Is Lanka relying too much on top three?
Source: Agencies |
March 31, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
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THREE of the top four run-scorers in the World Cup are Sri Lankans who have amassed more than 1,200 runs between them over seven games, all but one played at home on Sri Lankan wickets.
The real test of Sri Lanka's world-beating credentials will come in Mumbai on Saturday when their marauding batsmen face a tough bowling attack on an unfamiliar wicket.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (467), captain Kumar Sangakkara (417) and Upul Tharanga (393), with England's Jonathan Trott, lead the pack of World Cup batsmen. Has the 1996 World Cup winner relied too much on the top three batsmen to come good everytime? The statistics show that the remaining batsmen have averaged a total of 72 runs between them over the World Cup, although admittedly they have not been needed that often.
Playing at home is of course an advantage and seven home games in a World Cup has put Sri Lanka firmly in a comfort zone. Sri Lanka's team has traveled just once outside its territory since the World Cup began on February 19 when it defeated New Zealand in a group game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, the venue for Saturday's finale.
Sangakkara's batsmen have so far stuttered just once on the way to the final. And it happened against the only quality bowling they had faced in the tournament thus far when Pakistan successfully defended a total of 277-7 in group game.
Sri Lanka's victories in the knockout matches came against England and New Zealand, teams missing their frontline bowlers due to injuries.
There were some nervy moments on Saturday when New Zealand took four wickets in the space of 25 runs, but the lack of quality bowling denied the Kiwis their first ever chance to qualify for the World Cup final.
The real test of Sri Lanka's world-beating credentials will come in Mumbai on Saturday when their marauding batsmen face a tough bowling attack on an unfamiliar wicket.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (467), captain Kumar Sangakkara (417) and Upul Tharanga (393), with England's Jonathan Trott, lead the pack of World Cup batsmen. Has the 1996 World Cup winner relied too much on the top three batsmen to come good everytime? The statistics show that the remaining batsmen have averaged a total of 72 runs between them over the World Cup, although admittedly they have not been needed that often.
Playing at home is of course an advantage and seven home games in a World Cup has put Sri Lanka firmly in a comfort zone. Sri Lanka's team has traveled just once outside its territory since the World Cup began on February 19 when it defeated New Zealand in a group game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, the venue for Saturday's finale.
Sangakkara's batsmen have so far stuttered just once on the way to the final. And it happened against the only quality bowling they had faced in the tournament thus far when Pakistan successfully defended a total of 277-7 in group game.
Sri Lanka's victories in the knockout matches came against England and New Zealand, teams missing their frontline bowlers due to injuries.
There were some nervy moments on Saturday when New Zealand took four wickets in the space of 25 runs, but the lack of quality bowling denied the Kiwis their first ever chance to qualify for the World Cup final.
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