COLOMBO, AUG 30: The Sri Lankans were not expecting to contest this triangular one-day final. Minus Arjuna Ranatunga's guiding influence and the batting wizardy of Arvinda de Silva, it was widely expected that India and Australia will contest the day-night final at the Premadasa Stadium tomorrow.The rusty, lethargic Indians learnt at their bitter cost in the first of the two matches they played against them that this young Sri Lankan side has the potential to upset the predictable calculations. What has been the most impressive arsenal in the Sri Lankan side is their fielding. It is not just their agility in the field which helps them cut off certain boundaries, it is also their throwing skills which makes them a very dangerous one-day side.Even in their second encounter against the Indians the Lankan fielding did not wilt despite the huge score the Indians put up. Not that it is their fielding alone which has been responsible for their entering the final. They have shown quite a bit of batting depthand with Sanath Jayasuriya getting back to his bludgeoning form and the classy Marvin Atapattu there to anchor the innings, the Australians could be in for a surprise.The Australians almost came to grief at the Premadasa Stadium in their second encounter with the Lankans. They misjudged their batting strength and when the debutant Chamara Silva cut lose, there was a perceptable panic in the Australian camp.Probably the weakest link in this very formidable Australian side is when they come to bowl their middle overs. Shane Warne, once again has not been able to leave his impression in these conditions and the slow medium pace of the likes of Tom Moody and Andrew Symonds can be attacked quite easily. If the Sri Lankans want to make a match of this final will have to explore this grey area of the Australians and make maximum runs in that period.But the real problem which both the Indians and the Sri Lankans have encountered against the Australians is that by the time they reach the middle overs, halfthe side is already back in the dressing room.The real strength of this Australian side, even on these wickets here, has been the quality of its opening attack. Jason Gillespie has been hostile and accurate. Glenn McGrath is working up a tidy pace and all the batsmen have found it difficult to stand up to them. If the Sri Lankans can hold their own for the first hour of their innings only then there may be a possibility of seeing the home team being crowned champions against all odds. Otherwise Australia should find it easy.THE TEAMSAUSTRALIA (FROM): Steve Waugh (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Tom Moody, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming and Adam Dale.SRI LANKA (FROM): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Russel Arnold, Avishka Gunawardene, Chamara Silva, Indika de Saram, Upul Chandana, suresh Perera, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and NuwanZoysa.UMPIRES: KT Francis and BC Cooray (both Sri Lanka).THIRD UMPIRE: Peter Manuel.`Sachin's injury not properly diagnosed'COLOMBO: Sachin Tendulkar's recurring back problem has not been ``completely diagnosed yet'' but several clinical tests done by doctors including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have not revealed anything adverse, Cricket Board secretary, Jaywant Lele, said.Earlier reports that the back pain experienced by him was due to his using a heavy bat was purely speculative and ``nothing conclusive has yet been established,'' Lele told reporters here.The Board secretary revealed that Tendulkar had also experienced back stiffness during World Cup campaign which made it difficult to conclude that the problem arose due to excessive humidity in Colombo.Lele said Tendulkar would be travelling to Singapore for the triangular One-Day Tournament and to Toronto. The Indian team will be leaving here for Singapore tomorrow.The national selectors were notcontemplating any changes for the Singapore tournament despite the Indian team's poor performance which saw them knocked out of the ongoing triangular tournament here.
