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World Cup wrap: Aussies back to business

Mar 12, 2015
Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara carves a shot against Scotland.

Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara carves a shot against Scotland.

The latest from the cricket World Cup: the Australians get back to work, Sri Lanka’s latest injury concern and Scots remain upbeat.

Aussies back to business in Hobart

Back from a three-day hiatus the Australian World Cup side will resume training on Thursday in Hobart ahead of their clash with Scotland.

Granted a few days off after Sunday’s 64-run win over Sri Lanka at the SCG, the squad has reached the island state having had the chance for plenty of rest, allrounder Glenn Maxwell said.

“It’s straight back into training now that the whole group is back assembled,” he told reporters.

“It’s nice to have a few days off, in what is a very long tournament.”

While Maxwell said he spent his free time with teammates Aaron Finch and Mitch Marsh playing golf, singing karaoke, eating and sleeping, it’s now back to business.

“We’ll probably have a team meeting (on Thursday) before or after training and discuss (Scotland’s) team and basically what we want to work on,” Maxwell said.

“We have our (key performance indicators) that we want to tick off every game and we will continue to do that.”

Saturday’s Bellerive Oval fixture is the last Pool A match for the hosts, who are expected to win, and regardless of the result are already guaranteed a quarterfinal berth.

Knockout cricket starts for the Aussies on March 20 at Adelaide Oval against the winner of Sunday’s Pakistan versus Ireland duel.

There is no word on changes to Australia’s lineup ahead of Saturday.

Speaking in Hobart, both vice-captain George Bailey and James Faulkner have said conditions will dictate the final XI.

Tasmanian spinner Xavier Doherty was brought into the attack against Sri Lanka but selectors will have the final word on whether pace bowling will be preferred on the Bellerive pitch.

Injury woes continue for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will make a concerted effort to protect their bowling lineup heading into the World Cup quarter finals, as the squad’s injury count builds.

Captain Angelo Mathews is the latest victim, leaving the field with an Achilles complaint during Wednesday’s 148-run drubbing of Scotland in Hobart.

Having earlier contributed a blistering 51 from 21 balls during Sri Lanka’s 9-363 total, Mathews walked off Bellerive Oval early into Scotland’s reply.

Teammate Lahiru Thirimanne later confirmed the injury and said Mathews will go for scans on Thursday.

“He’s strapped up at the moment, so hopefully he’ll be okay.”

Injuries are proving a worrying trend for the Sri Lankans, who on Wednesday injected their fifth replacement – Kusal Perera – into the squad after Dinesh Chandimal was ruled unfit due to a hamstring strain suffered during the team’s 64-run loss to Australia on Sunday.

Coach Marvan Atapattu had described the loss of Chandimal as a blow, coming on the back of other injuries.

Paceman Dhammika Prasad, slow-bowling allrounder Jeevan Mendis and batsman Dimuth Karunaratne are already out of the tournament, while Rangana Herath continues to recover from a cut to his spinning finger.

Thirimanne said the team is confident Chandimal will be back for the first knockout round, at the SCG on Wednesday.

But he voiced some concern about the ongoing welfare of bowlers.

“We have to keep our bowlers, especially bowlers, managed very carefully, because this is a very long tour for us,” Thirimanne said.

“We have hopefully another three matches, so we hope to have the best condition, especially bowlers need to be managed very carefully in the next five to six days during training.”

Scotland keen for clash with Australia

Scotland’s upcoming World Cup clash with heavyweights Australia looks like a potential humiliation that the Europeans would rather avoid.

But that’s not the case.

Despite suffering their fifth straight loss – by 148 runs to Sri Lanka – on Wednesday, the Scots remain upbeat about Saturday’s match against the Aussies in Hobart.

“We’ve got to believe we can compete,” opener Kyle Coetzer said.

Dismissed without score from the second ball of the innings, Coetzer wasn’t a true reflection of the Scots’ effort at Bellerive Oval on Wednesday.

Skipper Preston Mommsen joined with Freddie Coleman to produce a glimmer of hope in the form of a 118-run partnership, but it wasn’t to be.

Scotland were all out for 215 in the 44th over and remain winless for the tournament.

“It’s tough, you know, with the quality players we’re coming up against, and it’s a big learning curve for a number of our guys, and we definitely are taking strides forward,” Coetzer said.

The team will have their last World Cup hitout on Saturday and Coetzer was asked if it will be tough to find the strength to face up to such a top side.

“It’s a huge day for us,” he said.

“Why would we need to pick ourselves up? We’re rearing for it, and we want to put in a real performance and really show what we’re made of.”

– AAP

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