Sri Lankans have the edge

Wed Jun 17 16:20

I'm backing Sri Lanka to win the World Twenty20 tournament because they have such a well-rounded and unusual bowling attack.

If they can get 150 or 160 on the board they will back their bowlers to defend it and finish off the game.

They have two top-class spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, plus the brilliant and unorthodox paceman Lasith Malinga (pictured), and Isuru Udana, who bowls more slower balls than full-speed deliveries.

Mendis has been one of the bowlers of the tournament, but he has been helped by all the guys around him. It is so difficult to get any of the Sri Lankan bowlers away, the pressure mounts on the batsmen and they are perhaps targeting Mendis and making mistakes.

We know all about their semi-final opponents West Indies, and they are obviously a dangerous side. If Chris Gayle gets the bit between his teeth and stays in for six or eight overs, he can take the game away from you in the blink of an eye.

There was controversy over his comments that he preferred Twenty20 to Test cricket, and it is certainly true that the shorter form of the game suits his batting style better. But I think people made too much of it - and he now says he was misquoted - because whatever game you are playing, you are always desperate to win when you represent your country.

Gayle might look languid and unhurried, but that does not mean he doesn't want to win. The West Indies also have the benefit of a long batting order - we found out to our cost the damage they can do with class players like Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan coming in at six and seven.

South Africa have been the most consistent team of the tournament so far, and I think they will beat Pakistan in their semi.

Their fielding is so good it can be worth up to 20 runs, the equivalent to almost three overs. In a 20-over game, that is a massive advantage to have. But this is knockout cricket, and prior results count for nothing. If Pakistan pull a good performance out they could cause a bit of a surprise.

Comments1 - 16 of 16

ok i will comment.
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From supergoaliematt on Wed Jun 17 17:52
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diZ iZ a betta 1....
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From dadevil4lyf on Wed Jun 17 18:17
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From junaid_sid89 on Wed Jun 17 18:24
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i love u collingwood
From gilakaka77 on Wed Jun 17 19:52
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Oh wind your mackem neck in!
Haven't you done enough damage; the most naive tactician since the days of 'i have this piece of paper' Neville Chamberlain!
From cameronwestwood on Wed Jun 17 20:07
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just noticed GRAHAM NAPIER - so far 64n.o. and 4-32 don''t it make you sick !!! when will england ever learn!!
From kevjenks1 on Wed Jun 17 20:16
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Bit late now Colly
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From owenbbw23 on Thu Jun 18 08:43
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How can anyone with even a vaguely right mind pay the slightest bit of attention to the opinions of one who when faced with a simple binary bat or bowl decision, one on which the country's hopes hang, plainly makes the wrong one - bat! And this isn't being wise after the fact. West of London had been enduring thunder storms all day and were heading London side. They were predicted 24 hours in advance, not just rain or showers but thunder and electrical storms mind you. They were predicted by the commentators in the previous game and the England "captain" would have had access to the groundsman's state of the art radar technology installed for no other purpose than to spot incoming rain. And what does he do? Bat!! When it is apparent to all save Mr Collingwood that DL favours the side batting second. We went out of that competition not on the t(oss) of a coin rather upon the ridiculous decision made upon the fortuitous outcome of that t(oss). Cameron, I'm still none the wiser as to what a mackem is? - nocohere.
From stevedon7 on Thu Jun 18 10:36
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Collingwood is keeping good players out of the England side - 20/20 and Test.
Masceranas should have played against the Windies. But who are you going to drop? The captain of course.
He is to batting what pie-chuckers are to bowling. No technique, no plan B, no idea about captaincy.
Actually, forget that. Keep him in for the Ashes!
From cameron_kelleher on Thu Jun 18 11:01
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To Cameron W. No worries, I googled the word "mackem" and it refers to one hailing from Sunderland, more specifically ..... "The word Mak'em means, "make them... (ships) and take them.. (to Newcastle to be fitted out)". - nocohere
From stevedon7 on Thu Jun 18 11:12
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Collingwood was to blame for England going out,he was too nice to be a captain. we need a blood and thunder skipper,some one with a win at all costs attitude..Kevin Pieterson is the man
From mcmullan.aaron on Thu Jun 18 13:14
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Colly obviously needs to write something, he is so out of this he should go home and rest poor chap the beating has zapped his brain.He played the South Africans and got walloped, poor poor chap!
From jallen9999 on Thu Jun 18 17:16
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what a load of rubbish of article from a failed captain who couldn't even take his team to semi. some of the article just make me laugh. still cant believe everyone thought Pakistan are just going to roll over vs SA. Ranked No.1. Made it final last time. Traditionally always slow starter but once they make it through first phase always raise their game.
So if Sri Lanka can protect 150. So can Pakistan. Pakistan will not loose to Sri Lanka or West Indies because they have more talent then both teams. Pakistan have psychological edge over Sri Lanka just India has over Pakistan.
I had no doubt that Pakistan wont win vs SA because England knocked out our biggest threat (INDIA).
From wajid5376 on Fri Jun 19 16:43
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Another wrong view by Colly. How could he think Pakistan could not win when they have got Boom Boom. As for his want to continue to captain the T20 team that is surely the only way he can guarantee his place and all the dough that goes with it.
From getholdofjohn on Mon Jun 22 12:12
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