Lankans or Aussies to the Podium?

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE in West Indies

WORLD CUP: The moment that the whole cricketing world has been waiting for has dawned and after nearly two months of cricket Australia the reigning champions and Sri Lanka former champions have qualified to clash in the final at the Kensington Oval, here in Barbados today.

Incidentally this is a repeat of the 1996 final when these two teams met in Lahore and the Lankans carried away the trophy.

Will history repeat itself? Well your guess is good as mine.

What happened in Lahore is now just a memory and what matters is how the teams will play today.

Man to man there is little to choose between the two teams.

And the team that will climb the podium and hold aloft the trophy for the cricketing world to see, would be the team that is not overawed by the occasion, riding the pressure and playing the better cricket.

Here, not only in the other Caribbean Islands, they all want Sri Lanka to win the final. The Aussies are anathema to them.

Firstly to the wicket and viewing it from the Crozier Stand where the media box is housed, it looks devoid of grass and seems to be a good one to bat.

The side aiming for 250 and over should hold the advantage.

‘As for the Lankans every member of the team is fit and well and available for selection.

We have still not decided on the playing eleven’, said manager Michael Tissera.

The Sri Lankans cotton wooled Lasith Malinga, Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitheran when they last played the Aussies hoping to unleash them against the opponents today.

However Muralitharan is the one the Aussies batsmen fear most. His ‘doosra’ - the one that goes the other way - spits venom at the batsmen and it is instant death to those who cannot read the delivery.

However the Australian supporters who are here in their numbers are sure to try and unsettle him by chanting ‘chuncker’, ‘chucker’ or ‘No ball’ even time he begins bowling.

That’s how cowardly the Aussies are. But Muralitharan is made of different stuff and the shouts should inspire him.

When the Lankans bat, it is paramount that Sanath Jayasuriya gets back into run making. He has the temperament for the big occasion and there is no doubt that the Aussies would be targeting him, for if they allow him to cut loose, then they will have to chase a lot of leather.

Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, skipper Mahela Jayawardena, Chamara Silva, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold and Chaminda Vaas are all capable of making runs and must do it.

In Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitheran and Chaminda Vaas are three match winning bowlers, with Jayasuriya and Dilshan for support.

The Lankans will target opener Matthew Hayden who is enjoying a harvest of runs with three centuries already in the bank, and skipper Ricky Ponting.

The Lankans know that if they can get these two early, then they can run through the rest of the Kangaroos batting.

Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait and Glen McGrath have all proved how good they are. If the early Lankan batsmen don’t gift them wickets, they could be frustrated.

The sides have some of the best fielders in the world and this aspect could play a big role if a team is to win.

Aussies are a bit jittery, knowing that they have still not had a bad day so far. And all Sri Lankans and their supporters are confident that today will be the day.

Kensington Oval, Barbados, Friday