Transcript of the Commentary - Sri Lankan Innings

Prem: Raj-ji, sorry, not being a mastermind, I didnt figure that out from your phrasing. Now tell me this: on the one hand you want him out of the team for keeps, so what is the point of saying,if he scores at 100% or whatever? And by your logic, why dont we drop all players who havent got 100% strike rates, and maybe ask Michael Bevan if he will consider an Indian citizenship? Oh well, like I said, you and a couple of others appear to have only one thought, if you can call it that, in your minds, so I'll leave you to it, enjoy, pal. Going all, good night and see you tomorrow.

Sampath () Prem ..wasnt that supposedly the idea when the jokers, oops selectors had 2 indian teams for Canada and KL..the story was that this will give us an opportunity to test out 28 promising cricketers for with an eye toowards the WC...I guess that another committment M/S Lele have conveniently forgotten about. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TK (tk@rediff.com) Inspite of the fact that the rules are "against" the bowlers, it is good to see bowlers on the top in this tournament. I love to see SRT belt around, but this is a refreshing change. Now that they are penalising the bowlers even more for straying, I think they should revisit the fielding restrictions in the first 15 overs. Maybe have them for only 10 overs or ease them a little. Then the game will be mnore even between the batsmen and bowlers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bhim (sundar@zach.wustl.edu) Prem, A few days ago (in Dhaka Mini-world cup), you praised SL team like "Swiss chronometer" etc.. In Sharjah, they seem to be playing like Pandi Bazaar Chronometer??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, rotating a select number of players is a good idea. But the catch is, some lucky people will get chance in the sub continent and some unlucky people will get their turn in seaming conditions. So, we have to give chances to a set of established and talented players under the same conditions. Then only we can select the ideal combination. What do you say, Prem. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh (ramesh@hotmail.com) Hi Raj, Who cares about your apology. It is not like the PM of India apologizing. If you dare say something like I'll Shave my head off or something of that magnitude. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mukesh (mukesh013@hotmail.com) Hey what is the score? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RAJ (Raj@hotmail) PREM JI IM TALKING ABOUT FUTURE MATCHES Prem: goodwin continues, we are into the 39th here, and lanka are still 102 short of the target, 103 in fact needed off 71 balls, so with 8.7 the ask, I think I'll call it a day, guys, be back here tomorrow. thanks for the company, see you all 4 pm ist tomorrow.

Prem: sanjay:: technical problems, attitude problems... so what's new, huh?

Mickey () Raj what grade are you in? I remember we used to say things like OPEN CHALLENGE in 2nd or 3rd grade. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saurabh (sgups@hotmail.com) Raj..question..how many players u know have a strike rate over 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sujit () I seem Abandoned. No response. New comers are not treated right or what. ???? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, It's going to be a shiek wash for Sri Lanka. Kudos to Zimbabwe. They are really playing very well. Hope to see two nice matches on Wednesday and Thursday. Maybe, who knows, Sachin can come up with another two back to back centuries like what he did last time at Sharjah. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saurabh (sgups@hotmail.com) Cool!!!! ZIm knocks lanka twice in the tournamnet..has to be a blow... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sanjay () Prem what is the deal with Wasim Jaffer ? is he anywhere in picture.. i mean till last year we heard sweet praises about this opener .. now nothing !!! Prem: Guys, with this game trickling down to an expected finale, I think I will stop this exercise in futility, get to work on getting the match report ready, and get back in here tomorrow for the India-Zimbabwe game that, as per present indications, should be the dress rehearsal for the final.

Prem: 105 from 74 still needed. dharma drives, one more. 156/6.

Prem: 154/6, in 37.3, inswinging full toss ffrom brandes produces another single.

partha (partha@hotmail.com) Prem,match is still not yet over.Have some mercy on SL. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sanjay () Robin can be a good 1 down choice .. as we saw in Dhaka Prem: Raj:: *L* You obviously dont see matches. At the least, maybe you should check out scorecards, before you put your foot in your mouth to quite that extent. Then again, never mind.... 50 of the partnership up with yet another single, 153/6 in 37.2. 77 balls for the 50, thus far.

gaurav (gauravverma2@hotmail.com) Prem, I like your idea. I was thinking something along the same lines, rotating a few select players in upcoming international matches and then choosing for the WC based on performance. Thanks for the input! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raj (raj@hotmail.com) AGAIN MY OPEN CHALLENGE TO ANY ONE IF EVER DRAVID SCORES RUNS WITH STRIKE RATE MORE THAN 100 I WILL OPENLY APOLOGISE FOR MY COMMENT. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sanjay () Well Prem: Nobel idea . but do we have the think tank at the helm to all this .. i guess what is needed in indian cricket is a feeling that one can get back into the side even if he is dropped. Prem: 151/6 in 37, and a very grim Lankan camp there on the screen just now. brandes being brought baclk

Prem: homes:: be doing various articles between the end of this tournament and the start ofthe NZ tour and I'll do one of those as well.

BOBBY (BOBBY333@HOTMAIL.COM) OF ALL THE COMMENTS I HAVE BEEN SEEING NIRAJ'S WAS THE WORST. rOBIN IS AGREAT FINISHER, A GREAT FIELDER AND A USEFUL BOWLER. WILL DEFINITELY HELP THE INDIAN TEAM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JAWAHARLAL () ARRRE PREM GURU, KYA ACHEE TARAH SE ...LIKHE HO WAH BHAI WAH!!! TUMHE COACH BANAKAR BAIJ DENA CHAHIYE.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mehul (mehulkshah@hotmail.com) Just a quick comment: Would not it be nice to popup the scoreboard when we click the match link under CRICKET LIVE heading, getting rid of two pages that come in between? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- amit (agandh1@po-box.mcgill.ca) Prem, which pitch is the final going to be played on. And what should the team winning the toss do? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- homes () Prem: When you get a chance, can you please list a few players (not in the present team) who are showing promise and could be strong contenders for a slot in the Indian team? Prem: Doesnt really seem much point to what is going on out there, goodwin the bowler and the batsmen for the most part still content to knock the ball around. I would have thought the world cup holders, purely for pride's sake, would at the least have made a push to finish with a win, even if not at the required run rate to get into the final, but they really seemed a beaten side through this tournament and today, they are at their most listless.

Prem: 148/6 in 38.1 and tillekeratne looks the best Lankan player on view thus far, 33/41 and middling pretty much everything, not showing any sign of rust.

Sujit () Any guesses on who the unofficial world champions are right now??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAS (SKD23@HOTMAIL.COM) *L* I guess she did not see the need with SRT, RD and SG - it sure backfired - next time .... Prem: Mickey:: I only know what guys like harsha told me -- which is that for now, they dont have too many promisiing young kids, but with the coaching academy kicking off in Jan, Houghton is working to fill that gap and recent performances have apparently given the game there a boost.

sanjay (reddysanjay@hotmail.com) I think india has the nucleas for the world cup.What it needs is a good middle order bat in place of one of the spinners.Dravid will be useful in English conditions.Robin and saurav as seamers will be pretty effective(r'mber madan, Binny, Amarnath in '83) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- niraj (nirajkrishna@usa.net) Hi guys I really do not understand why they make robin play and not get him bowle I think he is in the team as an allrounder. I think he is making the Indian batting line up small we should kick him out -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raj (raj@hotmail.com) i agree with u puneet but if selection comittee consider azza to be fit enough to be in the team then sidhu too should be tried once before he retires. The other players u mentioned are very talented too i agree Prem: gaurav: seriously, I think around this point, India should be putting together a group: 4 openers, 8, 10 middle over batsmen, 6 pacemen of varying shades, three offies, say three, four other spinners, leg, left arm, etc, all rounders, and then rotating them around, for the NZ series, the Pak tour, the various Sharjah games after, checking them out, having camps for those who are not on tour, and then making up the final touring party on the basis of input from all this, and with a mind to the requirements in England in mid-May when we will be playing. but at this point, to try and argue a case for or against any single player or players is, to me, a complete waste of time and energy.

Mickey () Prem what is Zimbabwe's bench strength like? any promising youngsters? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () Tilakratne - 22/31 seems to be in a better nick even though he hda a long absence from International cricket. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JAWAHARLAL () MERE VISHAAL SE...WC KA TEAM YEH HONO CHAHIYE Sunny BHAI,KAPIL PAAJI,JIMMI,SACHIN< JIMMY,BINNY SAHEB, KIRTI PUNTER, AUR KAUN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- gaurav (gauravverma2@hotmail.com) Prem, I guess us fans like to argue about things we have no control over!! Hehe! We all have a favorite player we would like to see etc. But seriously, dont you think that all these fellows should be given a chance. After all, that is the most objective way to pick a team, based on individual performance, isnt it? Prem: tillekeratne suddenly gets a sense of urgency and thumps strang over wide mid on, four on the first bounce, very cleanly hit, down on his knee and lifting up and over. a sweep, one more, 142/6 in 35.

Prem: Das:: *L* I wish your mother in law had been in our team the last time we went to England, then.

Sujit () A game or two cannot decide whether a player is good for the world cup or not. We tried enough and we have a good team. No need to break the rythm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAS (skd23@hotmail.com) HI Guys, just joined in .... Looks like the SLankans have been barbequed once again - Prem you always keep telling that ART is a great captain, like I told you before they had a couple of good Ozzie coach and it was their overall strategy that helped ART and the Lankans - minus the Ozie Coach - ART & THE LANKANS SUCK they are playing gulley cricket. What the heck, they won the series in England but even my Mother In Law and her team can beat England. Prem: At this point, SL are actually behind Zimbabwe.in 35, Zim were 154/3 and SL now a long way behind, Strang bowling, into the 35th over, tillekeratne gets one to mid on. 136/6.

niraj krishna (nirajkrishna) Zim has really played well they diserve the win -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sujit () Too late to try again I guess. Not another splitting of team. Keep the tempo of all the current players going on. No need to try something stupid at this juncture. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Mickey>> Dravid is not meant to be in one day form of cricket. Sidhu has good record he is good opner, kambli should be in for dravid and Amay for Laxman Prem: ball three, played to shhort fine leg off his pads, no run again. dharma, ball four, plays to mid on, one more. at this point, SL doesnt even seem to be trying for a win, nefver mind qualifying -- they are just pushing the ball around and campbell content to let them. tillekeratne plays a perfect forward defensive push here, and last ball of the 34th, cut to point, single. 135/6 in 34.

Prem: whittall in for the 34th over, bowling here to dharma, the ball is played to midwicket, no run, 133/6 the score.

Puneet (pmalhotra@kpmg.ca) Raj: I say out with the old and in with the new. I would go as far as to drop azzhar from the team. He is the most inconsistent player that i have seen both as a captain and player. Its always the same. He does well in a tournament secures his place as the captain. Why aren't i hearing anything about people like A.Khusaria or Rohan Gavaskar! Why should we be so afraid to go to something new instead of being hell bent on trying to make something work like Sidhu where there is no scope for it to work! How can anyone even mention something like putting sidhu back into the oneday side! Its just pathetic and seems as if there is no talent left in India! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- homes () Hey, this Strang guy is impressive. He was in the game against India too, although the Indians got out to bad(unnecessary, might I add) shots. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amit (agandh1@po-box.mcgill.ca) Prem:Tomorrows game is gonna suck because niehter team has an incentive to do anything. I think India should keep the same team beacuse if they change the team and bring back the rested players for the final maybe the chemistry will be broken. Prem: gaurav:; as for that, I think this whole thing is pretty silly -- the team for the WC wont be picked for another 7 months now, god alone knows who will be in form and who wont, who will be fit or not, and here for the past five days I havent heard a single word other than drop x, take y, sack z. After this, I am beginning to wonder why I blame the selectors at times, frankly. :-)

mickey () Prem is right, stop talking about this replacement stuff. raj's comments are so outrageous that I just had to respond -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- gaurav (gauravverma2@hotmail.com) Prem, good job!! I think the best solution to the problem of who should be picked for WC99 is this: give all these fellows (Sidhu, Kambli, Laxman, Khurasia, Dravid etc) a chance to compete in interantional side before the WC, and the best performing players just before the tournament should be picked. What do you think? The key is to give all these guys a chance to perform. Prem: J:: hey, champ, its been a long hard week and I still have the rest of this match and the match report and the one tomorrow, so can that kind of involved analysis wait for the interval before the NZ tour, when there is leisure to do such articles? Tahnks.

Prem: That is drinks, and taking a breather here. Meanwhile, Sampath, I do generally write a couple of paras on the game coming up, will be doing that again today.

Sampath () I guess everyone here wants your opinion on 1. Dravid 2. what shoudl India do tommorow... Can you include them in your post match analysis report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sb (sb@aol.com) SL is like Bubble one day and next day air runs out ..I never thought much of their bolwlers..Muarli and Dhrama throws!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sujit () raj I think Ganguly will be the best bowling change we might see in the world cup. His slow medium seam bowling will be a great strength with the conditions in England -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickey () Raj, any relation to Raj Dungarpur? Seem to be on the same wavelength you two? and et tu HImanshu? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JAWAHARLAH () ACHA...TO BATYIE .. YEA SL KAHAN SE ETNA NICHE UTTAR PADA>>>AUR ETNA JALDI.. KYA REASON PREM GURU -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raj Chandra (r_chand@ix.netcom.com) Reg. Sidhu and Kambli stuff- I can understand dropping Dravid(some people may not like it, including Prem), but Gangully??? What is wrong with him to drop? And in is Sidhu/Kambli? Hard to think...I can bet on Kambli for VVS... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yasir (downsterling@geocities.com) PLease guys ,stop talking about the changes in team.Don't you people have any other thing to comment like the cricket being played there.I we as public talk too much about what the team should be made of.The captain and the manager knows the best.Don't you realize it.This is where we as followers let down the team.What they need from you is the support not didtating to them what the team composition should be.For heavens sake please stop talking about it.Its horrible to see so many being interested in it.Common man let help the team to do better by some constructive analysis.I am sorry for this long comment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hemant (hemant@mailexcite.com) There is heated discusion going on Dravid place in the team.My spin to it is that Dravid should be played when the teams are WestIndies,Australia, South Africa for everybody else let Ganguly be in his place instead.And Dravid should be played as an opener only.I think that way we would have a great player for fast bowling and other times a great player of oh-not-so-fast bowling.my 2cents. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickey () Raj please stop making such insane comments. Thank god you are not a selector\ Next you will be suggesting we pick players like Wadekar, Gavaskar, HEllo!, Sidhu is the past!especially for one days. Kambli's got a brokenleg so so no point considering him right now. Prem: Strang again, and Dharma sweeps, finds one to the sweeper at midwicket. Tillekeratne sweeps, but finds short fine, no run. strang and again, finds the same fielder on th sweep, 131/6 in 32.5.

Prem: dogmatic:: I said wait for it. *L* Singles meanwhile, here, for both batsmen, 128/6 the score and wwhittall bowling to HT, one ball left in the 32nd, single to mid on and 129/6 in 32.

Sujit (samtman@hotmail.com) Every team is a tough team in the worldcup. And it is required to go into the world cup with a positive frame of mind. The only thing i see lacking in the Indian team is the need for a finish. They beat the toughest of teams and then they are bored of winning. A good example is the mini world cup. Anyone agrees?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorab (sorab_dalal@dfci.harvard.edu) Hi Prem I missed the first two-thirds of the game. Just logged on. From the score card though it looks like Lanka had Zimbabwe right where they wanted them 15/3 but then could not close them out and let the large partnership get in the way. I think they are missing Murali here. A class spinner would have definitely got wickets the way this tournament is going. A comment about y'days game. You said in the match report that Ranatunga got things wrong by inserting. However, they did restrict India to 179 which was a gettable total on that track. He was right on when he blamed the batsmen for the loss. Sorab -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () Prem Any SRT interviews ...down the tubes... or doesn't he give any... will be great if there was a chat session going with him -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBBU (SUBBU@HOTMAIL.COM) I undertstand tomorrow Kumble and Prasad are opening for India with SRT coming at 11 - apparently Azza has not decided on the rest of the batting line-up and he is working hard on that. Prem: Whittall continues, tillekeratne gets one more off his pads. 125/6. dharma cuts, great stop at short third man, just the one. 126/6.

Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Raj I agree with u. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raj (raj_200@hotmail.com) and ganguly should be dropped coz of fielding he runs worse than girls Prem: Hello, Jawaharlal, howdy. End of 124/6, now needing 136 off 113 balls from here.

Mahesh (mnair@ti.com) Prem - Is it that Sl are in a real slump. It is so uncharacteristic of them to collapse like this in two successive games. Is it that with Jayasuriya out early and w/o Muralitharan taking such a toll on the entire team? Prem: 121/6 and now tillekeratne sweeps, gets one more. 122/6 in 30.4.

Prem: Raj:: Like I said, anything you say. Ive been hearing variations on this theme for five days now and frankly, I am bored pallid. Strang overflights on that one and tillekeratne quickly onto that, lifts over midwicket, one bounce and four.

veera (veera@yahoo.com) Is the commentry window working properly today? I cant see the scores... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raj (raj_200@hotmail.com) i mean, prem, look at the perfomances of both kambli and sidhu...... and look at this dead dravid i can bet he will never score a single run more than the balls he play i mean he will never achieve a strike rate of 100 that my challenge to dravid and selection comittee and every one else who favors darvid.come on guys he is just dead player in the team -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) mickey&viraj>> every team goes through a bad phase nothing to worry about.Zim is doing good job, hope they perform strongly in onedays, this would be great boost for intl cricket -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mukesh (mukesh013@hotmail.com) Prem, what is the score??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mukesh (mukesh013@hotmail.com) Prem, what is the score??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bab (abyd@da.com) Prem, Which players do you think should be rested for the last league match against Zim. Prem: manu:: left hander, put differently. Tillekeratne sweeps and misses again, 113/6 in 29 SL.

Prem: dharma finally gets one away off his pads, gets two for it. into the 30th here, last ball, pushed to mid on and one more, 116/6 in 30. from 104/6 in 25, so the Lankans really crawling along.

Partha (partha@hotmail.com) Prem,in England is it not going to be different scene. We are palying in the first half and when the ball starts talking, we will need technically good fellows to be in the team otherwise we will have a regular marchpast and it will put tremendous pressure on Tendulkar.People are excited about India's recent win.Let's consolidate from hereon without playing musical chairs anymore. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) thanks prem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramprasad (rpmvadi@hotmail.com) Hi Prem !!! A suggestion. Hope you will like it and implement it. "Please give importance to syntax like using capital letters, punctuations, indicating in bold when something significant like a boundary, out etc happens et al. I am sure that will give a more professional look to the nice job you are doing" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sb (sb@aol.com) STRANG..wait till SRT and others hit you allover tomorrow. If Indial can hit Shame Warne, then who's Paul Strange? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) I think for coming Wc we should sidhu, kambli & Amay.Drop Laxman & Dravid. Prem: 7-0-15-4. Spinners in this tournament have had some super analaysis, but this one should be the all time beaut for the Coca Cola Cup -- against a team rated among the best at paying spin. 7.11 the ask now and only formalities happening out there, whitttall bowling and dharma being pinned down around off.

Prem: manu:: left hander, put differently. Tillekeratne sweeps and misses again, 113/6 in 29 SL.

mickey () Hard to believe that this same SL team used to get to 111 almost at the end of 10 overs and that too agains better bowling attacks than Zim, Zim has really come up and SL has really gone down. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Viraj () I don't believe that this is the same team which has won the last world cup!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paurav (pvora@juno.com) Strang definitely the MOM here.!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) >>prem>> what by the way is a southpaw.. i've always wonddered Prem: strang to dharma, and that one came in sharply, cramps dharma, ball trickles pas the keeper but tillekeratne quickly down the track, they get one more. ball four, the sweep, misses. 113/6.

Prem: again the flick, this time straighter, finds the single to mid on. 112/6.

Prem: manu:: leg break. pitching leg and turning in to middle and off. 6.77 the ask now, 149 off 132 with four batsmen left standing, tillekeratne flicks strang and finds midwicket, no run.

Sujit (samtman@hotmail.com) Hi guys. Seems like winning a match is immpossible for them now -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) didni he get mahanma with one that came back into him Prem: wHITTALL TO tILLEKERATNE, the on drive gets one more, 111/6 in 28.

Prem: Dharma this time on driving, finds one to midwicket and Sl 110/6 IN 27.4.

mickey () Raj dude, what are you saying? Sidhu, better than Dravid or Ganguly, hard to think anyone believes in this kind of stuff. kambli neither, but I can still understand . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Partha (ParthaR@hotmail.com) Raj,Let us think forward.World Cup should not be end of the world. Sidhu cannot add anything to this Indian team.We do not want carry a deadwood. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PJ () Hey Raj_200, don't you think all should be dropped from current team and you should be playing. Prem: whitall continues. tillekeratne inner edges to square leg and they get the one. Might be an idea for a slip to come on for the offie to the southpaw, tillekeratne looking tentative against the off spinner. whittall to dharma, pushed back to the bowler. 108/6.

Prem: partha:: ACtually, this guy has more of a loop than mushie, but hasn't bowled a googly that I noticed, thus far but a fine leggie and here he goes again, gets one to jump and turn and dharma left clueless, lucky the involuntary edge fell too wide of the keeepr. a push to cover, no run, 108/6 in 27.

manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) sri lanka is beginning to look like the team that played two years b4 the world cup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- partha (partha@hotmail.com) Prem,Strang looks to be good leg-spinner with lot of variation. Is he like Mushtaq with lot of nip and turn ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rao () India has been lucky in not having to play on two successive days more than once. SL and ZIM had to do that twice. May be that has helped the Indians to feel fresh and relaxed. Prem: 5-0-12-4 his analysis this far, and tillkeratne's turn to sweep, gets one.

Prem: raj:; never mind that one has a gimpy ankle and is not even in the Bombay side, by the way. Into the 27th over, SL 107/6. Strang continues and Tiullekeratne on strike.

Prem: Sure, Raj, anything you say. Dogmatic:; yeah.... we got something coming down the tubes, should give you a kick.

raj (raj_200@hotmail.com) dont u think prem, dravid and ganguly should be dropped permenantely ? i think vinod kambli and sidhu are far better -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () Lesson for ADS before he takes the flight to SL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () hey prem...are you guys gonna update your slide show...etc.. any time soon.. i thought i remeber seeing a shane warne slide show was i dreaming or.... Prem: whittall to dharma, played to midwicket, oen more.

Prem: the offie causing some problems to the left hander here, good turn and bounce for whittall and tillekeratne poking at it. 6.36 the ask just to win, and tillekeratne pushes the single.

Prem: whittall now to tillekeratnne, into the 26th over, 104/6 in 25 the sscore.

() SL Needs to go at 9.15 to qualify (assuming ZM loose tomorrow) and needs to go at 6.0 to win this game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) dont quite remember how it ended but it was one hell of an innings after early wickets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vikram (vikramkishore@hotmail.com) Joined just now What happened to the score board. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raj () About the world record scores of the Aussies and Inidians in the ODI while chasing. I just checked the records on cricinfo and we also made 316 in that famous match against pak. We only needed 315 to win the game. We got the runs in 47.5 overs while aus got it in 48.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) >>prem.. if the runner is out of his crease b4 the ball is bowled and takes a run from there, can it be called a short run?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jag () Actually today's match between AUS amd Pak has world record as in match Between Ind and Pah Ind has to chase 314 runs and it madd 316 runs but in today's match Aus to chase 315 runs and made 316 runs so thi is a new world record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PC () Prem tillakaratne got caught on the boundary trying for a six that would have won the match for the Lankans.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paurav (pvora@juno.com) You are right, dogmatic. SL are practically out of the competition anyway. Instead of sneaking 2 or 3 singles an over, they should try hitting over the heads for the big ones -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sajid () Thanx Prem. Going off line. Be in touch tomorrow Prem: Strang nnow to Dharma, who has come in at the fall of that wicket. N|ice thing to see, there, straight drive had the ball go onto the stumps and strang quickly signals to the umpire that though he dived, he did not get a touch, so no appeal there. that's a nice gesture, alltoo rare in these times.

Prem: ADS goes for 26 off 52 and now it is Tillekeratne to do whatever he can solo, with Samaraweera and the rest of the bowling lineup for compnay.

Prem: Manoj:: off hand, I would think yes. ADS on strike and STrang flighting, bringing him forward, good thinking. ball three, again flight and a bit of loop this time, ADS sweeps and STrang gets number four, that one was brilliant bowling, flighted twice, the third time, flighted more, gave it loop, he swept, the ball ballooned to Johnson at deep midiwicket.

Syed () Prem, I wish that someone else could do the live reporting so that you could get a chance to answer our queries! Kidd'n! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manoj (rmanoj@cheerful.com) Prem: One last question on Aussie series. Is this the first Aussie team to Pak (to subcontinent?) not to have lost a single match? Prem: manu:: yeah, right, wasn't that the one where a six finished off the match?

Prem: 24th over in progress, ads on strike, again plays off his hips and finds no run, this time, going 25 off 47. another flick, another dot ball. one left in the 24th, ads on his knee sweeping, just the one, keeps strike, 103/5 in 24.

dogmatic () ADS....should go in MAD MAX mode about now..otherwise...itzz all over -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) tillekeratne is quite suited to this role but the long absence might be a factor who can forget his innings here chasing 330 odd against WI Prem: tillekeratne, on stirke, and cuts, lovely shot and finds the gap and a brilliant fielding effort, chasing that down, keeps it down to three. 102/5.

Prem: whittall continues, ads plays off his legs and gets one more. ads has been doing a lot of this lately, get the run first ball, and get across to the square leg region, seems to be trying to spare himself as much pain as possible. 99/5 in 23.2

kabal (kabal@hotmail.com) Regarding yesterday's Aussie Pak match, it looks like Pakis are doomed whenever two of their batsmen make centuries. All the more true when Ijaz is one of them. First India and Now the Aussies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manoj (rmanoj@cheerful.com) Thanx PJ. I think SL's diamal performane is due to the unavailability of Muralidharan. On these pitches he would have been unplayable. Oh! there goes Mahanama!!! SL should at least try win this to give themselves a chance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paurav (pvora@juno.com) Does Anyone know, if bajju is included in our team for New Zeland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickey () Raj , I think it is bit of both form/and the figuring out part but I think you are absolutely right. Let's not give the Lankans too much credit. The world has figured them out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () I think India had made 317 to win against pakistan. Prem: 98/5 in 23.

Prem: PJ and the rest, why not worry about the india game tomorrow, guys? I'll stay with this one, thanks much. :-) tillekeratne starts with an on drive, gets one, brings ADS on strike. Strang the bowler, with three to his name so far. flighted, ads pushes to mid on, single.

manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) and talking about tommorows game doesnt anyone think here that we need to win to keep the psycological edge b4 the final -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- pungi (cgarude@aol.com) Himanshu & avancha>> Knowing Indian selectors, Dravid's adventurous on-day batting career is overs..until World Cuo, where he will definitely be in the team. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) pj>> agreed they should take prasad and laxman rest agarkar and robin. No dravid pl -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PJ () Prem, What do you think, Laxman can be a better option then the Robin Singh, isn't it, Comments Please Prem: that should bring hashan tillekeratne to the middle after a long absence. not quite the kind of situation a batsman on the comeback wants to be walking into, though.

Prem: Strang this time on a lovely line, on off and turned it away from mahanama, who let it go. nice bounce and turn there. next ball, and there goes mahanama -- this pitched leg and middle, turned in, mahanama went for the pull to a ball of full length, and the ball turns in and hits him plumb in front.

Raj Chandra (r_chand@ix.netcom.com) Looks like it is not the form of the SL batsmen for this slump, but all the bowlers found the weaknesses of their tactics, like Srinath does to Jaya as Wasim did to Srikanth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pungi (cgarude@msxi.com) Speaking of team changes, I believe that have already indicated they are NOT going to make any changes -- This is right from the Dressing Doom -- I mean Room. Prem: another attempt to beat short fine, but again, ads finds the fielder, no run. end of the 22nd, 96/4.

Prem: ads playing with the turn, finds short fine again. ball five, he has a huge sweep, but his luck is the same, finds the same fielder, strang, for the fourth time on the trot and he aint getting anything for it. ball six, another sweep, misses, wide called, that was way wide of leg. 96/4.

() Hi Manoj It is the same score which Ind made agains Pak -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PJ () I think for tomorrows game India should give chance to Prasad and Laxman resting Srinath and Robin Singh. This will give an option to try inplace of Robin as anyway we are not giving ball to Robin and then Laxman can ball offspin too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Syed (syed4@hotmail.com) Prem, Correction 93/4 Prem: whittall to ads, turned round, finds short fine, no run.

Prem: mahanama paddles at whittall, introduced for johnson, mistimes. ball two, puhses to mid on, gets the single.

Prem: SL are ahead of Zimbabwe, they were 66/3 in 20 and SL 91/4 at that point. But miles to go, quite literally, here with SL having to keep going at 5.72 just to win, but to shade Zim, they have just 20 more overs to get to the target -- a rate of about 8 an over from here.

Jag () Hi hear is score card of sl ST Jayasuriya c Goodwin b Streak 19 17 1 0 +RS Kaluwitharana lbw b Streak 6 12 0 0 MS Atapattu c Campbell b Strang 24 41 2 0 PA de Silva not out 23 36 2 0 *A Ranatunga c GW Flower b Strang 0 3 0 0 RS Mahanama not out 7 9 0 0 Extras (lb 2, w 4, nb 1) 7 Total (4 wickets, 19.3 overs) 86 To Bat: TT Samaraweera, WPUJC Vaas, HDPK Dharmasena, UDU Chandana, Wickremasinghe. FoW: 1-17 (Kaluwitharana, 3.3 ov), 2-28 (Jayasuriya, 5.4 ov), 3-75 (Atapattu, 16.2 ov), 4-75 (Ranatunga, 16.5 ov). Bowling O M R W Brandes 6 0 35 0 Streak 6 0 26 2 (2w) Johnson 5.3 1 19 0 (1nb, 1w) Strang 2 0 5 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PC () Hey I remember this dude Mahanama playing a brilliant knock of 90 in Mumbai to almost lead SL to a victory over india ages ago, hope he comes up with something similiar here, keeo the fun in the game Prem: Manoj:: no.

Prem: Hey, if you keep asking me personal questions, guys, it makes a mess of the transcript. Strang continues, ends the over with a ball htat has ADS defending, 94/4 in 21 SL.

Manoj (rmanoj@cheerful.com) Prem: Does India still hold the record for highest ODI score achieved while chasing and successfuly achieving the target? ( I am writing this with ref to today's Aus-Pak match) manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) the point of making changes for someone in the team is to find an alternative player for a player in the team. so who should go and who shouldnt is supposed to be based on that. you just dont change your team around so that evry member of the party gets to play Prem: Mahanama this time with a lovely little paddle, gets two more to fine leg. 93/2.

Prem: mahanama this time shapes to pull, doesnt really get hold of that one, but manages to clear the infield, gets two more. ball six of the 20th, mahanama flicks square, gets one more. 91/4 in 20.

Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) avancha>> Dravid should not be tken in one-day form of cricket -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () guess everything goes in cylces ehhh... hope india peaks during the world cup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manoj (rmanoj@cheerful.com) I think Sharjah no longer produces belters. The pitches have become lower and slower. It makes the matches duller. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu` (kohlims@yahoo.com) kaushal the server that carries the scorecard is down -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pandya () Prem... Just popped in Why am I not able to see the scorecard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- kabal (kabal@hotmail.com) It is surprising how everyone is talking about giving guys like VVS and RD a bat to get them into form. If they are not going to play the final what is the point of getting them into form. Or do we have news about any injuries to any regular batsmen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () HEy Prem put that text on the scoreboard so no1 will aask you again :) Prem: slower ball, yorker length, mahanama mistimes a push. 86/4 in 19.3. johnson, and this time mahamanama pushes to mid on, direct hit but mahanama was home, and they get one more to the richochet.

Prem: JNohnson continues, ads works one off his hips, finds the single, 86/4.

Syed (syed4@hotmail.com) Prem, Are you reporting from Sharjah directly?. I have been a keen follower of your articles. Keep up the good work! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- parta (parthaR@hotmail.com) Prem, Why is there sudden slide in form of Sri Lankans? Are they trying to Raman () Prem, do u think its time to drop Jayasuriya and give Gunawardena some chance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, SriLanka has won the world cup mainly because of Jayasurya, Aravinda and Ranatunga. Two among these three always played well in all the matches. Of late, only one of these three only plays well and that's the reason for their flop show in 1998. It looks like they will continue the same form for the WC 99. No wonder, if they don't enter semis. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- gunega () except for srinath, nobody should be rested tomorrow...indians usually lose with a non-regular team, and then take some time to recover...(sahara, zim 3rd one dayer)... manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) amit-- and are you going to go and bowl at sharjah?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaushal (kaushal_m@hotmail.com) Prem, what is the matter with the score card -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raman () Prem, its 4 wkts dowm and not 2 as u mention in the score Prem: thus far, mahanama has been the most impressive batsman on view for the lankans, playing well, middle everyting and he is smooth between wickets. ads pushes finds cover, 84/4 in 19.

PC () Prem, notice a funny thing. Till date Sharjah has been a ground for teams to stock up with hard hitting batsmen and okay types bowlers.. this time though its team with better bowling atacks that are winning.. SL who without Murali ahve just one world class bowler in Vaas are deep in trouble -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- avancha (raju_avancha@hotmail.com) I still do not understand the reason to keep RR Singh and not let him bowl. If he is not going to bowl, then Dravid can be taken, instead, to come 1 drop and anchor the innings when there is a fall of early wicket. RR Singh can not do that. Besides, Dravid can be used as a part-time off spinner too. He is good as a spinner compared to RR singh's military medium pace...Prem. Prem: ads pulls, ball didn't get up as much as he thought, but he got enough wood to get the single through midwicket, and now seems to be calling for, judging by his semaphore, the pain killing spray. mahanama meanwhile paddles, very good running here, two for it. HEY, GUYS, FOR THE NTH TIME, THE SERVER WITH THE SCOREBOARD ON IT IS DOWN, IS WHY I AM TRYING TO GIVE IT HERE.

Prem: 5.65 now the ask, strang to ads, raps him on the pad as he sweeps and misses but that was pitching middle, turning away.

Plakkil (plakkil@yahoo.com) Looks like Zimbabwe will be the next Sri Lanka. Starting out as Giant Killers and becoming the Giants! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) 78/2 or78/4 dont have the scorecard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manoj (rmanoj@cheerful.com) This could be Zimbabwe's second finals. They played a tournament last year between ZIM, KENYA and BAN. Needless to say, Zim won the tournament. Kenya, I think were the finalist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raman () Why not concenrate on the current match rather than discussing who should be rested and who not for trow's game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amit (parul@gte.net) The changes for tomorrow's match should be Laxman for Tendlya...Prasad for Srinath.....Dravid for Kumble as all of our batsman need to show some form!! Prem: again going across his stumps, mahanama -- this bloke is a natural for the yorker on his pads -- and pushing one to mid on, 79/4 SL and one ball left in the 18th. slower ball, ads reads it, plays to fine leg, single, 80/4 in 18.

Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, now we don't have to talk about the run rate as SL are going to lose the match. Always Zimbabwe really played well against, even when they lost, but this time they brought the world cup holders down to earth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Karthik Ramamurthy (karthik_kumar@hotmail.com) Prem: Assuming SL win today and take their NRR to better than ZIM's, ZIM can still go through in the following scenarios. If India bat first & score 250, ZIM should score at least 232. If ZIM bat first & score 250, they shd make sure India takes at least 47 overs to win! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PJ () Now even ADS can not pull this game for SL. Prem: Mahanama this time across to off, flicks, finds two behind square. 78/2 in 17.4.

Prem: Bhim:: Looks next to impossible from herre. Wouldnt have said that about 6 months back even, but this eam is as low on morale and confidence as it is possible to get. 18th over in progress here, 76/2 thhe score, mahanama on strike and johnson the bowler, forces the defensive push with a faster one on off.

Bhim (sundar@zach.wustl.edu) Prem: I feel SL has lost this mtach now.. What you feel? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) krishnan-- but you see azza has not been in the best of form so he needs this relatively easy game to get into the grooveb4 the finals same for jadeja,ganguly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () YES! GO ZIMS.... Prem: Strang still has a ball left in the 17th, Mahanama drives inside out, finds vcover, no run, Strang in the first over 2 wickets for one run. Heck, I did say Strang could be crucial, but I didn't for sure expect this kind of thing -- the Lankans, again not getting the Jayasuriya special at the top, seem to be coming to pieces here.

dogmatic () isn't this gonna be the first time.. zimbabwe has entered a major finalss... about timeeeeee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Krishna Kaliappan () Excellent captaincy, I expected Strang even as first change. Better late than never. It will be really interresting how Strang bowls to Aravinda as ADS cannot walk down the track. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sri (sri@hotmail.com) Even if SL after the 42nd over. zim could lose badly to us and sneak thru to the finals Prem: good line here from strang to arjuna, and there goes the wicket -- ccame down the track trying to clear midoff, didnt get to the pitch, hit it to mid on and the fielder there, dived and held in fine style. Grant Flower the fielder, two wickets in the first over to Strang.

PJ () Guys, Did you read Rameez Raja's comment in the 2nd ODI PAK Vs Aus, on TV he said Aus bowls good against Left handers and Right handers. What a excellent comment!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () As for tomorrow's match it is really difficult to guess which batsman are out to make way for Dravid and LAxman. Everyone will want to play and make runs since its going to be a tension free match for India. Prem any comments? :-) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Krishna Kaliappan () Manu, Dravid for Azhar and Laxman for Robin would be better. I agree with you that Robin can be dropped (or rested). Prem: atapattu meanwhile went foor 24 off 41, which was not the strike rate that was going to do it for his team in this position, now ranatunga on strike and trying to steer strang to fine leg, finds the fielder.

Prem: this would be when zimbabwe need to be keyed up in the field -- ranatunga loves to dab the ball around and with a runner at the other end, the possibility of a run out increases.

ram () micky, i think you may be right. i remember a match (may be the singer cup final in colombo, which we won) where ADS was doing all this limping stuff, and, with a runner got to his 100, and for a moment, during his exultation, his limp was gone, his pain was gone and he was walking up and down, bat held high, with his usual swagger!!! Prem: Next ball, there goes the wicket, full length on off, Atapattu drives, the ball is the leg break, the turn gets the edge and Campbell at cover has an easy take.

Prem: mickey, well, heck, way he fell, that was me i mighta asked for a stretcher. :-) and here is the interesting bit -- paul strang on now, into the 17th over and much is going to depend on how the batsmen handle him. ads, ball one, sweeps, top edge, drops just short of backward square leg. single, but that one was dicey. 75/2.

Raju () Vaas need to come next I think.. Prem? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickey () LAL he was clearly out and almost walked off and then came back when the umpire said nothing and also today I am sure about this runner thing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amit (parul@gte.net) If Zimbabwe wins today then isn't Sl going home?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raju () SL needs to send one pinch hitter now, if MAT or ADS fall.. who would that be? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickey () Prem, remember, often ADS asks for a runner. He did it once against India too I remember,and everytime it is Jaya. I am almost sure it is a ploy. What do you think? Prem: johnson, outside off, atapattu flays at it and misses with everyything, 74/2 in 16 Zim.

sanjay () ADS will need to be a cat with 6 lives to pull this one out .. he had 2 against india lets see what he gets here.. i guess zim will have to bowl him out if they want to get his wicket !!! Prem: johnson to ads, slower ball on off, gentle flick to square leg gets him one, 74/2 in 15.5 and atapattu on strike to the last ball of the 16th.

Prem: ads drives, finds mid off with the defledftion off the bowler's hand. the ask now up to 5.42, dsilva batting 17. johnson, in the `16th, bowling within himself, nice tight line around off, ads pushes and finds mid off again.

Prem: mukesh:: that server is frozen, so I am putting the score in here. johnson this time wide of off and called, 72/2. ball three, nice cover drive, but agian, finds the sweeper, just the one. 73/2.

manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) two ...lets say restricted oneday players for two fluent players.(krishan kaliappan) dravid for robin singh is a better choice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mukesh (mukesh0132hotmail.com) Prem what is happening I am not able to get the score card? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAL (LAL@YAHOO.COM) MAY I KNOW WHY ARVINDIA HAS NO SPORTMANSHIP? JUST ASKIN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- manu (kohlims@yahoo.com) i can understand prasad for srinath as he needs to be handled carefully but why laxman and dravid for tendulkar and azza Prem: -20 if we go by that Richards formula. And now the field retrictions are off and campbell spreads them around. johnson to continue. dsilva off the back foot, finds the sweeper, one more. 71/2, into the 16th over.

Prem: dogmatic:: hey, be obliged you dont make a mess of the transcript, pal. :-) checked push to mid on gets one to end the over, SL 70/2 in 15.

Prem: punched off the back foot this time, good stop at cover and no run.

sanjay () i agree with A - Arvinda has no sportmanship . i agree that he is anice player . based on the way he batted in WC semi's at calcutta .. but he is not a true sportman RAMAN () Why r we talking about Net Run Rate so early. If ZIm wins tom how does this matter. Remember India may rest some players and so do the same as they did in ZIM One Day series -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mickdy () Prem do you think ADS might be pretending just so that they can get Jaya in? After all we know he is a terrible sportsman. Prem: Interesting, this -- zimbabwe feeling tension, understandable. they are fighting for a rare final appearance. but the world cup holders showing a rare degree of nervousness, which indicates that their morale is at a pretty low ebb, ditto confidnece. ads off drives, finds the fielder. streak, on off, he tries to clear mid on and does it, by about half a foot. four, with a shot that could have been his downfall. 69/2.

Prem: 64/2 in 14 SL, chasing 260 to win. streak now to atapattu, and I could swear I heart atapattu call yes, ADS yell something, and runner Jayasuriya yell wait. This is getting quite scrappy, misfields, bad running, the works. streak to atapattu, the flick finds the sweeper at square leg, single. 65/2.

Prem: 64/2 and one ball left in the 14th. pushed to midwicket, no run.

Prem: 61/2 as play readies to resume, ads walking with a bit of a limp and jaya out there doing the runner-thing. Okay, by that count, it is +17 here, and atapattu flicks the first ball, gets one more. 63/2. now would be a good time to bring on a spinner who flights, make ADS come down the tradck, hampered foot movement could cause problems. for now though it is johnson, continuing to ads, the on drive, no run. next ball, a huge heave, wide of mid on, not really getting hold of it, gets two for it though.

A () I think INdia should win tomorrow's match but by ensuring SL are out of the context. Afterall Aravinda has no sportmanship. Shouldnt they pay for it? :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mayank Goyal (mgoyal@technologist.com) I dont understand why we are giving so much imp. to reaching that target in 42 overs. If India crushes Zim timmorow, SL still have a chance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raju () prem dont you really mean + 18 by the barry richards formula Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, I feel it will be very difficult for Sri Lankans to win the match. Even if they win, it won't be before over 44. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sajid () Ranatunga is a very good captain, He is a true leader who shows way to his players. Many times he saves SL when they are down. I think, along with Cronje, Ranatunga can be rated as best captain in the world. Prem: raju:: none. homes:: look all those calculations are too esoteric, we are first looking at the calculation for now. at the end of today, that is. about tomorrow, sufficient unto the day. :-) And meanwhile, drinks being brought on. taking a breather here.

Krishna Kaliappan () Prem, As I said yesterday, for tommorow's match, I feel Prasad, Laxman and Dravid should come in place of Srinath, Tendu and Azhar respectively. Srinath should be rested as we want to use him only for crucial matches. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- homes () Prem: What if India beats the crap out of Zim tomorrow, Does SL have a chance then? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raju () is there rain expected -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ram (ram24@hotmail.com) what's the target for SL to stay in the competition? Prem: meanwhile, more trouble -- another impossible single taken, ads has to dive into his crease to make his ground, dives badly, lands on his side, and when you do that and the hip bone strikes the ground with force, it can hurt like the dickens. he also seems to have hurt his knee and looks in pain here.

Prem: By that reckoning, to beatt Zim on the run rate, SL needs to be at 78 here. So right now, they are -18, now you can keep the count from there.

Prem: One way to keep track of how they are placed is a trick Barry Richards once shared with some of us, when he was here a few years ago. He toldus, check out what the ask per over is. Say it is six (here it is a bit more, but 6 is a fair target to fix on). Then, when you go in, you look for six in yourr first over. If you get it, tell yourself, 0. If you get five, then at the start of the second over, say to yourself +1. If you get 7, it is -1. That way, you know what you have to do all the time.

Prem: Even at 5 an over, SL need to be 65 here. And you have to remember getting there in 50 overs wont do. so at this point, the chasing team in deficit here.

Prem: superb work here from streak, five dot balls to atapattu, three quarter length on off and climbing and atpattu struggling to get it away. here he stands tall and swings, gets two through midwicket, just two in the over, 60/2 in 13.

Plakkil (plakkil@yahoo.com) Sri Lanka cannot keep winning with their old tactics. They should realise that other teams will catch up with them. Maybe Ranatunga should quit now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- () SL is a gone case in this match.-Aravinth Prem: mickey, hey, give me a chance here, pal, how do I answer all those adn do commentary? yes, he looks tense and tentative, no comment about the umpiring yesterday, nothing unsual about the crowd reaction either, and I think both teams are having a touch of nerves. atapattu, for four times this over, driving and mistiming. normally he moves his feet fluidly, herre he has been keeping his feet static and going for power and he is mishitting everything in sight.

mickey () Prem is ADS playing tentatively or does he look solid.what was the crowd reception like when he came today? Anyone say anything about umpiring at yesterdays presentation? You think Zimbabwe here is complacent or plain nervous due to maybe inexperience? Prem: 19 off 30 to atapattu, streak in to him, on off and again, he mistimes the drive and finds the bowler.

Prem: 13th over coming up and streak continues, 4-0-18-2 for him thus far, short cover and leg slip the close catchers, atapattu on strike and pushes defensively.

PC () ADS is going to have to play a heck of an innings of they are going to do this.. somehow after yestedray just the mental strength required will be huge -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- homes (shail49@hotmail.com) I think it is Agarkar who should be rested! Prem: johnson doing very well here, the dot balls will keep adding to the pressure. thus far, though, the zim fielding below its usual standard, flower dropped a sitter off atapattu and the same batsman could have been run out about a dozen times. flick, finds backward square, no run, 58/2 in 12.

Prem: good ball, very full length, ads consistently looking to play off to leg, bat turns in his hand here, always the sign of a batsman not in top nick, leading edge down the track and the bowler fields. ball four, johnson, pushed this time to mid off, no run.

Prashanth (Pvemuganti@yahoo.com) I feel that the fast bowlers should not be rested. They are professionals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- syed (syed4@hotmail.com) Avancha, I don't think it's a good idea!. Remember the last time we got complacent agains't Zimbabwe? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sajid () My team selection for tomorrow shall be - Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid, Jadeja (C), Robin Singh, Mongia, Chopra, Agarkar, Kumble, Joshi Prem: on off this time, slower ball, ads punches to the on side and finds the fielder, no run.

Prem: 58/2 in 11, SL, chasing 260 to win, and 42 overs to do it in if they want to edge Zim on net run rate. johnson to ads, full length on middle, played to midwicket, no run.

Prem: brandes to atapattu, ball five, pushed to mid on again, no run. Aravinth:: sorry, the server the scoreboard is on is dead. 15/28 atapattu, facing the last ball of the 11th, brandes, and again, the flick from outside off, just past the outstretched hand of midwicket, and four to the fence. hello, syed.

Prem: for the person who asked, this is the pitch on which india played its first game. 260 is defensible, more so because they have to get it inside 42 to qualify for the final ahead of zim on the run rate. third umpire rules atapattu in, but that was another close shave, atapattu having more than his share of those here.

() What happeaned to your score card? Just logged in. How much are the SL chasing?-Aravinth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sajid () This time ADS should take charge and steer SL to a stage from where they can get into the final. And wish that he fails in final against IND. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rachmaninoff (rakman@hotmail.com) is this the same pitch that was used yesterday? is 240 therefore a high total? Prem: that was not the kind of shot you expect from atapattu -- outside off and heaved clumsily towards mid on, three quarters down the track, and then he sees that aravinda has his back turned to him, scrambles back. direct throw hits the stumps, third umpire called in.

avancha (raju_avancha@hotmail.com) I feel for tomorrows match Srinath, RR singh should be rested. Prasad & Dravid should be tried. Prem: ads flicks the single first up, in the 11th, brandes now to atapatu who straight drives and more fun and games from zim in the field, atapattu was short of his ground, tmid on fumbled, then suddenly threw to the other end and wide of the keeper and two for the price of one, so to speak. 54/2. next ball the push to mid on has the fielder doing a neater job of it, o run, it's whitall out there.

Prem: johnson to ads, on middle and leg, the batsman flicks and misses, leg bye. 51/2 and one ball left in the 10th, atapattu to face, on off, pushed to mid on, no run, ends the 10th with sl 51/2.

Prem: johnson to atapattu, on leg, turned around to short fine, single. period here of taking stock, for both batsmen, but neither has the luxury to indulge in that for too long, given the magnitude of the chase. 50/2 in 9.3

Prem: johnson to atapattu, no ball called, lucky as it turned out because he was rapped on the pad there, trying to play square on the off.

Prem: on middle, atapattu tries to flick but doesn't get it quite right, finds square leg, no run.

Prem: outside off and a glorious cover drive, long chase there for the fielder and two more to the batsman. 48/2 the score, into the 10th over here.

Prem: pradeep:: none yet. 10th over coming up and johnson on in place of streak. bowling to atapattu.

Prem: sajid: premp@rediff.co.in

Prem: Oy, guys, please go easyy on the questions, lots of work to do with lanka playing the way they are just now. Last ball of the 9th, brandes to atapattu, on off, psuehdd to cover, another quick run,throw, miss, another narrow escape.46/2 sl in 9.

Raju () judging by the way in which SL has played for the past few matches, I think atapattu is the key man for SL today, he needs to stay as long as he can, making sure that one end is safe.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prashanth (Pvemuganti@yahoo.com) This is the first time here. What a way get into the game. Prem is a good host with lot of patience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naren () It is possible that SL could be in finals if India beat ZIM by big margin even if SL doesn't make it today in 41 over, but bottomlineis they HAVE to win today !!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Srihari (sri@mgsystems.com) Is Indian team really playing well or is it the Sri Lankans are playing bad?? Prem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AVANCHA (raju_avancha@hotmail.com) All these calculations may be fun for statistician. Common get real. Sri Lanka is truely out of the finals. No doubt about it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAL (LAL@TAHOO.COM) THATS IT THE LAST 1 IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE PAVILION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prashant.J.Kacharia (Prashant@eng.umd.edu) Prem.Dont you think that Srinath should be given a rest fro tomorrows game. I also am of the opinion that Jadeja should now start bowling at the nets. His medium pace shall really be an asst in England. Comment Prem: on off and atapattu finds the mid off fielder with an off drive. no run.

Prem: brands to ads, who cover drives, inner edge, to midwicket, single. 45/2. lots of erratic cricket out there from both sides, seems the tension is getting to everyone.

Prem: on off, pushed to whittall's left, again they run with the shot, this time the direct hit fails but atapattu wasn't even in the frame as that one passed the stumps.

Prem: brandes now to atapattu, pitches short -- too much of thhis from both Zim bowlers today -- and atapattu swings him around, over midwicket, foru four. 43/22 sl, into the 9th over here.

Prem: streak to ads this time, pushed past the bowler but good fieling by streak on the follow through. last ball of the 8th, 39/2 the score, ads on strike to heath streak, slip and leg slip ijn place, short and lifting on off, played to mid on, no run.

Prem: streak to atapattu, ball 4, short and on off, pushed to mid on and they run with the shot, whittall hits direct but the batsman is home.

Prem: Nice play off the hips there from aravinda, to the line of off and middle, fetches him the single and streak again to atapattu. on middle, played to mid on, finds the fielder, no run. into the 8th over here.

Prem: brandes to atapattu, nice ball, on off seaming in a shade, played to midwicekt, no run. 33/2 in 7.

Prem: Bit of a freeze there for me, pickingg play again in the brandes over with atpattu still on strike and lanka 33/2, nice cover drive to ball on off and finds the fielder, no run.

Raju () Assume that SL wins the game in 40something overs, even then SL can hope for india trashing Zimbabwe by miles... I think there is some "statistical" chance that SL may make finals even if they cant make it today in 41 overs. raj () I think we will be playing zim in the final. I hope this one does not go the same was as the last two series agains aus. In India we won most of the prelimnary matches and lost the final and same thing happen to aus in sharjha. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- karthik () the pitch seems to be playing nice and true with lots of runs. i think this is the same pitch that will be used in the final Raju () Assume that SL wins the game in 40something overs, even then SL can hope for india trashing Zimbabwe by miles... I think there is some "statistical" chance that SL may make finals even if they cant make it today in 41 overs. Prem: brands, shhort on off, atapattu square drives and finds point, no run.

Prem: slower ball, yorker length and dsilva digs it out, gets one to point, 31/2 sl in 6.1.

Prem: Aravinda the new man in, and brandes to continue.

Raju () Assume that SL wins the game in 40something overs, even then SL can hope for india trashing Zimbabwe by miles... I think there is some "statistical" chance that SL may make finals even if they cant make it today in 41 overs. Prem: streak, raps atapattu on the pad but he was a long way forward, no problem, 30/2 in 6 sl.

Prem: That's the two explosive openers back in the hut, and that is become an increasingly familiar phenomenon for the Lankans. Streak to atapattu who crossed over while tht was in the air, drives nicely on line of off, hitting on the up, gets two more.

Prem: mukesh:: Ranatunga.

Prem: 28/1 in 5.3, streak to jaya and there goes the wicket -- on off and middle, jaya flicks, a predictable shot from him and they had the man right on the line at deep backward square and jaya picked the man out with unerring aim.

Prem: the tension seems palpable, both sides making mistakes like it is going out of style here, and now another misfield, at mid off, that was running gently to whittall and he simply over ran it, uncharacteristic, this, from zim.

Prem: karthik:: sl did. ball two of the 6th, jaya on strike and swings this around, wasn't short enough for the shot and there is another mix up. Atapattu and Jaya both at the batting end, the throw comes in to the bowler's end, Streak was looking at where the batsman was insread of at the ball, and misses the gatehhr or atapattu was goine.

Prem: Mukesh, as per official report, SL need to get 260 in 41 overs to head Zim on the run rate. Streak brings one back in, Jaya flicks, inner edge onto pad.

Karthik (kv52@hotmail.com) Hi guys! first time here for me. can anyone tell me who won the toss here? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mukesh (mukesh013@hotmail.com) Prem what is the score and what is the required R.R for SL to qualify for the finals? Prem: brandes again, over the wicket, has atapattu forward, defending, lanka 24/1 in 5.

Prem: brandes, to atapattu with two slips in place now. on off, pushed to point, no run.

Prem: brandes bowling over the wicket to jaya, strange considering that of late, almost all bowlers have been going round to him. ther ehe goes, again the slant outside off, gives him room to free his arms, slams a cut through point, gets two more. next ball, again, the cut, gets onelyl one this time. 24/1. 4.4 overs gone.

Prem: Brandes to Jaya, short and swung around, that is his first four, got the room he needed and powered it over midiwcket, one bounce into the ropes, that ball needing dismissal and got it.

Prem: Brandes to Jaya, around off and he clubs at it, finds mid off, no run.

Prem: Murali:: Yeah, but here they have been bowling over the wicket and across him, not around. Streak this time raps Atapattu on his pad, but outside line of off. Meanwhile, on the replay, that decision looks a shade dodgy. And next ball, streak makes one kick and seam away, atapattu had no clue about that one, pushed his bat at it, Andy Flower behind the stumps had the edge covered and put it down. It's all happening out there, like the ad line goes.

Prem: And the first wicket goes: Streak on line of middle, kalu through this innings has been swinging predetermined, did it again here, across the line, missed completely, was hit on the thigh, he was bending at the knee there, umpire Akthar says he has to go, question is only whether the strike was marginally too high. NOt sure, will check on the replay. Meanwhile, Atpattu to the wicket.

Muralidhar Rangaswamy (murali@arcon.com) How is Jayasurya playing? Is he comfortable against Streak and Brandes? He has not had a good run in recent times. Looks like bowlers around the world have sorted him out and gotten the run denying length for him. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sanjay (schachad@promus.com) Hi Prem, Just logged in .. SL need a SRT today !!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Karthik Ramamurthy (karthik_kumar@hotmail.com) Correction, PREM. SL can take 43 overs and 4 balls to reach 260, and then they would have improved their NRR to -0.3948 which would be better than Zimbabwe's -0.40038. Even then, if ZIM beat India tomorrow, they will go through to the final since they would then have 4 points from 4 matches as against Sri Lanka's 2 points from 4 matches. So Sri Lanka must hope to score their runs today in 43.4 overs, and then hope India beat ZIM by a BIG margin tomorrow! Prem: streak now to kalu, on middle, pulled aorund, single. 16/0.

Prem: brandes to kalu, the drive from line of off, misfield at cover, the diving stop pushing the ball to the right of mid off, single. brandes again, last ball of the 3rd, full length on off, jaya swings it round, off the thick inner edge to backward square and two more to end the over. SL 15/0 in 3.

Prem: ball four, brandes to kalu, again the batsman going across the stumps aiming to go across the line, but brandes moves it away off the seam, no room for kalu to power it away on the on, no run off the push that results.

Prem: ball three, jaya on strike to brandes, shhort and cut away to backward point, single. 12/0.

Prem: brandes, to kalu, short on middle and pulled around, finds the sweeper behind midwicket, single. 11/0 in 2.2,

Prem: Over number three, brandes to jayasuriya, over the wicket, short and lifting on off, played gently down to gully, kalu off quickly, they get the single, 10/0.

Prem: streak to kalu, ball four, close to the stumps and three quarter length, kalu pushes and finds midwicket. dogmatic: SL ahve to get to 260 by the end of the 41st, then hope Zim doesnt do a number on india tomorrow. Good ball, three quarter again and on line of off and kalu finds point this time with a square push. 9/0. last ball, short on off and kalu looks to swing it around, beaten for pace, gets the thin bottom edge, no run to the man at midwicket, 9/0 in 2.

Prem: outside off, kalu chases, javed akthar calls wide again, that is three inthe over thus far and only two legit balls from streak, 9/0 the score in 1.2. streak again, and kalu finds midwicket with the push.

Prem: streak this time seems kalu walking across his stumps, tries to fire one on his pads, drifts and gives the wide down leg. one more. 8/0.

Prem: \Streak to jaya, short on middle and pulled away, finds the sweeper again, just the one. 7/0. jaya thus far seeming a lot more positive in his footwork. Hi, dogmatic, howdy.

Prem: streak to jaya, fired down leg and a wide called there. 6/0.

Prem: Neil Johnson is a tad erratic, which could be where the lankans cash in. A good start here will set up a very interesting chase, and with Mahanama and Tillekeratne both in, Atapattu, Aravinda and Arjuna have backup so they can afford to keep blazing away. Interesting, Johnson is not bowling, it is Streak, over the wicket, on off, jaya blocks and finds point, no run.

Prem: One ball left in the first over, bowling to Kalu here, brandes, slower ball, the inswinging yorker and kalu has to defend. Lanka 5/0 in 1.

Prem: brandes, ball five, to jayasuriya, short on off and pulled around, finds the sweeper at square leg, one more. 5/0.

Prem: Jaya back on strike, brandes staying over the wicket, close to the crease and on middle, played off the pads, finds short fine leg, no run.

Prem: Ball three, Brandes to Kalu, on leg, played off the pads and a single. 4/0 in 3 balls.

Prem: Brandes now to Kaluwitharana, back in the opening slot. Goes across his stumps to the first ball and swings it around, gets two. SL 3/0 in two balls.

Prem: Big test of character for Jayasuriya. He's been having a poor run, bowlers have begun going round the wicket and tucking him up with seeming ease, he needs to begin sorting that problem out and coming up with a response, both for his sake and that of a team that depends very heavily on his bludgeon at the top. Eddo Brandes to begin proceedings, going over the wicket and not round as a lot of quick do to the this batsman. Ball one, the off drive fetches one.

Prem: Lanka opening with Jayasurya and Kaluwitharana, needing 260 to win, and to head Zim on the NRR, they need to finish off the job at the end of 41 overs.

Prem: correction, that should read chased 315.

Prem: Okay, guys, the game minutes from resumption. Meanwhile, subhash, yes, they did break the Indian record. India chased 314. They chased 316. Simple as that.

subhash () In the match between aus and pak, aus scored 316 batting second to win. Is

Continued