Lankans can stuff the Brits if they believe in themselves

*Malinga can bounce the home team batsmen

*Batting debacle in Cardiff must be forgotten

The Sri Lankan cricketers must forget their defeat against the Kiwis and come out firing all cylinders when they meet England in a vital Group ‘A’ day-night game at the Kennington Oval, here today.

The Brits will not be easy meat on their home grounds and playing before their supporters. But if the Lankans believe in themselves and play true to form there is no reason why Sri Lanka can’t win. It is a must win game for the Lankans.

According to Manager Michael de Zoysa, the team is not disappointed after their defeat to New Zealand in Cardiff. ‘On the contrary, it has made them determined in defeat. Their spirits are high and expect a surprise.

Every member available

‘Every member is fit and well and available for selection. But the final composition of the team will depend only after look at the wicket and the prevailing conditions at the Oval’, said the manager exuding confidence. It was the disappointing batting in Cardiff that lost the game for us. True the wicket was slow. But the Lankans who have played on similar wickets before should have known to adjust.

So to make excuses that the wicket was slow won’t hold. At this level the team should know that excuses however good are unacceptable. If Kumar Sangakkara could have adjusted there was no reason as to why the other experienced players could not have followed Sangakkara’s example.

Bowled their hearts out

But the bowlers led by Lasith Malinga and Shaminda Eranga bowled their hearts out in an endeavour to bring Sri Lanka an unlikely win. But they did not have enough runs to play with.

Now the Sri Lankan cricketers must forget that batting debacle which led to defeat in Cardiff and take on the Brits, knowing well that they are not larger than life and that they could be beat.

The wicket at the Oval as it played in the West Indies- India game,could be helpful to both batsmen and bowlers. However batting first could be an advantage and building a formidable score is important to put pressure on the Brits.

Malinga at his best

It was nice to see Malinga back to his best. He bowled with a lot of fire and had the Kiwi batsmen like cats on a hot tin roof. They feared his toe crushing Yorkers and were always wanting to be away from the strike when Malinga was letting fly.

In Shaminda Eranga he has an ideal partner. It will be interesting to see whether the selectors would want to bring in another accurate and nagging bowler in Nuwan Kulasekara to support Malinga and Eranga. Batsmen such as Kushal Janith, Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera must make big scores. Getting to 20 or 30 and then gifting their wickets is unacceptable.

Did not raise a sweat

The Brits on the other hand are playing at their best. They showed what they are capable of by beating Australia without having to raise a sweat. They haven’t won a 50 over final and are determined to at least win the ICC trophy that is on offer for the last time.

The Brits are strong all round. While batsmen of the calibre of Captain Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Jonathon Trott, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan make big runs, bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Stephen Finn have used the conditions well to make the ball wobble about and dismiss batsmen.

For spin they have Greame Swann, who bowls cleverly to lure the batsmen to their demise. So over then to the Kennington Oval for an interesting game of cricket and wishing the Sri Lankan cricketers well.

Kennngton Oval, London, Wednesday.