Lankan supporters will be baying for victory:

Malinga pumped up to destroy the Aussies

Cricketing cowboys in the rodeo from today:

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia

With bushfires raging here and destroying several houses, slinging sensation Lasith Malinga is pumping up to set alight the MelbourneCricket Ground and destroy the Australians.

The cricketing cowboys will don their coloured outfits and enter the rodeo, determined to shoot first and ask questions later. The umpires who will play the role of Sheriffs will also wear coloured clothing.

The balls used will be white and the sight screens in black.The first of five Commonwealth Bank one-day series between Sri Lanka and Australian begins today. Australia is rated number 4 in the ICC one-day ratings with Sri Lanka number 5.

Most feared

Playing for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, Malinga is the most feared bowler and batsmen shy facing him. They can’t read his life threatening bouncers, toe crushing Yorkers and his mesmerising slow balls. West India Marlon Samuels will vouch for his bouncer.

The Australian batsmen who will face him today have been spending time at the nets, getting bowlers to send down similar Malinga deliveries.They have been shown how and told by Malinga’s Stars teammate David Hussey.

Malinga who has been training with his team mates has held back, coiling to let his deliveries spew venom at the Australian batsmen.

He is hurt that the Lankans folded up tamely in the Test series and is out to gain revenge.

Home work

The Australia batsmen have been doing their home work focusing on playing out the ten overs from Malinga without losing early wickets from where they can launch. But Malinga has what it takes and the know how to blow out the Aussies.

Skipper Mahela Jayewardene who is quitting the captaincy from all forms after the one-day series, is out to see that he goes out in a blaze of glory by pocketing the Commonwealth Bank trophy.

And he will open the batting and show them how. Jayewardene has batted well in this slot and will use his wide array and dashing strokes, supported by Tillekeratne Dilshan to give the Lankans the start to build on.

Will miss Sanga

The Lankans will miss the steadying influence of Kumar Sangakkara. But they have batsmen such as Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera and if fit Nuwan Kulesekera who can belt the Aussie bowlers.

The Lankan bowlers who will be shown how by Malinga, must do the basics and bowl wicket to wicket which is important in this format of the game. The other bowlers who could curb the free scoring Aussie batsmen are Mathews, Kulesekera and Perera.

The Lankans will want to go in with one spinner in the competent Rangana Herath. But if the Lankans would dare and play mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, the Aussie batsmen might struggle.

Selectors blasted

As for the Aussies, they will miss Michael Clarke, David Warner and Mathew Wade who have been rested for the first two games. The selectors have been blasted for fielding a second string team.

But the team is formidable with players of the calibre of captain George Bailey, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Brad Haddin, Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja to pile on the agony on the Lankan bowlers and the runs.

The bowling will be in the able hands of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Ben Cutting, David Hussey and the spinner they will decide to play either Xavier Docherty or Glenn Maxwell. The Sri Lankans domiciled in Melbourne will be in there numbers sporting their Sri Lankan shirts, proudly carrying and waving their Lion Flags, beating the drums and singing sinhala perennials, enjoying themselves and baying for a Sri Lankan victory. We hope the Lankan cricketers will oblige. Melbourne Cricket Ground, Thursday.