Sri Lanka and Australia in grudge battle today (13 January 1999)

13 January 1999

Sri Lanka and Australia in grudge battle today

By Elmo Rodrigopulle

Sydney Australia, Tuesday-Champions Sri Lanka and beaten finalists in the last World Cup Australia will resume their grudge battle when they meet in the Carlton and United one-day competition under lights at the Sydney Cricket Ground here today.

When the Sri Lankans toured here previously, they were accused of ball tampering, which allegation they hit for six. Then followed umpire Darrel 'unfair' Hair and Ross 'loss' Emerson who called world's number one off spinner Muthiah Muralitharan for 'chucking'.

Hair has since confined himself to the sin bin and has been charged under the ICC code of conduct for allegedly making a public pronouncement detrimental to the game.

These trumped up charges went to sour the tour and ever since when these two teams meet, they lock horns in a do or die battle. It won't be different this time round.

After that acrimonious tour the Australians got cold feet and instead of touring Sri Lanka for the World Cup preliminary round game, cited the Central Bank Bomb blast as an excuse, not to play their World Cup group game in Colombo.

Like lambs the West Indies too followed Australia's example and skipped their game in Colombo. Shane Warne made the excuse saying what if they went shopping and a bomb exploded.

Lakshman Kadirgamar the sporting Minister of Foreign Affairs, bowled a better and more vicious googly than what Warne bowls by saying that shopping is meant only for sissies. Warne was bowled neck and crop.

The Sri Lankan cricketers arrived in Sydney, determined to forget their four wicket loss to England and come good by beating Australia. There was no doubt that they missed the steadying influence of Aravinda de Silva as a batsman. The latest on de Silva is that he is in Melbourne fighting to get his injury healed and get back and don battle fatigues as quickly as possible.

Against the Englishmen, while the batting flopped with Sanath Jayasuriya, Arjuna Ranatunga and Roshan Mahanama, three of the most experienced batsmen in the team failing, it was left to Romesh Kaluwitharane, Marvan Atapattu and Hashan Tillekeratne to post a respectable total.

Jayasuriya has still not found a counter to the ball that is pitched short of a length and moves and has been giving opponents slip catching practice. Ranatunga was deceived by Adam Hollioke's sudden change of pace, while Mahanama seems to have lost confidence.

The number four batting slot is still up for grabs. Ranatunga who accepted to bat in this spot sacrificed himself. With the arrival of Mahela Jayawardene, the option is open to bat him in de Silva's spot. In addition he is a capable bowler and efficient fielder and the selectors here will be considering him after having a look at the wicket. How he missed being in the original squad is still a mystery.

Romesh Kaluwitharane and Marvan Atapattu will be hoping to take their scoring form into the game against the Aussies.

Kaluwitharane blasted McGrath on the previous tour and in the World Cup. While Kaluwitharane and McGrath will be firing, Ranatunga and Warne will also resume their own battle. Ranatunga proved that Warne was only a 'also bowls' by bashing him during the World Cup final in Lahore. So the stage is set for a thriller.

The Sri Lankans will apparently not want to change their team that was beaten in Brisbane. But the possibility is that they may shuffle their batting order.

Beaten by England, Australia will like to taste the sweet smell of success. Whatever the result, it is hoped that the Aussies will not resort to the sledgeing and intimidatory tactics that they are famous for.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)