September 27 Friday 2002
Sri Lanka confident of turning tables on Aussies

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya said Thursday that his team was confident of beating the world champions Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-finals here.  The hosts meet Australia in a day night encounter at the Premadasa Stadium here Friday to decide India's opponents in the September 29 final.  "We know they are playing well in every department of the game, we will have to be at our best and we are confident of beating them", Jayasuriya told reporters. Dav Whatmore, the Sri Lankan born Australian coach said "they are a side with claims to be the world's best.

COLOMBO: Australian captain Ricky Ponting speaks to reporters during a press conference on September 26, 2002

We will have the crowd support and we play better under local conditions". 

Sri Lankans are expected to be backed by a sell out home crowd who love to hate Australia. The two sides have been engaged in many a battle of attrition since Australia refused to tour Colombo citing security fears during the 1996 World Cup, which the Sri Lankans eventually won by beating them in the final played in Lahore, Pakistan. 
Jayasuriya dismissed reports that Sri Lanka's champion off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan may not take part in Sri Lanka's tour of Australia in January for the one day Triangular series also involving England. "Murali will tour Australia", Jayasuriya said. 

Muralitharan was called for throwing by Australian umpires Daryll Hair and Ros Emerson in each of the previous two tours, in 1995-96 and 1998-99. Emerson's calling of Murali in January 1999 almost led to a Sri Lankan walk out at a one day international in Adelaide. 

Murali, 30, has so far grabbed 294 wickets in 197 one-dayers and his batlle with left handers in Australia's top order will be the key to Sri Lanka's success in Friday's thriller. 

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Shane Watson, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Jimmy Maher, Nathan Hauritz, Andrew Bichel. 

Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Kumar Dharmasena, Upul Chandana, Hasantha Fernando, Dilshan Tillakaratne. 

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Dave Orchard (South Africa) TV umpire: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) Match-referee: Wasim Raja (Pakistan)