Sri Lanka and New Zealand will count on their enviable variety in bowling attacks
to overpower each other in the high-octane first semifinal clash of the cricket
World Cup here tomorrow. 
Sri Lanka, however, would seek a psychological boost
from their Super Eights dominating win over the Kiwis.
Eyeing to emulate their 1996 title victory feat, Sri Lanka
have potent weapons in their armoury who can demolish any formidable batting
line-up. The experienced Chaminda Vaas, the quirky and express-fast Lasith
Malinga and the pacy Dilhara Fernando -- all are capable of making
life miserable for the willowers with their variety.
Having recovered from the injuries, Malinga and Fernando are
returning to the side after a brief rest. Vaas, on the other hand, excels in
the nagging accuracy in pace bowling and is useful at any stage of the game.
But the trump card is Muttiah Muralitharan, the ace
off-spinner, who can turn the momentum of the game at any stage with his extraordinary
abilities.
So far, Sri Lanka have rarely conceded in excess of 250 runs
in the competition and same was the case with New Zealand till they ran
into Australia in Grenada last week.
In batting, the former champions have experience as well as
depth. Old warhorse Sanath Jayasuriya, skipper Mahela Jayawardena
and Kumar Sangakkara have all fired in the World Cup so far.
However, Sri Lanka is fretting over the form of its lower-order
batting. The team has suffered some incredible collapses in the competition
-- against South Africa their last five wickets went for 15 runs and against
Australia, the last five were wiped out for 17. On both occasions, the early
losses had been repaired by the middle order. The key perhaps is for a set batsman
to anchor the innings, something which Sangakkara had done so successfully against
New Zealand.
Perennial under-achievers New Zealand would not want to spoil
another chance to be in their first final ever in the World Cup.
The Kiwis, who were thoroughly outclassed in their last Super
Eight game by the mighty Australians, would have surely plugged the chinks that
surfaced during their drubbing.
Black Caps coach John Bracewell dashed straight from the airport
to the ground to have an assessment of the pitch, which is hard and must help
pace and bounce. The regular rain in last few days and clouds hanging around
the blue mountains around Sabina Park suggest humidity and a certain
help to swing as well.
New Zealand will surely be boosted by the return of the most
potent force in the bowling armoury-- Shane Bond, who did not play against Australia.
And in these conditions, the return of Bond express and all-rounder
Jacob Oram would help restore the balance for the Kiwis while James Franklin
could prove destructive for the rivals in early overs.
Besides, the combination of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori
and offie Jeetan Patel makes the Kiwis' bowling attack complete and healthy.
Black Caps skipper Stephen Fleming believes his side
has batsmen who are better suited to these conditions than Sri Lankans, who
are bred on low and slow sub-continental pitches. Fleming along with Peter Fulton
will be key for the Kiwis at the top of the batting order while Ross Taylor,
Scott Styris, Craig McMillan and Oram will be important members in the middle
order.
The key for both sides will be to make the new ball count.
Vaas and Malinga for the Lankans and Bond and Franklin for the Kiwis are worthy
operators with the new ball, but it must hold good when it mattered the most.
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