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Australia v Sri Lanka / News
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Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Melbourne
Sri Lanka seek one-day redemption
The Preview by Brydon Coverdale
January 10, 2013
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Matches:
Australia v Sri Lanka at Melbourne
Series/Tournaments:
Sri Lanka tour of Australia
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Start time 1420 (0320 GMT)
Big Picture
The great mystery of Sri Lankan cricket is how they can be so disappointing in Tests and yet so impressive in the shorter formats. In part it comes down to personnel, for bowlers like Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis are not in the Test setup but are consistently dangerous in limited-overs matches. Part of it must also be a down to attitude: at times during the Test series, the Sri Lankans clearly lacked the kind of patience that could have helped them challenge Australia, but across 50 overs such a mindset is not a bad thing.Part of is simply a matter of confidence. Sri Lanka deserve to be bullish entering this five-match series. Last time they played a bilateral one-day series in Australia they won, and in last summer's triangular series they took Australia to a third final. They have also won their past three one-dayers at the MCG, the venue of this first game.
On paper, Sri Lanka appear a much stronger side than in the Tests, and not just because of Malinga and Mendis. Thisara Perera is a fine limited-overs allrounder, Akila Dananjaya is a spinner of potential and mystery, and men such as Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, who came in for the Sydney Test, should be in their element.
Australia's squad is a mixed bag. There are four uncapped men - Phillip Hughes, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Ben Cutting - but all four are very fine players who deserve their opportunities. At 35, Brad Haddin is back for his first international match in nearly a year, and the team will be led by the T20 captain George Bailey. Their lack of experience is glaring. Missing from this squad are Michael Clarke (221 games), Shane Watson (154), Michael Hussey (185), as well as the less experienced but first-choice David Warner and Matthew Wade.
Australia have made no secret of the fact that this squad has been chosen with tours of India and England in mind, as well as the 2015 World Cup. But in the meantime, are they good enough to beat a dangerous Sri Lanka team picked as much for the present as the future?
Form guide
(Most recent first)Australia WLWWL
Sri Lanka WWWLL
In the spotlight
Aaron Finch has been in irresistible limited-overs form this summer and has a chance to make his name as an ODI player. The leading run scorer in the Ryobi Cup this season with 497 runs at 99.40 and in the Big Bash League with 309 runs at 77.25, his powerful striking has been one of the major reasons the Melbourne Renegades have been the dominant team in the Twenty20 tournament. He even hit the roof at Etihad Stadium with one enormous stroke in December. Finch has played three Twenty20 internationals and performed well, and now he has his chance in the 50-over game. Finch will open the batting and his home crowd will be hoping to witness something memorable in his first ODI.
Just as Finch is the BBL's top run scorer, Lasith Malinga is its leading wicket taker with 13 at 10.69 for the Melbourne Stars. He mesmerised the Perth Scorchers with 6 for 7 and Sri Lanka hope he will carry that kind of form into this series. His slingy action disguises his accurate, swinging yorkers, deceptive slower balls and dangerous bouncers and along with the spinner Ajantha Mendis, he could be the most important player in the series.
Team news
Australia have confirmed their line-up, with Cutting and Steven Smith the men to sit out of this game. Finch and Hughes will open, with Khawaja at first drop, while Glenn Maxwell is expected to bat in the top six.
Australia 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 David Hussey, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Xavier Doherty.
"We haven't finalised [the team] but the two quicks who had the niggles, Kulasekara and Eranga, both are pretty fit, both bowled yesterday so we'll let them go through their bowling routines today and make a call after that," Mahela Jayawardene said on Thursday.
Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha Mendis / Rangana Herath.
Pitch and conditions
There was a little more pace and bounce than expected during the MCG Test and the pitch should be dry, given Melbourne's forecast of 37C for the day of the match.
Stats and trivia
- Sri Lanka have won the past three ODIs between these teams at the MCG
- Mitchell Johnson is the only member of Australia's squad who has played 100 one-day internationals
- George Bailey will become the 21st man to captain Australia in ODIs
Quotes
"Watching a few of the replays of the games last year there were some great contests. I don't think playing in Australian conditions holds many fears for the Sri Lankans in the one-day format."George Bailey
"The last time we won a series here was under Kumar when we came before the World Cup. Since then we've had a lot of success in Australia."
Mahela Jayawardene
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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Brydon Coverdale
Assistant Editor Possibly the only person to win a headline-writing award for a title with the word "heifers" in it, Brydon decided agricultural journalism wasn't for him when he took up his position with ESPNcricinfo in Melbourne. His cricketing career peaked with an unbeaten 85 in the seconds for a small team in rural Victoria on a day when they could not scrounge up 11 players and Brydon, tragically, ran out of partners to help him reach his century. He is also a compulsive TV game-show contestant and has appeared on half a dozen shows in Australia.
Tour Results
Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane
- Jan 18, 2013
Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets (with 180 balls remaining)
More results »
Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets (with 180 balls remaining)
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@Rahul_Ashok...I met Lehmann, bowled & batted against him at Bat and Ball in Dudley St West Melbourne, back when he played for Victoria. In conversation & action, he struck me then as he has done since, as a very fine cricketing brain whose rebellious nature could let him down. Before the season began, I blogged that of all the coaches, Lehmann's approach would be best suited to Khawaja. Lehmann's upright initial walk across movement was similar in some ways, though Khawaja has a grace that Lehmann lacked. Ultimately, while grace is pleasant to watch, it is the aggressive & workmanlike components of Lehmann's game that can assist Khawaja.Lehmann was very result orientated & eschewed the political correctness that has sapped the energy of a generation. He understood, as Ian Chappell did, that players arent robots & not all will be successful if forced to follow the same path. .Khawaja's aggressive intent is encouraging but he must convert starts if he is to progress & be a contender.
Well done to Finch, Khawaja and Hughes. The folks who are complaining about this team i hope will be commenting on the result. As this team looks very good to me. Apart from a couple of players this is a top team from domestic form. Finch, Hughes and Khawaja are the most inform short form batsmen in the country atm. Dave hussey is a top performer aswell in the shorter format though he has struggled in sheidl cricket this year. Starc and Mckay are easily our best two fast bowlers in one day cricket anyway. And doherty has performed well enough to get another game as the sole spinner. I doubt warner will be needed at all after finch and Khawaja show their worth. Would love to see Burns in the squad. And id say the only one that will be greatly missed in Mike Hussey but its still good to see how the boys play without his safety net.
I don't see the point of playing Kula and Tharanga. Sure Kulesekara is economical but we have two decent pacers in the form of Perera and Mathews. And when was the last time Tharanga played a good knock. Thirimanne looks a good opener and has done it in the past. And for good sake SRI LANKA MUST WIN! This Aussie team is as weak as it gets and we must make the Aussie selectors sorry that they are taking us so lighty.
My Team fo 1st Odi: 1) Thrimanne 2) Dilshan 3)Chandimal 4)Jayawardena 5)Mathews 6)Kusal Perera (wk) 7)Thisara Perera 8)Jeevan Mendis 9)Malinga 10) Dananjaya 11)Ajantha Mendis. Malinga and Perera on the new ball, Mathews the first change and we bamboozle the heck out off the inexperience Aussie batsmen with the 2 Mendis's and our X Factor- Akila Danajaya!
I think it is a fight between AUS bowlers and SL batsmen.If SL batsmen handle AUS fast bowlers well and score 240+,it would be difficult to chase to AUS batsmen.If AUS bat first,they should score around 250 in order to win the match.Anyway AUS seem unbalanced without a pace bowling all rounder.Neither Maxwell nor david hussy are reliable part time bowlers.They could leak so many runs in their overs.SL should play their most reliable spinner Herath, even though Mendis is a mystery spinner,he hasn't spent much time in AUS,could be inconsistent with his bowling.
I am the first to say that Mike Hussey should have played but keep in mind that selectors decided to pick David Hussey instead as he will give us 1-2 years of good cricket. I am a big fan of Finch and Khawaja both of whom have batted very well in the domestic one dayers. NSW didn't give Khwaaja much of a chance in the Ryobi cup but under boof he has really excelled and become much more aggressive. Will be a tough match tomorrow because they are a very good team in the shorter format.
Agreed @Meety and much amusement at the'other' me's posts. Also some hilarity at the levels to which they're prepared to take it and the lack of skills to do so.My observations are that in seeing half a dozen player results that appear to be the same, there is a general assumption that all the causes must be the same.There are numerous examples. Watson is generally deemed to have brain explosions,lack back-bone or suffer nerves.Not once have I read that the obvious connecting theme could be and is fatigue caused by rapid loss of electrolytes in a muscular physique.Shaun Marsh was deemed to have class and pedigree despite an ordinary record.Injury records,opponents & conditions he scored in and attitude were never discussed. Khawaja has talent but gives every indication of lacking the energy and will power to deliver on that promise.There is an element of political correctness gone mad in the willingness to avoid prima facie evidence. I hope he succeeds but like you, lack conviction.
Posted by Meety on (January 11, 2013, 8:42 GMT)@hyclass on (January 11 2013, 06:23 AM GMT) - yep, I have also assumed that there is one person with multiple identies on here. I don't know what your "other you" is supposed to be, it's a pretty poor parady IMO. As for Khawaja, ultimately I am loathe to bang on much about an average of 39 in a Shield season. IMO - he has shown enuff for me to be confident he will do well at Test level, but I have my eyes wide open in that regard & fingers crossed. Early days - but Khawaja's fielding seems to be sharp - running between wickets not so!!!!!!
Posted by Harmony111 on (January 11, 2013, 8:33 GMT)Logic exhibited by most SL and some other fans:
1. Sri Lanka are a top class ODI side cos they reached the finals of WC 2011. 2. Ind are a poor ODI side even though they reached the finals of WC 2011.
One can clearly see how comical their reasoning is.
Apparently they do not think it is all that difficult to win a World Cup at home and will ack a WC win ONLY if it came away form home. But hey, Ind did that too in 1983. In fact they even won the 1985 World Series in Aus i.e away from home. Yet these fans never correct their wrong beliefs.
As for winning-WC-at-home-is-easy theory, who else has done it? NONE. Eng have hosted the WC 4 times so far, cudn't even reach the finals 3 times HaHa. Aus cudn't make the SF at home WC, SA crashed in the 1st round itself in 03.
In WC 2011, why were the other nations unable to do the DIFF task of winning WC away from home? They can't win at home nor away. SL won at home in 2011 and failed away too. Yet they are good but Ind bad?
You Hypocrites.
Posted by hyclass on (January 11, 2013, 6:23 GMT)@Meety...with due respect, Ive been hearing various extreme versions of that theme from certain Khawaja-files on here for the last two seasons.At least one has numerous profiles, even on this blog including trying to copy my blog name to make his point. Averages are an excellent reference point because they give a picture over time against varied opponents and in different conditions. Your view is a hypothesis formed from an observation of evidence. An alternative view of the same evidence might be that the other batsmen were very sub-standard. Khawaja certainly had the advantage of having played CC leading into the Shield season.Regardless of perspective, his average is what it is-11 runs lower than it was when he was first selected for Tests. His results then were identical to Bevan's in S/R and average-not a great recommendation. I acknowledge that he is playing more aggressively and I believe he has talent but the observations of Inverarity summed up their views of his status.
Posted by wellrounded87 on (January 11, 2013, 4:01 GMT)@Bradman_the_greatest
I'd hardly call Sri Lanka an "extraordinarily weak team" they are a very strong ODI team after all they made the world cup final 2 years back. Granted they are down a few players but they are still a very strong limited overs side. Don't let their test performances fool you