Ryan ten Doeschate: Sri Lanka's to lose

Ryan ten Doeschate / Ryan ten doeschate / 20 June 2009 / Leave a Comment

The Essex all-rounder on getting the better of Kent, a return to international cricket for Danish Kaneria and why Sri Lanka should come out on top on Sunday.

This week ended well for me as Essex went from second bottom of County Championship Division Two to third from top with a comfortable win over Kent. As I said in an earlier column, we had spoken as a team about our disappointing start so I think the coach will be happy that everyone did what was asked of them.

Mark Pettini has had a tough start to the season with the bat and had an average campaign last year. However his 60 in the first innings at Tunbridge Wells this week was as important as his century in the second. His captaincy is pretty sound and hopefully these two knocks restored his confidence so he returns to being an effective batsman for us.

After a solid 40 in the first innings, I got a first-baller second time around. I had got out to a tentative shot on Tuesday so I was determined to be positive.

Unfortunately I chased a wide one against the new ball. It was poor selection and all the hard work of the week was thrown away. But we were chasing runs so it was not a match-changing or irresponsible thing to do in the context of the game.

It was a hard slog to work our way through the Kent batsmen on the final day but Danish Kaneria really worked over some of their batsman. I am sure our leg-spinner will be back in the Pakistan Test side pretty soon. Unfortunately, in terms of one-day cricket, his fielding is not the best and his batting can be a bit 'hit and miss' so a recall in that format is less likely.

It means he has sat out Pakistan's run to the T20 World Cup Final, where they are meeting Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Both these teams thoroughly deserve their place in the Final though my perfect showpiece would have been India v South Africa. That would have brought together the most exciting players. But this is tournament cricket and it is about winning the crunch games and that obviously counts for more than entertaining.

It is almost a fairytale for Pakistan to have got there with their recent problems back home in both the political and cricketing spheres. I hope they put on a great performance for their supporters. Also, it has been great tournament so I'd like good, tight showpiece game.

Pakistan's fielding went to tatters when they were trying to close out victory against South Africa in the T20 World Cup Semi-Final. Choking is a big word but there were certainly signs of nerves in the South Africa side. I really thought they would shake off that tag this time around but it wasn't to be. As I had written earlier in the week, they had gotten through without ever chasing down a big score. Shahid Afridi's innings put them under a lot more pressure and maybe that is what cost them in the end.

Throughout the tournament Pakistan have managed to win the big games. Younis Khan repeatedly says that when it comes to "do or die" they come up with the goods. They looked a shabby side in the warm-ups so I am sure they will be thinking "if we have a good 40 overs we can basically win this tournament from nowhere".

For Sri Lanka, it is the opposite. They have not lost a game and they have the Tournament's top wicket-taker and run-scorer in their side. Everyone expects them to do the job so maybe there is more pressure on them than Pakistan.

But you saw in the Semi-Final what an exceptional bowling side Sri Lanka are. Really, I can't see Pakistan beating them.

It is about whoever has the better three hours. Pakistan have surprised me three or fours times already and their bowling - Umer Gul and Afridi - is right up their with the best in the tournament. However, Sri Lanka have the class in depth. They overcame a slight wobble in the Semi-final so they may have got that out of the way. For me, the Final is theirs to lose.