It’s still raining in Brisbane. And given the way in which the India-Australia tie was washed out, I certainly hope we can play out the 100 overs tomorrow. However, since the weather is not in our hands, there’s hardly any point worrying about it.
We are focusing instead on implementing the lessons that we have learnt during our week long acclimatisation period, and we are really keen to get out there and play because we’ve had a good round of warm-up games.

India have quite a few young faces in the squad, but the bowling attack will remain more or less similar to the one that caused such problems for the powerful Australian batting line-up.Therefore, it would be a mistake to say – as some people are doing – that Sri Lanka has the edge owing to the presence of more experienced players. While I would not deny the fact that experience has its benefits, a One-Day game is all about performing on the day, and it has a habit of throwing up surprises.

Yes, the Indians did post a relatively low total against Australia yesterday, but in conditions that suited fast bowling, 194 may not have been too little. Who knows what may have happened had we had a full match? What was evident was that some of the Indian players may be inexperienced, but their bowlers have the ability to exploit the conditions, and may prove a handful in the current playing conditions in Brisbane, which is exactly why we are so looking forward to playing them tomorrow.

Also evident was the fact that Australia – despite all the talk about their having become more beatable in recent times – is still playing great cricket.Brett Lee in particular seems in top form, and it would be extremely silly to write them off. For both India and Sri Lanka, this tour is an excellent opportunity to blood new players.Throwing them in at the deep end is a great way for them to learn, and any cricketer worth his name will tell you how much he enjoys playing in Australia. Full Story »

Kumar Sangakkara has become the first Sri Lankan player to top the LG ICC Test batsmen rankings after yet another brilliant performance recently.

The 30-year-old has knocked off Australian skipper Ricky Ponting at the top of the ranking after he scored 92 and 152 in the first Test match against England at Kandy in the recently concluded game which enabled Sri Lanka also to go ahead in the series.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka tops the list yet again when it comes to bowlers as well in the LG ICC bowlers rankings as world record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan holds the top position in the bowling list.

Sangakkara has also got into joint-sixth spot in the all-time rankings, indicating his marvellous form he has been in of late. On Tuesday, he became the first batsman in the history of the game to register scores of 150 or more in four successive Tests.

In the all-time list, Sangakkara has moved level with West Indies legends Clyde Walcott, Viv Richards and Garfield Sobers with just seven rating points separating him from Len Hutton in second place. He still has a way to go, however, to catch the man with the best all-time rating, Don Bradman.

Perhaps surprisingly, the man from Matale is the only batsman from the Asian sub-continent in the all-time top 10 although there are two – Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan and India’s Sunil Gavaskar – in the top 20.

And the bad luck has not left New Zealand’s back yet, they are the most unlucky team in the world cup history who never reached World Cup finals and Sri Lanka winning the game comprehensively might again write the history written a decade ago.

Stephen Fleming did say before the start of the game - “We were outclassed at key moments” - and he and his players need feel no shame in losing to a demonstrably better side.”, But that does not mean that you go to a game without self-confidence. New Zealand was out classed in every department of the game. Never seem to be on top of Srilanka anywhere in the game

Despite Murali’s 4 wicket hall, it will be Mahela’s 115 that will be talked more in coming years in same breath as of Viv Richard’s 138, Steve Waugh’s 12 or Ricky Ponting’s 140. It’s easy to talk about those innings but pacing such an innings is a thunderous task.

Jayewardene: “The captaincy has helped, and Tom [Moody] has definitely pushed me to the limits. He’s not happy when I’m cruising. In fact, he’s not happy when anyone’s cruising” © Getty Images
 
Sri Lanka’s dominance was best expressed by a bugler in one of the stands, who started playing The Last Post when Lasith Malinga was brought back for his second spell. The first had sent shockwaves through the New Zealand dressing room, with Fleming trapped leg before and Ross Taylor playing blind man’s buff as delivery after delivery rocketed past the outside edge.

Malinga had missed the last three games, but any doubts about whether he’d be in the groove were soon blown away. “To be honest, no,” Jayawardene said with a broad smile when asked whether Malinga’s return had been a welcome surprise. “He’s got a big heart and he’s improved a lot over the past 12 months.”

He isn’t the only one. Jayawardene has been outstanding in the leadership role since taking over, and after a six-month drought, the tactical acumen is being backed up by weight of runs - 529 in the tournament so far. “I’ve become mentally much stronger,” he said. “The captaincy has helped, and Tom [Moody] has definitely pushed me to the limits. He’s not happy when I’m cruising. In fact, he’s not happy when anyone’s cruising.”

He would have been delighted at the cruise today though, a romp that affords Murali, Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas a second chance to lay their hands on the game’s ultimate prize. With the likes of Murali around, you know for sure that a certain Welsh poet’s words will be heeded. Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And i am happy that Srilanka is in Final.