Triangular series chockful of interest (3 January 1999)

3 January 1999

Triangular series chockful of interest

By Elmo Rodrigopulle

PERTH Jan. 2- Sri Lanka management will have a look at the wicket before naming their team to play Australia 'A' in the first of three friendlies at the WACA ground here tomorrow.

All members are fit and except for Muthiah Muralitharan and Aravinda de Silva who are still not at full stretch having just recovered from their injuries.

When the Carlton and United Series time comes along Muralitharan and de Silva would have fully recovered to take the flight to the Aussies and the Englanders.

From the moment the team arrived here the one question posed skipper Ranatunga coach Dias and manager Fernando is: "Do you think Muralitharan would be called and if so what would the reactions of The Management be?

The threesome have countered these questions by saying they will cross the bridge when they come to it.

Skipper Ranatunga told the media that he believes that Muralitharan does not throw, and that he does not fore see any problem that the off spinning sensation Muralitharan will have to face.

Muralitharan has been passed by all other umpires in the world and only two Aussie umpires Darrel Hair and Ross Emerson have seen something unusual in the bowler's action.

Both Australia and England have scores to settle with the Sri lankans and the triangular series is going to be chockful of interest and incidents. Australia will be hoping to avenge their World Cup final defeat while England will be hoping to beat the Sri Lankans and show that their defeats in the one off Test at the Foster's Oval and the Emirates Cup final defeat at Lord's was just one of those things.

The Lankans who are confident that their bowling and batting will click, but are working hard to get their fielding right. They are aware that catches win matches and are determined to grab the half chances and cut the threes into twos and twos into ones.

The Sri Lankans have some of the best fielders in world cricket today as Jayasuriya, de Silva, Muralitharan, Tillekeratne, Mahanama and Chandana. What they must do is believe in themselves and then everything should be alright.

The Lankans will be up against the most successful batsman in Australian cricket, Greg Blewett. He has scored heavily this season and must be wondering what more he has to do to regain his place in the Aussie squad.

Other performers to watch in the Aussie squad are - Damien Martyn, Ian Harve, Shane Lee, Mathew Nicholson who made his Test debut for Australia against England in the Test the Aussies lost in Melbourne, Andrew Symonds and Brad Young.

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