The Hindu : Sport : The nerves are starting to jangle

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

The nerves are starting to jangle

On current evidence, Fleming's men have much to do, writes BARRY RICHARDS

The semifinals are finally taking shape and it looks as though there might be a play off for third and fourth spots between England, South Africa and New Zealand. The nerves are starting to jangle, and even the best thinkers are having `senior moments'.

Witness the decision on the part of Stephen Fleming — widely acknowledged as the game's most intelligent captain today — to leave Jeetan Patel out of the side against Sri Lanka. The wicket could only have got slower and lower, so the hard-working Mark Gillespie became a spare part given that Dan Vettori was the spin spearhead.

New Zealand had a good run before their game on Thursday, but had played little hard cricket. And Fleming's senior moment continued when he opted to bat first. New Zealand will certainly hope that the Sri Lanka game is their only hurdle and they don't have to get into the net run rate squabble.

Scott Styris has been the Kiwis' shining light, and has had the singular misfortune to score two hundreds against Sri Lanka in a losing cause. A lot of people have been predicting a New Zealand-Australia final. On current evidence, Fleming's men have much to do. Their top order is still a worry, and the loss of Lou Vincent has been big, bigger than we thought.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka hardly missed Lasith Malinga on Thursday, though how they fare on the quicker wicket of Barbados should they make it to the final remains a question mark.

As they are now, they look like an outstanding unit. The senior players are mature and team-oriented, and one senses in them a steely resolve to go all the way.

Chamara and Dilshan are natural strikers of the ball. Will they change their approach in a high-pressure situation? Probably not, and that could be their undoing, because opponents will target these high-impact players early.

Of the bowlers, Chaminda Vaas is less heralded than Murali, but is as significant, particularly with the new ball.

The Vaas factor

He also allows the younger quicks to settle in, and has more often than not knocked the stuffing out of the opposition by the time Murali arrives on the scene. Dilhara, too, has seemed promising, particularly with his yorker and change of pace. However, he is still plagued by no balls, and pressure seems to affect him.

He and Mahroof will be prime targets for opposition batters, and that will be a big challenge for Tom Moody, who evidently plays a major strategising role.

Speaking of coaches, the speculation around the future of a number of them, including Moody, Greg Chappell, John Buchanan, Duncan Fletcher, John Bracewell and Bennett King has become a story in itself. John Wright must be eyeing the situation pretty carefully!

Gameplan

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport