SLPL finally coming to a close today, weather permitting:

Uva looking to upset Nagenahira

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

The historic first Twenty20 final in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League between Nagenahira Nagas and Uva Next will be played today starting at 8.p.m at the R.Premadasa Stadium weather permitting.

Showers have been predicted for today.

The teams are evenly matched and the team playing the better cricket and adapting to the fickle weather conditions should hold aloft the trophy at the conclusion of the final.

With the monsoon setting in which did not allow a ball to be bowled in the second semi-final between Nagenahira Nagas and Kandurata on Wednesday night, it would be cruel if this first ever final suffers the same fate and is buried in a a watery grave.

This much-hyped tournament did not reach the envisaged high expectations. This was obvious when foreign players started pulling out and it was a mockery when the Pakistani stars in the Wayamba team were forced to pull out to play for their country against Australia in Sharjah.

With Wayamba who were easily the most forceful and attractive team tipped to be champions in the SLPL losing their Pakistani stars, they also lost their winning ways and Uva pulled off an upset win to knock them out of the tournament.

Uva after their upset victory over Wayamba are slightly ahead in this final. In New Zealander all rounder Jacob Oram, they have a match winner. He has been a surprise omission in the New Zealand team in India.

He is hitting hard at the Kiwi selectors for leaving him out and is performing in great style as a match winning all rounder. He took the game away from Wayamba with a belligerent knock hitting mighty sixes and then knocked the stuffings off the Waymba bating with a clever spell of seam bowling. He is the performer Nagenahira will have to guard against.

West Indian Shiv Chanderpaul who was poorly out of form came good at the right time with the bat against Wayamba and will have to reproduce that form today to keep Uva in the running. Upul Tharanga who missed inclusion in the Twenty20 squad must be raring to score and tease the selectors.

Another who must make runs is Andrew McDonald. He has it in him to smash any attack if he curbs his impetuosity early on. Skipper Thilina Kandamby must also make it a point to come good.

Opener Dilshan Munaweera who is in the Sri Lanka World Cup Twenty20 squad must maintain his good run with the bat and justify his inclusion the team. He has the correct temparament and forcing strokes necessary in this style of game and it is important that he maintains consistency.

With Oram handling the new ball intelligently and making it hell for the early batsmen, other seamers Dilhara Fernando,Umar Gul and McDonald must support him. Spin will be n the safe hands of offie Sachitra Senanyake.

Captain of Nagenahira Angelo Mathews will have to play a vital all rounder’s role if his team is to challenge Uva. He has not been in the best of form and will be looking to regain form.

Nagenhira batting s not that formidable and a lot will also depend on young Angelo Perera, who is looking a future national star to make a big score and help swell the total so that the bowlers Shamindra Ernga, Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera could unleash the new ball.

Left arm spinner Sachith Pathirane could us the new as well as the old ball to lure the batmen.

Over then to the R.Premadasa Stadium and a final to remember weather permitting.