Dilhara or Maharoof - Tharanga or Atapattu

Hey folks, braking the shackels, and cleaning up the spider webs on this blog I decided to bore you with my 2-cents on the team selection for the all important semi's. The team selection is all but final except for 2 spots, according my limited knowledge in the cricketing fields. That would be :

Fast/Medium Pace Bowler #3

After a stunning performance in the game against Ireland, the overuled Maharoof bought himself a spot to contend for the above position. Although Maharoof is not the most reliable of Bowlers, specially due to the fact that he has this nack of bowling short, and getting wolloped to the boundary at times, his late order batting skills make him a good contender.

Dilhara is yet to pass the fitness test, but from what I hear he's bound to be fit, thereby causing a little dilemma for the thinking dept. of S.L. Cricket. After all he's seemed to find his form during this world cup, bowling at good space, over come his over stepping problems, and the last over against England was a proving factor that he can hold his nerve (or he got lucky).

Opening Partner for Sanath

The master blaster is having a pretty good world cup, despite loosing out on the last 2 games. The only problem we seem to have is that his partner is suffering a bad patch, despite the century he scored in the practise match against the Kiwis.

Therefore giving rise to many a cricket wise folk in this island nation to question as to why former captain Marvan Atapattu has not been given a chance.

My Choice for the Semi's.

To start with the latter, it would be wrong to dump Marvan in the opening slot, without a proper chance to bat, and expect a ton from him, althought knowing the class of Marvan and the technique, he could deliver it, on his day. I would suggest get bringing Sanga to open (I know he's had a rough patch over the past games too) and drop Tharanga. Thereby opening up a vacancy which Maharoof could fit in, in the late order.

So, now that I have stirred up a controversy, in the fact of going against one of the cardinal rules of "Dont Change a Winning Combination", I will rest my case, and go hide under a rock, for fear of fanatics stoning my house and my blog. He he..