Watch Australia Vs England 4th Test Live

England v Australia, 4th Test, Headingley

Flintoff struggles put Harmison on alert

Match Facts

Friday, 07 Aug 2009

			Australia Vs England
Venue :4th Test Match, Headingley, Leeds Live action starts from: 10:00 GMT (15:30 IST) Test The Ashes 2009 Test Match Match

August 6, 2009

England will have to take the emotion out of a decision on Andrew Flintoff, says the captain

Andrew Flintoff appears ever more likely to miss out on selection for tomorrow's fourth Test at Headingley, after struggling visibly during a 40-minute nets session on the eve of the match. Flintoff received two injections in his damaged right knee ahead of the Edgbaston Test last week, and so cannot undergo any more this week on medical advice. He bowled with a heavy knee brace, but was unable to hit the crease with any of his customary pace and power, before returning to the dressing room at 11.10am.

The session was the first time that Flintoff had bowled since his lacklustre display on the final day at Edgbaston, in which he bowled just 11 overs, and none at all in the final session. England have insisted they will take the emotion out of the decision over whether Flintoff plays in what could be the Ashes-deciding Test, but on the available evidence his knee is some way short of the requisite fitness to last for five days.

When asked if Flintoff was in a better situation fitness-wise than he had been in the lead-up to Edgbaston, England's captain, Andrew Strauss, was non-committal. "He did a fair amount of bowling today, but with such things it's not about the pain he experienced while he's bowling, but the swelling there is afterwards, and how sore it is," he said. "At this stage it's hard to know, because I haven't had a chance to speak to him fully.

"He got the ball through but he didn't look like he was 100%," Strauss conceded. "Sometimes a bowler doesn't want to hit 100% in the day before a game, and so it was more about how he was feeling with his knee, but until I've spoken to him at length, it's hard to say. I'm still optimistic he will be fine to play, but we won't know until later on this evening."

The hosts have a 14-man squad and a 1-0 lead, and are adamant that they will delay their decision as long as necessary, even if that leads to uncertainty among the players on the fringes of selection. "In situations like this you tell people to prepare to play, and if they don't, then at least they've prepared," said Strauss. "It's not an ideal situation, but that is the situation we're in. If he's fit enough to play a full part we desperately want him to play. If he's not then it's wrong of us to pick him."

Either way, Strauss said Flintoff would not be permitted the final say in his own selection. "It will be my decision ultimately," he said. "You've got to take the player's point of view on board and listen to that very carefully, because he knows his body better than anyone. You've got to take the medical opinion on board as well, because they've got an idea of what might happen if he plays. But ultimately it's a decision for myself and the coach. We won't know that until later today until we see how he reacts to what he did today in the nets."

"We're going to have to [take the emotion out]," Strauss said. "It's the fourth Test of an Ashes series, we're close to the finish line and although we're all desperate for him to play, we need to be realistic enough to realise that if he's not fit then he shouldn't play.

"When you're captain, you're motivated by what's good for the team, and obviously if him playing has a detrimental effect on the team, then it's wrong to make that decision on sentimental grounds. Fred would appreciate that. The last thing he wants to happen is to play and not be able to fulfil a role in the game. That's a pretty bad situation to be in as an individual. I'm sure he'll be honest with us, and sentimentality is pushed to the back of all our minds really."

Flintoff was England's main man on the final day at Lord's when he took five wickets to guide them to victory, but his discomfort seemed to increase as the third Test wore on. He scored a muscular 74 in the side's only innings at Edgbaston and did not make a breakthrough in 30 overs.

England's inflated outfit includes the batsman Jonathan Trott and bowlers Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Harmison, whose chances of playing improve considerably if Flintoff is ruled out, a fact that he seemed to recognise as he tore in with venom at Ravi Bopara in the nets, in full view of his captain. "We've covered all bases with the squad we've picked," Strauss said. "We will have to wait to see how Fred is. In a way there are potentially hard decisions to make."

"Harmison is a genuine option to play in this Test match," said Strauss. "It's fantastic to have a squad where you've got guys of that quality waiting to get in. Ryan Sidebottom bowled magnificently today as well. There's been a lot of cases in the past where we've been struggling to get three decent seamers on the park, and suddenly we've got five or six of them queueing up to play. That's a pretty good situation rather than a bad one."

By early next week Strauss could be an Ashes-winning captain and he told his players they would have to deal with the extra demands at Headingley. They will not be employing a cautious approach even though the pitch at The Oval, the venue for the final match, is likely to favour another stalemate.

"Coming here expecting there to be a draw, or hoping to be a draw, is the wrong way to go," he said. "It's not the way we're looking to approach it, we're looking to win the game and in doing so win the Ashes. It's a massive Test and, as always is the case in an Ashes series, the closer you get to the finish, it becomes more dramatic and the pressure and expectation rise a level."

Manzoor and Yousuf steady Pakistan

Day 1 close Pakistan 289 for 7 (Manzoor 93, Yousuf 90, Thushara 3 for 77) v Sri Lanka

Mohammad Yousuf played a composed innings but fell 10 runs short of his century

For vast swathes of the 86 overs bowled in the day, Pakistan's batsmen held sway, blunting a modest attack on a pitch that lost most of its moisture and bite after the opening session. But with stumps beckoning, the second new ball vindicated Kumar Sangakkara's decision to bowl first, with three wickets in the space of eight balls reducing Pakistan to 289 for 7.

That total owed much to Khurram Manzoor and Mohammad Yousuf, who added 167 for the third wicket after Thilan Thushara had taken two wickets in an over to stymie a promising start. Both Manzoor and Yousuf were dismissed in the 90s, and it was left to Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq to shepherd the side through to the close. They nearly managed to, until the new ball turned out to be the big bad wolf.

Malik, short of runs and form in the series, had struck some pleasing strokes on his way to 45, and the partnership with Misbah was worth 75 when Thushara arced one into his pads from outside off stumps. Malik missed, and that was that. Three balls later, Misbah lunged to drive Nuwan Kulasekara, and the thin inside edge was neatly taken by Tillakaratne Dilshan behind the stumps. When Umar Gul then chopped one back on to his stumps, the reversal of fortune was complete.

It may have been the last bow for Chaminda Vaas, a veteran of 111 Tests with 354 wickets to his name, but apart from that Thushara over in mid-morning, there was little for Sri Lanka to celebrate after they sent Pakistan in to bat under overcast Colombo skies. Fawad Alam, with a century on debut last week, had just struck his first four of the innings, when he edged one behind to Dilshan, and if Thushara was delighted with that, he was positively delirious three balls later. Younis Khan cut one back on to his stumps, and 34 for 0 had become 36 for 2.

As Yousuf walked out, wagers were probably placed on how quickly Rangana Herath would be brought on. As it was, Kumar Sangakkara waited till the 17th over before throwing the ball to Sri Lanka's surprise spin weapon of the series, but the impact wasn't what was desired. The first-session damage would have been greater than 103 runs but for a sluggish outfield that didn't give the batsmen full value for their strokes.

Once the nerves had settled, Yousuf lofted Herath over long-off for six, and with Thushara then conceding 11 in an over, the runs started to accumulate at a fair clip. Yousuf cut Herath for four, before driving Angelo Mathews beautifully behind square, and it was Pakistan that went into the lunch break with faith restored. After the slump that cost them the series though, complacency certainly wasn't on the menu.

A superb cut and a back-foot punch through cover took Manzoor to his half-century from 85 balls, while Yousuf required 15 balls fewer for his. The 100-run partnership arrived in 24.3 overs, and soon after, Manzoor thumped Herath over his head for four, a stroke that he was to repeat later in the session.

Sri Lanka's bowlers created few wicket-taking chances and struggled for consistency, though Vaas did staunch the run flow in the second hour after lunch. With Kulasekara short of pace, another edge fell short of slip and went for four. And the hosts' woes were compounded when Vaas missed a run-out chance with Manzoor on 65.

Manzoor was content to leave a lot of deliveries and the bowlers obliged by bowling poor lines. By the interval, Sri Lanka had endured the first barren session of the series. When Sangakkara gave the ball to Mahela Jayawardene after tea, it appeared to illustrate Sri Lankan despair, but once Vaas returned, the game changed.

A clearly nervous Manzoor poked at one that left him, and Yousuf was then run out off an overthrow after taking the single that had seen him complete 7000 runs. His 90 had spanned just 146 balls, and it was left to the aggressive Malik and the more sedate Misbah to repair the damage. Once again though, wickets falling in a heap undid much of the day's good work.

Shoaib in doubt for Sri Lanka ODIs

Shoaib in doubt for Sri Lanka ODIs

Monday, 20 Jul 2009

			Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan
Venue :3rd Test Match, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Live action starts from: 04:30 GMT (10:00 IST) Test Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2009 Test Match Match

	Will Shoaib Akhtar be included in the squad for the one-dayers against Sri Lanka?

Shoaib Akhtar's chances of making a comeback to the Pakistan team have suffered a blow after he failed to turn up for a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Wednesday.

Interim chief selector Wasim Bari wanted to assess Shoaib's fitness before heading to Sri Lanka next week to discuss the composition of the squad for the upcoming one-day series with captain Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam. The five-ODI series starts on July 30 after the completion of the three Test matches.

"He has conveyed to us that since his mother is ill he can't leave Islamabad at this time," Bari said. Shoaib had missed last month's World Twenty20 due to a skin infection, and last represented Pakistan in the five-match ODI series against Australia two months ago. Last week, he had insisted he was back at full fitness, and claimed that he had "three to four good years left in him".

Shoaib, 33, has not been a regular member of the Pakistan side of late due to disciplinary issues and injury as well. He was involved in a tussle with the PCB after reportedly criticising the board publicly for not awarding him a central contract. Subsequently, upon his return to international cricket, he was dropped after a poor ODI series against Sri Lanka and again under-performed against Australia, taking three wickets with an average of over 50.

History beckons for Bangladesh

West Indies v Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Grenada

History beckons for Bangladesh

Match facts

Friday, July 17, 2009

			West Indies Vs Bangladesh
Venue :2nd Test Match, National Cricket Stadium, St George"s, Grenada Live action starts from: 14:00 GMT (19:30 IST) Test Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2009 Test Match Match

Start time 10.00am (14.00 GMT)

The Big Picture

	Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmuddulah dominated the first Test without exactly breaking their backs to do so. Can they help clinch a rare series win?

Now this is a situation Bangladesh aren't accustomed to. Undoubtedly buoyant after beating West Indies in St Vincent, Bangladesh go into the second and final Test as favourites, something they have never been against Test opposition. Forget the ugly spat between the WICB and WIPA, forget that a second-string team was put together at the last minute. The ICC recognises this as a West Indies team and Bangladesh beat them fair and square. Bangladesh need only draw this game for their first series win overseas, and second ever.

They still didn't hit the heights in the first Test but Bangladesh were good enough in the end to seal the win they needed to take a 1-0 series lead. With momentum and the knowledge that conditions in Grenada could be subcontinental, the tourists have to be fancied to wrap up the series by winning the final Test. Shakib Al Hasan, who bowled superbly and captained exceptionally on the fifth day in St Vincent as the hosts threatened to pull off a gritty escape, will lead full-time in Mashrafe Mortaza's absence.

This is a situation West Indies aren't accustomed to either. As the dispute between board and players rumbles on, West Indies will again field a weakened line-up as they seek to drawn level with Bangladesh. The hosts let themselves down in the first innings in St Vincent and will need to bounce back strongly if they are to avoid a series defeat to Bangladesh. If its inspiration they seek, well then they can look at how on the fifth morning they ran through the Bangladesh tail, taking five wickets for 24 to give themselves an outside chance of winning. The rest will have to come from better application with the bat.

This series was never going to be the stuff of headlines, but there remains enough subtext - and plenty at stake - for this Test to be an intriguing battle.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)
West Indies- LLLDD
Bangladesh - WLLLL

Watch out for ...

Mahmudullah Eight wickets on Test debut, a real bonus for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah, earlier considered a limited-overs specialist, stamped himself on proceedings in St Vincent with the ball, picking up five wickets in West Indies' second innings. He was relentless in applying pressure with his offspin and the home side need to watch out against him.

Omar Phillips Another debutant who made an impression in St Vincent. The young opener fell six short of what he described as "one of the easiest hundreds you will ever get at this level". Phillips' innings had laid a strong foundation for a sizable lead before Bangladesh struck back to limit the damage to 69 runs. His departure for 94, when he played a loose shot off Rubel to short cover, Phillips said, was a consequence of a change in tactics after he had reached the 90s. If he gets as far again and doesn't make any changes, watch out Bangladesh.

Team news

Bangladesh have replaced Mortaza with Enamul Haque jr, the slow left-armer who took 6 for 45 to send Bangladesh fans wild with an inaugural Test victory over Zimbabwe in 2005.

Bangladesh: (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Raqibul Hasan, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Shahadat Hossain, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Nazmul Hossain.

The West Indies selectors have retained their new-look squad for the second Test, with batsman Ryan Hinds added to the team. Floyd Reifer, the captain, said after the first match that West Indies might play another batsman. In that case the likely candidate would be Hinds, who last played a Test in March in the home series against England. He will probably replace the offspinner Nikita Miller, who went wicketless. The rest of the bowlers from the first Test should pick themselves. If West Indies retain faith in Miller - who batted stubbornly for 63 minutes and 54 balls in the second innings - and decide not to play an extra batsman Hinds may still get the nod and replace Travis Dowlin who contributed only 22 and 19 in St Vincent.

West Indies: (probable) 1 Omar Phillips, 2 Dale Richards, 3 Floyd Reifer (capt), 4 Travis Dowlin, 5 David Bernand, 6 Ryan Hinds, 7 Chadwick Walton (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Ryan Austin, 11 Tino Best.

Pitch and conditions

Grenada has only hosted one Test, in 2002, and that was a three-innings, high-scoring draw. This is a track known to wear slowly and assist spin as the days go on. Scattered showers are forecast in the afternoon through the five days, however. The teams' training sessions were interrupted by rain.

"It [the pitch] was a touch wet when we saw it on Wednesday. A bit of moisture maybe on top. It will be interesting to see how it eventually looks," said Shakib. "We don't have a problem with the wicket. If it is slow, which I have heard it traditionally is, then that's okay and if it is quicker than Arnos Vale then I believe our bowling, especially spin, will be more effective."

Quotes

"Everybody knows I am not an out-and-out attacking bowler who will fire out batsmen. I like to build pressure and try to get among the wickets."
Darren Sammy calls it as is it.

"The boys are all keyed up. We know that our job is not finished. The best part is that we all know that it is possible."
Shakib Al Hasan knows where the momentum lies.

Flower optimistic about Flintoff's fitness

England v Australia, 2nd npower Test, Lord's

Flower optimistic about Flintoff's fitness

Match Facts

Thursday, 16 Jul 2009

			England Vs Australia
Venue :2nd Test Match, Lord"s, London Live action starts from: 10:00 GMT (15:30 IST) Test The Ashes 2009 Test Match Match

Andrew Flintoff didn't bowl in the nets at Lord's on Tuesday but will have a go on Wednesday

Andy Flower, England's coach, is optimistic that Andrew Flintoff will be fit to play in the second Test at Lord's, starting on Thursday, despite reporting soreness and swelling in his right knee after falling awkwardly in the field during last week's first Test in Cardiff.

Given his recent injury concerns, which forced Flintoff to miss 25 of England's 48 Test matches since the 2005 Ashes, the news of his latest injury setback had been greeted with concern, especially as the injured knee was the same one that required surgery back in April, after Flintoff tore his meniscus while playing for Chennai Superkings in the IPL.

Flower, however, sought to play down the extent of the latest injury, and told reporters at Lord's that Flintoff's surgeon, Dr Derek Bickerstaff, had suggested "he should be okay to play", having received a cortisone injection on Monday to assist with the recovery.

"He [Bickerstaff] was quite optimistic about him [Flintoff] playing in this game," said Flower. "He won't bowl today, but he'll have a bat and he'll have a bowl tomorrow, and we'll assess it tomorrow. We'll let it settle today."

Despite finishing with disappointing figures of 1 for 128 in 35 overs, Flintoff bowled with pace and hostility in his first Test outing of the summer in Cardiff, and with his batting showing signs of returning consistency, England still retain the hope that he might yet rediscover the form that made him such an irresistible force in the 2005 Ashes.

Nevertheless, Flower was wary of getting too hopeful about his long-term fitness. "I think with Fred and his injury record we're always concerned, to be honest," he said. "His body is in that sort of state, at this time of his career, when he seems vulnerable a lot of the time. We can't get away from that, but he's a hell of a player and we want him in our side if fit."

The statistics of Flintoff's recent form and impact on the Test side, however, are not flattering. Since the 2005 Ashes, he has averaged 28.25 with the bat and 34.68 with the ball in 23 Tests (both figures down on his overall Test record), and he has not managed a century or five wickets in an innings in any series since then.

Most damning of all, however, is his record as a match-winner. Although some leeway has to be made for the quality of the opponents - Flintoff has often been recuperating during low-key series in preparation for the marquee events - the statistics paint a sorry tale. In the 25 matches that Flintoff has missed since 2005, England have won 12, drawn 10 and lost on only three occasions. In the 23 matches in which he has been present, those numbers are almost exactly reversed - won 3, drawn 7, lost 13.

What is more, there is a growing suspicion that the unpredictable nature of Flintoff's fitness record has an adverse impact on the balance of the side, and the role of the less-vaunted players. James Anderson, for instance, who recently admitted it is hard to avoid feeling like a second-fiddle when Flintoff is in the side, averages nearly 10 runs higher when his Lancashire team-mate is also in England's bowling attack.

Flower, however, does not have any time for such suggestions that Flintoff overawes his team-mates. "I don't think that's something that should distract any of our boys, whether or not Fred's playing," he said. "The guys will just get on and prepare, as professional sportsmen do. Frustrating or not, that's how it is, there's no point in getting too het up about it."

In the meantime, Flintoff could either be replaced by, or joined in the same line-up as, Steve Harmison, who was understood to have frustrated the England management with his poor fitness and attitude on their recent tour of the Caribbean. His form this summer brooks no equivocation, with six wickets in a fiery performance for England Lions against Australia at Worcester earlier this month, and a five-wicket haul for Durham in his most recent Championship outing against Yorkshire.

Despite suggestions that Flower had been the most ardent critic of Harmison's attitude, he disputed it on the eve of the second Test. "I never drew any line under Steve, that wasn't the case at all," he said. "If that was the perception elsewhere, there's nothing I can do about it. Steve was always in the frame, because he's a hell of a fast bowler with a very good record for England."

Spinners seal historic Bangladesh win

West Indies v Bangladesh, 1st Test, Kingstown, 5th day

Spinners seal historic Bangladesh win

July 13, 2009

Bangladesh 238 (Mortaza 39, Roach 3-46) and 345 (Tamim 128, Sammy 5-70) beat West Indies 307 (Phillips 94, Bernard 53, Mahmudullah 3-59) and 181 (Bernard 52, Mahmudullah 5-51, Shakib 3-39) by 95 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Shakib Al Hasan, the stand-in captain, led from the front to hand Bangladesh a historic win

Four years and six months after their solitary Test win, Bangladesh sealed a historic second victory when they beat West Indies by 95 runs in St Vincent. Bangladesh's spin twins Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah weaved a tantalising web to shove West Indies to defeat. Spare a thought, though, for David Bernard who thwarted everything thrown at him for 134 balls to remain unbeaten on a fine 52. The win, as special it was, would come with an asterisk that this was a second-string West Indies team.

The champagne moment arrived at 4.40 pm local time when the stand-in captain Shakib nailed last man Tino Best in front with a dipping full toss with only ten overs left in the day. Best put up his bat as if to suggest he had edged it but the finger was up and the Bangladeshi fielders moved into a huddle of joy. A limping Mashrafe Mortaza hobbled to the middle to join in the celebrations.

It was an enthralling last couple of sessions in the beautiful Kingstown stadium ringed by sea. The cricket in nature was almost sub-continental in its elements. Spinners operated with several close-in men prowling near the batsmen waiting for a mistake, and an over-excited chirpy wicketkeeper, Mushfiqur Rahim, applying immense pressure on the batsmen and the umpires with his appeals and adding drama with his oohs and aahs. And when the seamers came on, it wasn't seam but reverse swing on view with the slinging Rubel Hossain and the grunting Shahadat Hossain trying their best to break through.

And the plot thickened in the last session, as Bernard found a willing partner in Nikita Miller, taking the minds back to Cardiff where England pulled off a great escape yesterday. But Mohammad Ashraful, who failed in both innings with the bat, stamped his presence in the game by removing Miller, who hung on his backfoot to defend stoutly for 54 balls, with one that straightened to get the edge. Mahmudullah returned to trap Ryan Austin and take out Kemar Roach before Shakib sealed the finish.

Until then, Bernard had proved to be a huge headache to the visitors as he stood solidly between them and history. His CV describes him as a stylish batsman but today he added grit to the existing grace. Even under tremendous pressure, he managed to bat almost elegantly, using his wrists skillfully to ride the turn and the bounce on the final-day's wicket. While the rest around him pushed hard at the ball, he played with soft hands and defended confidently. The contest between Shakib and him was high-quality, with the bowler shifting angles and trying everything in his arsenal - the left-arm breaks, the straighter one, the arm-ball, the round-arm delivery, over and round-the-wicket - but he was in a zone of his own. He moved forward or back, as the length demanded of him, using his wrists to drop the ball down short of the fielders. When the spin strangle got tighter, he had the courage to play the pressure-relieving strokes like the lofted drives and the cuts. He survived a close lbw shout in the 44th over against Shakib when a ball straightened to hit the pad in front of the stumps but that blemish apart, he was pretty solid.

However, Shakib and Mahmudullah ensured no other batsmen would deny them a slice of history. Shakib, hailed by the former Australian spinner Kerry O' Keefe as the "best finger spinner in the world", turned in a suffocating spell of left-arm spin to relentlessly force the pressure on West Indies. Shakib was slightly slow through the air in the first innings and couldn't pose too many problems on a slow track. However, today, he ripped it slightly quicker and immediately looked threatening. He varied his pace, even his angle, by lowering the arm on occasions, and, unsurprisingly, was the better of the two spinners, despite finishing with fewer wickets. He occasionally got the ball to straighten and slipped in a few with the arm.

In his first over Shakib harassed Omar Phillips before going past an attempted sweep to trap the batsman. Later, when Darren Sammy and Bernard added 37 in 11.3 overs, he struck, removing Sammy with a little bit of help from the batsman. Suddenly, against the run of play and just before tea, Sammy jumped out and sliced an ambitious square drive straight to point.

Even when he was not taking wickets, Shakib kept the pressure on and by keeping the batsmen on a leash, allowed Mahmudullah the space to wreak some damage. At one point in the chase Rahim shouted out to Mahmudullah: "Just keep hitting the right areas; the pitch would take care of the rest buddy". Mahmudullah did exactly that to pick up three quick wickets after lunch before he returned to take another two in the last session. He tightened the stranglehold by being accurate and making the batsmen play at every ball. It paid off and how.

Floyd Reifer, who was tormented by Shakib, showed himself to be a prime lbw candidate. Time and again, that front leg was pressed dangerously across but he managed to stab and jab his way out against Shakib. But Mahmudullah broke through finally with one that landed and straightened to strike that front leg. His next victim was Travis Dowlin, inducing a nervous prod straight to short-leg. Chadwick Walton walked in and started off with a second-ball six but was done in by one that kept low from Mahmudullah and was struck in front of the leg stump.

The slide had started with a moment of madness from the opener Dale Richards who added 20 runs in two overs before he had a brain freeze. He ambled out of the crease after being hit on the pad by Shahadat Hossain, all the while looking anxiously at the umpire for the verdict on the lbw appeal, which went in his favour, but was run out by a direct hit. That allowed Bangladesh the opening and they stormed through.

When the day started, it looked as if Bangladesh were dawdling with the bat and not showing enough urgency to either go for quick runs or leave many overs as possible to bowl out West Indies. However, Darren Sammy took a five-for to bowl them out and that proved a blessing in hindsight as it allowed their spinners enough time to bowl them to a euphoric triumph.

Sri Lanka search for historic series win

Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Colombo

Sri Lanka search for historic series win

July 11, 2009

Match facts

	Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan
Venue :2nd Test Match, P Sara Oval, Colombo Live action starts from: 04:30 GMT (10:00 IST) Test Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2009 Test Match

July 12-16, 2009
Start time 10.00 (04.30 GMT)

The Big Picture

Umar Gul had a disappointing time in Galle, and will need to lift his performance considerably in the second Test

Two hours of poor batting undid three days of excellent work for Pakistan in the first Test in Galle, and they now have the onerous task of needing to win two back-to-back Tests to take the series, or win one and draw the other to ensure their record of not losing a series in Sri Lanka remains intact. For Sri Lanka, on the other hand, it was a fantastic result, considering the match situation going into the fourth day and the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan. The momentum is with the home team, but no international side is more unpredictable than Pakistan, and Kumar Sangakkara will be wary of a backlash as he searches for a series win in his first attempt as captain.

The end result was bitterly disappointing for Pakistan, but they can take heart from the fact that their bowlers restricted the home team's formidable batting line-up to less than 300 in both innings in Galle. The batting, though, presents more problems, especially at the top of the order. That's been a worry for a long time for Pakistan, and neither Salman Butt nor Khurram Manzoor inspired much confidence in the first Test. A three-Test series leaves little time for a comeback, and Pakistan need to believe they can still extricate themselves from the hole they are in.

The Sri Lankans are in a happier situation, but they were lucky that their batting lapses in both innings didn't cost them the game. Despite several big names in the line-up, the batting has been patchy of late, and the P Sara Oval presents an opportunity for Sangakkara and Co to repay the debt they owe the bowlers, who were quite outstanding in a high-pressure situation on the fourth day in Galle. The absence of Murali remains a worry for the home team - and an opportunity for Pakistan to exploit - despite the poise with which Rangana Herath filled that gap in the first Test.

Test form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka - WDDWW
Pakistan - LDDDD

Watch out for ...

Ajantha Mendis: In his only previous Test here, against India last year, Mendis took 8 for 137, including a five-for in the first innings. He hasn't been at the top of his game lately, but with Murali absent, this will be the perfect moment for him to step up again.

Kumar Sangakkara: In six previous Tests at this ground, Sangakkara has scored 548 runs at an average of 78.28. His last three innings here read 200 not out, 144 and 4. He had a quiet game with the bat in Galle, but his past record here, coupled with the opportunity to seal his first Test series win as captain, could inspire him on to greater deeds here.

Younis Khan: Pakistan's captain had a disappointing match too in Galle, scoring 25 and 3, and offering little support to Mohammad Yousuf. Younis has usually led from the front, and if past performances in crunch games is any indicator, expect him to get a truckload of runs over the next five days.

Team news

Both teams are undecided on their playing XI. The only question Sri Lanka need to answer is the wicketkeeping issue: Tillakaratne Dilshan was adequate in Galle, but he was also helped by the fact that Pakistan didn't bat very long. Murali's absence means they'll probably go in with five bowlers, with Dilshan most likely to keep wickets again.

Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Malinda Warnapura, 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Tillakaratne Dilshan (wk), 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Thilan Thushara, 11 Ajantha Mendis.

There was also much criticism in Pakistan over the exclusion of Fawad Alam and Abdul Razzaq from the squad, and one quick-fix solution for the second Test could be to open with Shoaib Malik, drop a regular opener, and fit in either Alam or Razzaq. The rest of the bowling attack will probably remain the same, but Pakistan will need a much better display from Umar Gul, who returned figures of 2 for 107 from 24 overs in the first Test.

Pakistan (likely) 1 Salman Butt/ Khurram Manzoor, 2 Shoaib Malik, 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Kamran Akmal (wk), 7 Fawad Alam/ Abdul Razzaq, 8 Abdur Rauf, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at the P Sara is hard and has a bit of grass on it, and should have good bounce. Spinners have traditionally done well at this ground, and they can look forward to some assistance from the track from the fourth day onwards.

It has been hot, humid and mostly cloudless over the past three days, but the forecast is for rain over the next week.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have won their last four Tests at the P Sara Oval, though two of those were against Bangladesh. Their overall record here is six wins and two losses, one of which was against Pakistan in 1994.
• Pakistan have won and drawn once each against Sri Lanka here, but their last Test at this ground was against Australia in 2002, which they lost by 41 runs.
• Mahela Jayawardene has only scored one century in eight innings at this venue, and his average is a relatively modest 42.42.
• Fast bowlers average 35.11 per wicket in the seven Tests at this ground since 2000, with only three five-wicket hauls. Spinners have done better, averaging 30.97 for their 100 wickets, with six five-fors.

Quotes

"If you see the history of Pakistan cricket, if we have lost one match we come back in a very big way. I have enough confidence in these boys, that they have the courage and the character to come back."
Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan coach

"When you win one, you always have that edge for the next game, but it's a new Test and a new start. What happened a week ago will really not matter when the first ball is bowled."
Kumar Sangakkara