Charlie Austin - 22 March 2001
A three-match one-day series after such a compelling Test series is unlikely to whet the palates of the purists. Sri Lanka on the other hand have always valued the limited overs version of the game and are desperate to make amends for their numbing defeat at the Sinhalese Sports Club last weekend.
Despite comments to the contrary, one suspects that England's players are envious of Nasser Hussain who will have his feet up in front of the telly tomorrow. This has been an extremely arduous tour and according to acting captain Graham Thorpe: "The players are going to have to dig really deep to win."
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Top Stewart and Trescothick, bottom - Hick and Thorpe Photo CricInfo |
But whether players like the idea of a one-day series tacked on to the end of a tour or not, they know that money makes the cricket world go round and one-day cricket is the golden egg. Indeed, so valuable is the pull of coloured clothing and white balls that the players will play tomorrow in a freshly constructed stadium, ostensibly built to safeguard television revenues against the vagaries of the Sri Lankan weather.
Six months ago the 65 acres on which the Rangiri International Stadium now sits was jungle, a refuge for chuckling baboons and best accessed across the mud-coloured lake. Since then, land has been transformed by an estimated 1,000 construction workers labouring night and day.
The playing surface and pitch is now ready and most of the construction is now complete, but on the eve of the first One-Day International, the scene is chaotic: fridges, televisions and desks lie outside the main door, the rickety scaffolding still hugs the main stand, paintwork is wet and the sound of drilling is as omnipresent as that of a hooting trishaw in Colombo.
Graham Thorpe was clearly surprised by the amount of work to do, but remained diplomatic: "The playing surface looks fine and that is what is most important as far as the players are concerned." Before adding wryly: "As far as the surroundings are concerned, I am sure that they will look great when they are done."
He is right of course, if the playing surface is fine, then no one will be bothered about the aesthetics. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that the grass-less pitch will be fine. There has only been one match played on the square ever and that was a 25-over slog between two teams of aging Sri Lankan stars.
The players who took part in that match two weeks ago admit that the surface was not ideal and was two paced. They fear that the wicket may not last the distance. Thus, despite the fact that the wicket is bone dry and grass-less, both sides are unsure as to the best combination to play.
England have already decided on their top order (Stewart, Trescothick, Hick and Thorpe), but are pondering what to do about the middle order and the spin department. Thorpe hinted at the management's thinking when he said today: "The one worrying aspect of the warm-up match was the last third of the batting and that is one area where I think we have to get a little more out of."
This suggests that they want to bolster the middle order and this means that they have to have a reliable batsman at number seven. If Mark Ealham were to play then it would have to be in place of a spinner or fast bowler and that is unlikely. Although Craig White's bowling might prove more expensive he should play and bat number seven.
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Kaluwitharana - recall Photo CricInfo |
Michael Vaughan, his case strengthened by his useful off breaks, may yet slip into the side after his 97 yesterday. It is even conceivable, though unlikely, that he could replace one of the main spinners. Alternatively he could slip in ahead of Nick Knight or Andrew Flintoff, who will not yet have fully acclimatised.
Sri Lanka are set to play seven batsmen with Indika de Saram likely to play ahead of Tillakaratne Dilshan who disappointed in the Test Matches after two centuries in England's warm-up games. Romesh Kaluwitharana returns to renew his explosive opening partnership with Sanath Jayasuriya.
Sri Lanka's two spinners will be Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Dharmasena with Nuwan Zoysa and Chaminda Vaas taking the new ball. Jayasuriya and Arnold will fill in the remaining ten overs.
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