Australia v Sri Lanka

Australia Cricket / Editor / 15 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

World Cup Super 8 - Australia v Sri Lanka, Monday 14.30

Both of these sides are assured of semi-final places and this clash looks like it might be a rehearsal for the final. Australia currently top the Super 8 table and third-placed Sri Lanka face Ireland in their final fixture, suggesting that these two will occupy the top two qualification places and avoid a repeat of their 2003 semi-final meeting. They trade at 2.24 and 4.9 respectively in the winner's market.

The Aussies have been in dominant form, dispatching their rivals and the tournament minnows with ease. Their nine wicket thrashing of Ireland on Friday was their 19th consecutive World Cup victory, although their final Super 8 games - they conclude their program against New Zealand - promise to provide the sternest tests yet.

Sri Lanka have been nearly as impressive, cruising past India, West Indies and New Zealand and holding their nerve in a tight finish with England. They finished on the losing side in another nail-biter against South Africa, but still managed to show enough nous and experience to suggest they can be a match for the in-form Australians.

They have struggled to do so in previous meetings, winning just four of their last 16 One Day clashes. Sri Lanka have won 30.6% of their ODIs against Australia and have come off second best in four of their five World Cup encounters.

That solitary World Cup win came in the 1996 final and this match should feature five survivors of that meeting at Lahore. Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya still provide the backbone of the Sri Lankan bowling attack, and with 977 ODI appearances and 117 World Cup wickets between them, clearly know how to handle the pressure of big games.

The trio have taken 31 wickets in this tournament and all three have economy rates below four runs per over. Vaas must carry the fast bowling department in the continued absence of Lasith Malinga but it is Murali who has the best chance of topping the wicket taking charts, as he goes in to this clash three behind Glenn McGrath and trading at 4.9.

McGrath went wicketless in the 1996 final but has been in lethal form in this tournament. He now has 63 World Cup wickets and tops a list that includes Vaas (47) and Muralitharan (45) in the top four.

The Aussie paceman has 18 victims in this tournament, at an average of 13.05. He is available at 2.14 in the top wicket taker market but will want to improve his recent record against the Sri Lankans - he took one wicket for 90 runs in his three appearances against them in the 2005/06 VB Series.

Unsurprisingly players from these two teams also feature heavily in the running to top the runscoring charts. Matthew Hayden is 27 adrift of Jacques Kallis at the top and missed out on the chance to fill his boots against Ireland after being shifted down the order.

The big Queenslander has been in destructive mood recently and punters have him as the man to beat in the top runscorer market, trading at 2.42. Hayden signaled his intent by smashing an unbeaten 181 against the Kiwis in his final appearance before the tournament started and has made light of the broken toe he suffered during that innings.

He has since hit the fastest ever World Cup ton against the Proteas and bludgeoned 158 against the West Indies. Hayden managed only one half century in his previous six visits to the Caribbean but has certainly found the pitches to his liking this time around.

Jayasuriya, another dashing left-handed opener enjoying a renaissance late in his career, stands 69 runs behind Hayden. He averages only 22.34 against the Aussies but has hit two tons in the tournament and scored his 367 runs at a strike rate of 99.18. He is available at 11 in the top runscorer market.

Both these teams' wicket keepers are in good form with the bat and are locked in an interesting battle in a head-to-head market. Adam Gilchrist leads Kumar Sangakkara by four runs and trades at 1.7, with the Sri Lankan gloveman available at 1.5.

Gilchrist keeps getting starts in this tournament but has not gone on to make a big score, passing 25 six times but achieving a top score of 59. However, he loves playing against Sri Lanka, against whom he averages 44.33. He hit 122 from 91 balls in his last ODI against them, clinching a VB Series win in February last year.

Sangakkara scored 59 that day and also seems to thrive in matches between these two. He averages 46.25 against the Aussies and has passed 50 in six of his last 12 ODIs against them.

This is the fourth match to be staged at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada and chasing seems to be the preferred choice for the skippers. Graeme Smith and Stephen Fleming agreed that the toss was crucial in contributing to the Black Caps' win on Saturday, when a new ball burst from Shane Bond and James Franklin left the Proteas reeling on seven for two from nine overs.

South Africa never recovered from that start and Mahela Jayawardene will recall how his side restricted New Zealand to moderate total last Thursday.

After batting first in their opening four games, Australia have successfully chased in their last three. Their three defeats to New Zealand preceding the tournament all came when batting first and Ricky Ponting might prefer to have a target as his side will go into this one a bowler light.

Shane Watson is still struggling with a calf injury and with no spare all rounder in the squad batsman Brad Hodge will continue to deputise. Sri Lanka must decide whether to replace Farveez Maharoof, who came in for Malinga against the Kiwis but struggled with the ball.