Nissanka provides another piece to Sri Lanka jigsaw

Sri Lanka were always expected to overpower Canada'a part-time club cricketers but the speed with which victory was achieved was nevertheless a surprise.

This was the shortest game in World Cup history, lasting a total of just 23.2 overs and 105 minutes of play, providing Sanath Jayasuriya's side with ample time for a relaxing afternoon's tour of the beautiful winelands that surround Paarl.

The win puts Sri Lanka in a strong position with 12 points now banked and a towering net run rate (NRR) of 3.17.

Assuming no weather interruption against Kenya, a win against West Indies on Feb 28 at Cape Town, or against South Africa at Durban three days later, will ensure their place in the Super Sixes.

Ideally, of course, they should win both and carry through the maximum 12 golden points into the second round, an advantage that will vastly improve their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Even if they slip up, losing both key matches, they could still progress on the basis of having a superior NRR.

Unfortunately, crushing victories against Bangladesh and Kenya have come at a price with the middle order now worryingly short of match practice.

Should Sri Lanka brush aside the Kenyans with similar ease on Monday then the majority of their batsmen will take on the West Indies without having so much as taken guard in the middle for 18 days.

For all batsmen, at all levels, time spent in the middle is precious, allowing the maintenance of footwork and form. To go into a pressure cooker match so ring rusty would be a major disadvantage.

Thus, providing the weather gods are smiling and the reasons for bowling are not compelling, Sri Lanka must bat first against Kenya.

Changing the batting order, especially the top three, can be a dangerous strategy, one that is probably best avoided, but its essential that the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva and Russel Arnold have some World Cup runs under their belt before taking on Carl Hooper's impressive side.

Despite this concern, Sri Lanka's position is a very good one.

Indeed, the mere suggestion two months ago, after the side's toweling in SA, that Sanath Jayasuriya's side would top Pool B would have been laughable to all but the most ardent and hopeful SL supporters.

Times have changed. Form has returned to key players and that has fed the fringe players with confidence. The performance of the hugely promising Prabath Nissanka yesterday is a case in point.

During the SA tour his self-belief was fragile. He formed part of a misfiring bowling attack and was under intense pressure each time he bowled, invariably to South African batsmen brimming with confidence.

Now, however, he looks around and sees reliable support: Chaminda Vaas, the tournament's top wicket-taker; Murali, the tournament's leading spinner; Dilhara, whose no ball crisis has lifted; and a trio of experienced part-time spinners.

The atmosphere for rookies has improved and Nissanka, with his silky rhythm and tight control, appears to be flourishing.

It is, of course, early days, but the prospect of Nissanka establishing his place is of great significance to a cricketing nation not traditionally blessed with natural pace. Ever since he rattled Jayasuriya's helmet in the nets 18 month's ago he has been watched closely by an impressed management.

Unfortunately, injuries have so far blighted his youthful career. It may be that his rickety knees, both suffering from tendonitis, may still buckle under the heavy demands of international cricket, but there is now hope of promise being fulfilled.

Should he perform well against Kenya then he will pose the tour selectors a tricky dilemma if Pulasthi Gunaratne's right index finger has healed in time for the West Indies game.

Gunaratne's burgeoning reputation as a man of character, a bowler capable of withstanding the heart-tremors of one-day cricket, makes him the safe choice but Nissanka's extra bounce and pace provides a cutting edge.

But it's a nice dilemma, one that is a mile away from SL's recent past, when the problem was finding a single seamer capable of bowling with a modicum of accuracy and discipline.

So, although yesterday's game was ludicrously abbreviated, it provided some solid fuel for those believing that Sri Lanka can win the 2003 World Cup.