Thushara may play against England

Ranjan ANANDAPPA reporting from South Africa

Sri Lanka’s left arm paceman Thilan Thushara may get a chance to play in todays match against England in their second ODI in the Champions Trophy match at the Wanderers Club.

Sri Lanka will pin their hopes on spinners Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Bayliss said his side was confident after beating South Africa in their first match on their home grounds. “ The pitch will be a similar one where West Indies met Pakistan full of pace that England will prefer the ball coming to the bat. Sri Lankans too are stroke makers and they too will prefer to bat on it.”

“I am happy over the win against South Africa on their own soil. “We play on another fresh wicket similar to the one we saw last night with West Indies playing Pakistan where we saw bounce.

England coach Andy Flower said that he would prefer to play at Wanderers rather than at Centurion because it is a flat wicket.

“We are very happy with the win the other day. We realize that the three games in the first round are all difficult games. Obviously with South Africa , playing at home, was a difficult assignment. But the boys were up for it and played very well the other night.”

The wicket will be a new one from the game one that was used for the previous game.

There was bounce and cut and it is wicket that England would like to bat more than the Lankans.

Bayliss said that he has been following the recently concluded Australia vs England ODI series where England lost 6-1. But England would like to forget the past and start all fresh.

England- Andrew Strauss (Captain), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Joe Denly, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Matt Prior Adil Rashid, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swan, Luke Wright.

Sri Lanka- Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, T.M. Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardena, Thilan Samaaweera, Angelo Mathews, Muthiah Mural-idharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Lasith Malinga, Thilina Kandamby.