Lanka, Windies look to iron out deficiencies before main tournament

Mumbai, Oct 13 (UNI) Sri Lanka and West Indies both having qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy proper would try and use their last qualifying match here tomorrow to iron out their deficiencies before the main tournament gets underway.

The teams will clash at the historic Brabourne stadium which is hosting an international match after a gap of 11 years, and would be eyeing an win so that they could go into the main tournament with their confidence high and would also avoid the Group of death - Group 'A' - where India, Australia and England avait them.

The group 'B' has South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan.

The winner of qualifier will play in Group 'B', while the runner up will be place in Group 'A'.

Both the teams have so far not been tested as they easily overcame Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Infact for West Indies only Gayle, Chanderpaul and Brian Lara have batted so far and the brittle middle order has been protected.

''West Indian captain Lara, though, saying that he would not experiment would definitely try and give his other batters, who are known to buckle under pressure a bat before the next stage of the competition begins.

For Sri Lanka also apart from opener Upal Tharanga, who has scored two hundreds on the trot and Kumar Sangakkara none of the other batsmen have fired with the form of the top two batsmen captain Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya still being a problem for the team.

However, Atapattu has shown that he can bat in the middle order also and that would be a confidence booster, knowing that if their is a collpase, the former captain can rescue the innings in the middle order with his calm and collected nature.

The teams have a settled bowling attack which has been bowling to sub standard opposition so far. In Saturday's match the real strength of the bowling would come to the fore. The Lankans would also try and iron out their gifting of extras in the form of wides and no balls. In the two matches so far the pacers of Lanka have been gulity of indiscipline with Dilhara Fernando being the main culprit.

Tomorrow, the Lankans would be looking to cut down on their extras and with Chaminda Vaas set to return there will be a bit more edge to their attack.

Vaas is likely to replace either Ruchira Perera or Dilhara Fernando, who has not yet found the rhythm he had in England. Lasith Malinga with his sling shot action and the ability to generate pace would keep his place with Muttiah Muralitharan to back them up with his off spin.

The West Indies would also look at giving Bravo and Smith more opportunities with the ball as this can help them play an extra batsmen. Playing an extra batsmen would suit the Windies as their middle order has been exposed time and again and would give an added stability.

The wicket at the Brabourne stadium looks a batting friendly one but with the match being a day-night affair, the teams would have to take the dew factor in the evening into account and would like to bat second for this very reason.

The teams: Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardene (c), Marvan Atapattu, Malinga Bandra, T Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Sanath Jayasuriya, C Kapugedera, F Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ruchira Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (w-k), Upal Tharanga, Chaminda Vaas West Indies (from): Brian Lara (c), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vc), C S Baugh (wc), Ian Bradshaw, D Bravo, S Chanderpaul, Corry Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Runako Morton, Marlon Samuels, D Smith, J Taylor.

UNI