Final.

[JASON]

Maybe its just because my team is already out but ffs Jayawardene feels quietly confident about beating the Australians, and he knows first-hand how good they are. The pessimism is just depressing tbh.

I am a realist... but if SL do something out of the ordinary that would still allow me to be jubilant...

Apologies if I am dampening your optimism.

[JBH001]

Jayasuriya is a dirty slogger and Sangakkara is one of the best 5 batsmen in the world atm, and can only get better. Jayasuriya is the type of guy who's as likely to get a duck as he is a hundred...I hate the fact he's scored so many runs in intl cricket.

Now, I've heard everything. :rolleyes:

What a n00b.

[Barney Rubble]

Jayasuriya and Sangakkara are nowhere near in the same category. I know it's not what you said, but just have to get this off my chest...Jayasuriya is a dirty slogger and Sangakkara is one of the best 5 batsmen in the world atm, and can only get better. Jayasuriya is the type of guy who's as likely to get a duck as he is a hundred...I hate the fact he's scored so many runs in intl cricket.

Wow, that's more wrong than most things I've heard recently.

Yes, Sangakkara is a top class batsman. No, he is not in the top 5 in the world ATM - at the very least, Ponting, Hayden, Hussey, Dravid, Kallis and Pietersen are all better than him.

And as for Jayasuriya? He and Romesh Kaluwitharana transformed ODI cricket as we know it. The man is not only a batsman of the absolute highest calibre, but as close as one gets these days to a cricketing pioneer. Without him and Kalu, many of the scores we see today in ODI cricket would never have been thought possible.

[GIMH]

Even I have to sit back in wonder at the blind patriotism on display there. Good effort.

[slugger]

And as for Jayasuriya? He and Romesh Kaluwitharana transformed ODI cricket as we know it. The man is not only a batsman of the absolute highest calibre, but as close as one gets these days to a cricketing pioneer. Without him and Kalu, many of the scores we see today in ODI cricket would never have been thought possible.

I dont think thet were the pioneers of this strategy at all credits got to be given were credits due, this style was implemented by M.Crowe dueing the 92 WC and performed by openers M.Greatbatch amd R.Latham, M.Crowe was given Captain of the series for his strategies which also included D.Patel opening the innings with off spin.

From cricinfo:

Profile

A beefy and charismatic left-hander, Mark Greatbatch was a solid batsman at Test level but in limited-overs cricket he could be a different character and was one of the first one-day pinch hitters

[Perm]

I dont think thet were the pioneers of this strategy at all credits got to be given were credits due, this style was implemented by M.Crowe dueing the 92 WC and performed by openers M.Greatbatch amd R.Latham, M.Crowe was given Captain of the series for his strategies which also included D.Patel opening the innings with off spin.

From cricinfo:

While Greatbach started the trend of ODI pinch hitters, it wasn't until Jayasuriya and Kuliwitharana that the whole thing really came together and we started to see how these strategy could be effective.

[el grapadura]

Wow, that's more wrong than most things I've heard recently.

Yes, Sangakkara is a top class batsman. No, he is not in the top 5 in the world ATM - at the very least, Ponting, Hayden, Hussey, Dravid, Kallis and Pietersen are all better than him.

And as for Jayasuriya? He and Romesh Kaluwitharana transformed ODI cricket as we know it. The man is not only a batsman of the absolute highest calibre, but as close as one gets these days to a cricketing pioneer. Without him and Kalu, many of the scores we see today in ODI cricket would never have been thought possible.

Not disputing the fact that Kalu and Jayasuriya set SL on course for the 96WC win and in the process got a lot of people thinking how to approach the first 15 overs (in the olden days), just saying that I'm not a big fan of 'slash and hope for the best' batting approach epitomised by Jayasuriya.

As for Sangakkara, of the guys you listed Ponting is the only one who's clearly better than him, and Pietersen and Kallis probably are. Hayden is just in really good form right now (I've always seen him as a bit of a flat track bully) and as much as I like Dravid, on the evidence I've seen from both him and Sangakkara over the last couple of years I feel Sangakkara just shades it.

[Dasgupta]

just saying that I'm not a big fan of 'slash and hope for the best' batting approach epitomised by Jayasuriya.

It's a bit churlish to suggest Jayasuriya's batting is 'slash and hope for the best' ...and to even criticise the man. He's one of the all-time great ODI players.

[marc71178]

Yet in spite of that, he'll end his career with a fairly mediocre average in the grand scheme of things...

[Prince EWS]

El grapadura seems to say everything that I wish was true, but isn't. Jayasuriya is a good one day batsman, whether you or I like his approach, style or technique or not.

[JASON]

Toss will be crucial , IMO.

The Aussies having already played at Bridgetown have an advantage in knowing how it plays.

But I am hoping on lady luck to see SL through along with the number of match winners in the Team all playing their part.

Umpiring will also be a crucial factor . I hope that doesn't spoil what could be an entertaining final and possibly the most entertaining match of this World Cup.
Aussies will have the Massive Fan advantage as well. I suspect they will outnumber SriLankans 10 to 1 at least at the ground.

It will be tough....and McGrath's last game and all that .....

[Turbinator]

Don't worry my Lankan brothers, I have some tissue papers left over from 2003 .

[Richard]

Homework going well As?

[bugssy]

will be a good tough game. sl hopes lay in murrali and there top 3 batsmen..... if they all fire australia will have a battle, but if australia dominate early like they have and get into a rythem then i think it will 3 for the aussies.

[shehanwije]

Yet in spite of that, he'll end his career with a fairly mediocre average in the grand scheme of things...

A point thats hardly known is that Sanath spent the first 5 years of his ODI caeer batting at 6 or 7 down...its only during the 95/96 B&H series that he was moved to the top of the order with more opps. to build an innings with more balls to face.