Slight chance for Lanka to enter semis

Ranjan Anandappa reporting from South Africa

Sri Lanka’s fate in finding a place in the semi final in the 2009 Champoins Trophy tournament will heavily depend on the outcome of today’s game when England meets New Zealand in a day\night game at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg.

England are already in the semi-final with their straight wins against Sri Lanka and South Africa in group’B’ and the Lankans will have to keep their fingers across till England beats New Zealand.

“ Mathematics can be peculiar, If England win all their games with healthy margins we have got an outside chance to come in. We should have put it away today.

But we didn’t. We were out played in all departments and we have lot of brushing up to do”. Said Sangakkara in a post match press conference which was held soon after the match. ‘We had lot of individual performances, but as a team we need a good shake up” Said Sangakkara.

Sri Lanka threw away the game initially by dropping their ace spinner Muralitharan and including Thilan Thushara to form a four pronged pace attack. However, the opening bowlers got off to a disastrous start. Kulsekera, Thushara and Lasith Malinga. Malinga coming under heavy punishment to concede 85 runs in his 10 overs. As the trio gave away 187 runs between them.

Although, Sri Lanka considered as one of the best fielding sides in Asia Sangakkara thought that his men were ‘appalling’.