Quote:
> > I think that I read somewhere ( prob. Cricinfo) that the curators have
> been
> > asked to
> > prepare slightly green pitches for the matches against India but not
> against
> > NZ. In fact
> > it was reported that the SL squad was picked with an emphasis on pacers.
I
> > was wondering
> > if the NZ team had some good pacers in their team. The last time I
heard,
> > their fast bowlers were
> > dropping like flies with most of them out due to a variety of injuries.
> Also
> > I beleive that the current Ind
> > pace bowlers could trouble the SL batsmen if the pitch is made as
> > instructed.
> > My suggestion is to make the pitches as flat and brown as possible and
let
> > the SL batsmen make merry. If however the
> > tournament is being used as a trial for WC 2003 then my commendations on
> the
> > brave path taken by the SL authorities.
> It seems like an attempt at considering preparation for the World Cup.
> Whether Sri Lankan pitches can be made to behave in a similar fashion to
> South African ones is perhaps questionable. A brave path would have been
to
> not host/attend so many meaningless ODI tournaments and instead spend the
> time taking the players off to play/practice in conditions such as those
> which might be found at the World Cup (doubtless not viable financially).
> As to the other point about preparing green pitches for India but not NZ,
it
> certainly wouldn't be caused by the fear factor. New Zealand's spearhead
> will be Darryl Tuffey, who is becoming a decent bowler but is certainly
not
> quick. Zaheer Khan and Agarkar the Great are both faster (Tuffey probably
> clocks in around 135-138kph). As for Sri Lanka, Dilhara Fernando is yards
> faster than anything New Zealand will bring, although always worth a few
> dozen wides and no-balls.
> Having said that, I wouldn't produce a green pitch if my main objective
was
> beating New Zealand. The ideal pitch to nullify NZ is not green, but has
> some decent pace and bounce. That way the dibbly dobbly men such as
Harris
> and Astle come on to the bat nicely and should also disappear into the
> stands nicely. Conversely, slow pitches lacking in bounce make these
blokes
> look half decent.
Very interesting little analysis. I reckon NZ (who are very underrated IMO)
will trouble SL more than India. In fact, here is what Jayasuria has to say:
------------------------------------------
Jayasuriya wary of New Zealand in Sri Lankan tourney
Matthew Appleby - 10 July 2001
By Matthew Appleby
Having played in 235 One-Day Internationals, Sri Lankan captain Sanath
Jayasuriya should know a thing or two about the game.
And he believes New Zealand will give his team, who are hosting a triangular
tournament beginning on July 18th, a run for their money.
Jayasuriya has toured New Zealand five times and made his Test debut at
Hamilton in 1990/91. The 59 Test-veteran now holds the record (576 with
Rohan Mahanama against India at Colombo in 1997/8) for the record Test stand
for any wicket.
The quietly-spoken left-hander also has a one day international record, this
time against the Black Caps, to his name. At Sharjah, in April, Jayasuriya
hit Chris Harris for 30 in an over, breaking his own previous six-ball feat
of 29 off Aamer Sohail of Pakistan in 1995/96.
Jayasuriya, curiously, does not regard the Indians, who make up the
triumvirate, as the Sri Lankans' main opposition.
"They're not really main rivals, but they've been playing well. It will be a
hard tournament, as any game against an international team is not easy. It
will be tough for us," he told CricInfo at a recent benefit match in
Nottingham.
Fellow Sri Lankans, Chaminda Vaas (back from injury), Marvan Atappattu and
Aravinda De Silva also played under the watchful eye of New Zealand chairman
of selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee.
But the key man in Jayasuriya's book is Muttiah Muralitharan, who has been
playing successfully for Lancashire. "Muralitharan has been bowling a lot
here in England, and in international cricket," said Jayasuriya. "It's been
a good experience for Murali I think. He is the main bowler for us."
Of the Black Caps, Jayasuriya cited Dion Nash as a threat. He generously
described Nash as "one of the great all-rounders. I hope he'll come back to
give their team strength.
"We were in New Zealand a few months back and many players had been going
through injuries-like Chris Cairns," the opener added. "After that they've
been grooming youngsters and they are trying to build their team up at the
moment like we are."
However, it is the man who scored 103 from only 83 balls at Auckland this
year, with six sixes and 10 fours, who could give New Zealand their biggest
problems in the five games they will play against the 1996 World Cup
winners.
The tournament concludes on August 5th with a Colombo final, after seven
games in 11 busy days for the New Zealand team, brought together from their
winter employment around the world.
? CricInfo
------------------------------------
So let the games begin!!
Larrikin
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