensation Muttiah Muralitheran will capture that prized and momentous wicket and go past Shane Warne”s highest wicket taking record, which would be a moment of rejoicing for all Sri Lankans where ever they may be.

For the Lankan fans here, a first Test victory and a Muralitheran record would be a time for celebration and they promise that the celebrations would be endless.

Lankan supporters domiciled in the closer states are gearing up to come to Brisbane, flags, papara, papara bands and the rest of the paraphernalia and inspire the cricketers.

As for the Aussies, who are world champions in both versions of the game-Test and one-dayers-they have pride to protect and would not be easy meat for the Lankans and also make it tough for Muralitheran to grab that elusive wicket.

Playing on their own turf and knowing the conditions and how the wickets would play, they would be determined not to allow the Lankans to have an easy go.

The other day Warne promised that the Aussie batsmen, would do their utmost to prevent Muralitheran from going past his record.It is on record that the Aussie batsmen play Muralitheran better than most other batsmen in world cricket do.

For Muralitheran it would be a moment to savour if he could break that bowling record in Australia.That is because it was in Australia that he nearly had to say finish to his career when two Aussie umpires Darrel Hair and Ross Emerson ‘called’ him.

The record would definitely be Muralitheran’s at sometime or the other in his career that he promises to go up to 2011.

But in recent time the great man has no much bowling to do after suffering that biscep injury playing for Lancashire in the county circuit in England.

But from reports, the off spinner has been doing his thing at practice without any discomfort, and it is hoped that he will deliver at peak, because he is the one bowler, the Aussies fear and respect.

At the moment it is a bit cold in Brisbane, because it is the end of the winter and the beginning of the summer and it is hoped that the Lankans would have the sun on their backs when Test match time at the Gabba comes around.