Malinga set for Sri Lanka semi-final return by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 19th April 2007

 

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jaywardene is confident of having fast bowler Lasith Malinga fit for Tuesday's World Cup semi-final in Jamaica.

 

Malinga, who has taken 15 wickets at under 15 apiece at the tournament, has missed Sri Lanka's last three matches after damaging left ankle ligaments.

 

His latest absence didn't prove costly, Sri Lanka dismissing Ireland for 77 in their final Super Eights match at Grenada's National Stadium here Wednesday with paceman Farveez Maharoof (four for 25) and Muttiah Muralitharan (four for 19) doing the damage.

 

But while Sri Lanka quick Dilhara Fernando was nursing an ankle problem that saw him miss the Ireland match, Jayawardene was confident that Malinga, whose slingy action makes him difficult to face, would return for a last four clash where the 1996 champions are likely to face New Zealand.

 

"He's probably 90 percent okay," Jayawardene said of Malinga. "We probably should have played him today (Wednesday) but we didn't want to take the risk.

 

"We have almost a week before the next game. He's bowled 10 overs in the nets this (Wednesday) morning. We just need to make sure he gradually comes up. We don't want to take too many risks. He should be ready to go in the semi-finals, definitely."

 

However, Jayawardene was less certain regarding Fernando's fitness.

 

"Dilhara played against Australia with an ankle problem. He had two injections in it and he needs to prove his fitness before the semi-finals," said the skipper.

 

The Sabina Park pitch is likely to be the bounciest Sri Lanka have encountered so far during a World Cup played on mainly slow, low tracks.

 

But Jayawardene said his side would relish the conditions.

 

"We like bouncy wickets," said the top-order strokeplayer, 39 not out against Ireland. "Like any other cricketers in the world, our batsmen love to play on bouncy tracks when the ball is coming on.

 

"Obviously it's very hard for batsmen to score runs when it's not coming on and we've got a very decent bowling attack to complement those conditions.

 

"We just need to go to Jamaica and have a look at it and adjust to it. That's what we've done all through the World Cup."

 

Meanwhile, Jayawardene was pleased by the ruthless way Sri Lanka had seen off an Ireland team that had upset the formbook dramatically by beating Pakistan in the group phase and defeating Bangladesh in the Super Eights.

 

"They had a brilliant world Cup and we had to make sure we played some really good cricket," said Jayawardene. "I'm not taking anything away from my boys, they've played really good cricket."

 

He added: "The semi-final is a very big hurdle for us to jump. We're looking forward to it. When we left Sri Lanka this was the target we set, getting to the semi-finals and looking forward from that.

 

"We've come a long way and there's no looking back for us now. We'll give it our best shot."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)