What8217;s up this time, Captain Cool8217;?

The Sri Lankans have had a very poor run in the recent past but they also got this uncanny ability to shed the low morale, motivate themselves and start a fresh when a challenge is on hand. Having watched them at practise just before they left for England, there is no doubt in my mind that theywould take it to the wire.

It is their batting that will be their greatest asset. The experience it possesses cannot be matched. To take the attack to the opposition there will be Sanath Jayasuriya who bowlers anywhere in the world greatly fear. He could be described as the TERMINATOR.

Kalu partnering him is no less feared. The master craftsman Arjuna and Aravinda although catching on in years, are still skillful as ever with Aravinda having met with success in the playing fields of England. Marvan Atapattu the stylist is expected to sparkle and if his hundred at Lords in England the last time he was there is going to be any indication, he will be a man to watch. The youthful batting star Mahela Jayawardane will infuse the young blood into the order and is not short of strokes and panache. To add stability as well strength to the fielding the selectors have placed their faith on the experienced batsmen Mahanama and Tillakaratne. If one sum totals the number of one dayers played say there, the figures isimposing and with all of them having one-day hundreds to their credit it is the batting that will have to shoulder the Lankans. Their downfall too in the recent past has been this aspect where the batsmen have not been able to convert the 508217;s amp; 608217;s into the hundreds and improvement in that would be where the emphasis will be placed.

The bowling is thin by the standards of the opponents, but adequate with Chaminda Vaas and Pramodya Wickramasinghe with experience in the skills of movement. Vaas has had difficulties with the late inswinger and will have to get down to mastering that quickly in English conditions. Wickramasinghe on the other hand has been getting better by the day and to underestimate him would be a big mistake. All eyes will be on Muttiah Muralitharan for many reasons. He had a tormenting tour of Australia and is also after minor surgery to his shoulder. Have the controversies affected him? How would he have come out of these? One cannot find a more resilient campaigner than Murali and Ihave no doubt that he would be equal to the heavy task that would be expected of him. With dry weather he will be a match winner and the opposition would be looking to get after him early. The battles between some of the leading lights with the bat and him will be worth going a long way to see. The surprise package amongst the Lankans will be Upul Chandana, the leggie, and with the guidance of D.S.De Silva the former Sri Lanka leg spinner who is the cricket manager, batsmen will have to watch him as after his debut test haul of 6 wickets in Pakistans8217;s innings he is a different bowler oozing with confidence.

The selectors have opted to go in with the bet fielding combination and apart from Ranatunga and Aravinda, who one might call the senior citizens, the rest will show a level of application which will match the best. The Sri Lankans are determined to be the best fielding team in the world. If not the best at least not second to any. Fielding is the sphere which with practise and effort would be easiestto get you to the top. They have employed the Australian Trevor Chappell to assist in this area and I can tell you that you could expect some thing special. Sanath, Murali, Roshan Mahanama, Upul Chandana, Ruwan Kalpage, Chaminda Vaas they are now moving like acrobats with the past enthusiasm and motivation back the World Cup can extract something special in every one.

With Ranatunga in charge the team has the most experienced skipper in the competition and it is not for nothing he is called quot;Captain Coolquot;. Another of Sri Lanka8217;s assets is their ability to lift their game when the occasion demands with players like Jayasuriya, Ranatunga and De Silva being class performers when the arena is full and all eyes are on them. To my mind the ultimate World Cup champion would be the team that would suffer the least number of injuries and are able to field their best combination through out the competition. Sri Lanka has had its fair share of breakdown with players like Aravinda, Sanath, Murali all being laid off asa result. But then, this has been the bug bear of a number of teams with key figures like Tendulkar, Donald, Lara on the side lines.