Daily Cricket News

Cricket: SLanka squad close to settled for WCup: Jayawardene

PERTH, Australia,  Vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene said Friday Sri Lanka's squad was close to what will be fielded in next year's World Cup.

The Sri Lankans will use Sunday's Twenty20 clash at the WACA Ground here as their final tour match preparation for a three-match one-day international series against the top-ranked Australians.

Jayawardene said Sri Lanka would use the three one-dayers, starting in Melbourne next Wednesday, to further develop the squad ahead of next February's World Cup on the sub-continent.

"There's a lot for us to gain in this series in trying a few different combinations and seeing what suits us, Jayawardene told reporters.

"I think (the squad we've brought over) is very close (to what we'll use at the World Cup).

"I think there's only two or three positions up for grabs.

"With a few of the younger boys here for us we want to give them a go against a tougher opposition and see how they come up."

Jayawardene said Australia's youthful T20 line-up possessed plenty of match-winners.

"Obviously the batting looks stronger with (David) Warner, (Shane) Watson ... Cameron White has been in pretty good form the last six months," he said.

"(But) anyone on their day can be crucial, especially Twenty20 cricket because if you make a mistake it's very difficult to come back into the game."

Coach Trevor Bayliss, who will quit his position following the World Cup, said he was satisfied with Sri Lanka's preparation for the tour, despite rain interfering in two of their three warm-up matches.

Sri Lanka beat Queensland by 112 runs in a one-day game in their first tour match but a 50-over fixture against New South Wales was abandoned without a ball being bowled, before they won a Twenty20 match against NSW on the Duckworth-Lewis method.