Sri Lankans told to fight fire with fire by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 26th April 2007

 

Sri Lanka's mild-mannered cricketers should be more aggressive if they want to beat the Australians in Saturday's World Cup final, former Sri Lankan opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny said.

 

"Sri Lankans need to show aggression in all departments of the game," Wettimuny, Sri Lanka's star opening batsman in its early years of Test cricket, told AFP on Thursday.

 

Wettimuny, the one-time chairman of the team selection panel, said the Australians bat far down the order and that the Sri Lankans should look to attack them right through.

 

"They must look for wickets than go on the defensive. They are a very powerful batting side so there is no point in trying to contain them," Wettimuny said.

 

The Sri Lankans stand to benefit from the return of their full-strength bowling attack.

 

Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, who were controversially rested in the Super Eights game in Grenada, which the Australians comfortably won, are back. So is "slinger" Lasith Malinga, who was out through injury.

 

Wettimuny said the return of Sri Lanka's main bowling weapons could be a reason for skipper Mahela Jayawardena to bat first should he win the toss.

 

"I am a firm believer in batting first in the one day game under any circumstances," Wettimuny said.

 

Sri Lanka chose to bat first against New Zealand in the semi-final and put in a solid performance.

 

The Australians are yet to lose a match in World Cup cricket since their tie in the 1999 version's semi-final with South Africa. Their unbeaten run has extended to 22 games.

 

"Sri Lankans definitely have a chance of winning, provided they bat and bowl aggressively as the Australians do," Wettimuny said.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)