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ICC CWC STREAMING, 4th QF: SL vs ENG

Sri Lanka will surely start favourites but as this World Cup has seen, England can fiercely rise among the ashes.

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MATCH PREVIEW


Another test of English resilience


By Soumitra Bose in Colombo

In what will be a clash between two groups of lions, Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal between Sri Lanka and England is expected to be a roaring battle where no inch will be given and none asked for.

Even as Sri Lanka start favourites at their own backyard, England have the ability to deliver on a big day. England have battled injuries and private issues, but as a team, they have retained the core that can excel on any given day. A wounded lion is always dangerous.

It will be a level playing field on Saturday as Premadasa will dish out a newly-laid wicket which Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara said was flat and good for cricket. So for England , a lot of cricket will be played in their minds and the sooner they exorcise the ghost of a Muralitharan, a Rangana Herath or an Ajantha Mendis, the better for them.

Strauss was a confident man ahead of Saturday’s day-night contest. He was remarkably composed at a media conference, handling awkward questions on his team’s theatrical moments with a straight bat. He and his team will have to summon the same application against Sri Lanka ’s bowlers who are quite adept at using both the new and old ball.

England are sweating over Tim Bresnan’s fitness, but if the drills at Friday afternoon’s training were any indication, the 26-year-old Yorkshire all-rounder should pass a fitness test quite easily. Bresnan, who took 5 for 48 against India , has bowled with panache and his skills with the new ball is something that England will look forward to exploit.

England would also have overcome the fatigue factor by now. The team has had an eight-day break since playing their last group league match against the West Indies in Chennai. Barring Michael Yardy’s exit due to depression, the team has otherwise been buoyant as it has mixed business and pleasure in the right proportions.

Strauss refused to reveal his playing combination, but he indicated that not much is going to change. The only real worry is at the top of the batting order where Matt Prior may not open the innings. Ian Bell is reportedly being considered for that slot.

“We can’t always rely on plan A. Chopping and changing a little bit is okay. Ravi (Bopara) bowled a bit in the last match when he hadn’t bowled earlier on. This gives me a lot of belief that you don’t always have to look at the same two or three players to deliver. If you have to win the World Cup, then all 11 should perform at some time or the other,” Strauss said.

Sri Lanka are quite at home. They have the necessary balance in both batting and bowling and should be able to exploit the conditions better. If the wicket turns out to be a fair one, then chasing a target would not be a problem. That substantially negates the toss factor.

There will be quite a few personal battles to look out for, but the one that will surely dominate is between Graeme Swann and the combination of Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara. Will England fly high on Swann’s wings?
England vs Sri Lanka in ODIs/World Cup

ODIs

England have won 23 and lost 21 out of 44 played against Sri Lanka.  England's success % is 52.27 and Sri Lanka 47.72.

England enjoy winning % of 80.00 in the last five games against Sri Lanka.

Brief Results of the last five ODIs between the two nations

Date     Status Toss    Venue           Result

4.10.2007  D/N  England Dambulla  England won by 65 runs
7.10.2007  D/N  S.Lanka Dambulla  England won by 2 wkts.
10.10.2007 D/N  S.Lanka Col.RPS   England won by 5 wkts.
13.10.1987 D/N  S.Lanka Col.RPS   S.Lanka won by 107 runs
25.9.2009  D/N  England Johannes. England won by 6 wkts.

World Cup

England have an impressive record against Sri Lanka at the World Cup - six wins and two losses - out of eight contested - winning % 75.00.

England won all five World Cup games against Sri Lanka between 1983 and 1992.

Of the last three World Cup games between the two countries, Sri Lanka have won two - by five wickets at Faisalabad on March 9, 1996 and by by two runs at North Sound on April 4,2007.

Overall World Cup

England have won 39 and lost 24 out of 65 played (Tied 1 and NR 1) - winning % 61.71.

Sri Lanka have won 29 and lost 31 out of 63 played - winning % 48.36 (Tied 1 & NR 2).

 Approaching milestones

- Kumar Sangakkara (363 + 10 dismissals) needs 37 runs to complete the double of 400 runs and 10 dismissals in a world cup competition.

-Sangakkara (889) needs 111 runs to complete his 1,000 runs at the World Cup,

- Only two Sri Lankans have aggregate 1,000 runs or more at the World Cup - Sanath Jayasuriya (1165) and Aravinda de Silva (1064).

- Ian Bell (2996) needs four runs to complete his 3000 runs in ODIs.

-Eoin Morgan (1974) requires 26 runs to complete his 2000 runs in ODIs.

- Tim Bresnan (49) needs just one wicket to complete his 50 wickets in ODIs.

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