Preview: England v Sri Lanka

The last time England and Sri Lanka met in a World Cup quarter-final was in 1996, when an England side devoid of ideas and inspiration, labouring under the appalling management of Ray Illingworth and worn down from a winter of failure in South Africa were humiliated by a vibrant Sri Lankan side intent on re-inventing ODI cricket on their way to a wonderful World Cup triumph. Sanath Jayasuriya went berserk against a bowling attack featuring Peter Martin, Richard Illingworth and Dermot Reeve, and Sri Lanka romped home with almost ten overs to spare. There’s a case for saying that England, beaten finalists in the previous two World Cups, have never recovered.

This World Cup, in spite of the defeats by Ireland and Bangladesh, has been an altogether more positive experience for England and their supporters. The victories over South Africa and West Indies were triumphs for resilience and character, as well as some high quality bowling in the latter stages, while the tie against India was a wonderful game of cricket. Like the little girl with the curl, when they are good they are very good, but when they’re bad they’re awful. Their performances against top sides will give them some encouragement, however, since if the Super 8 phase was still in vogue they would be in pole position with five points.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, while they have never quite reached the heights of 1996 again, remain a fine side, although this World Cup hasn’t been plain sailing. The defeat to Pakistan was a shock and the rain against Australia denied both sides a well needed work out, while the relatively poor standard of the Group A associate members meant that they’ve had very little successful, meaningful cricket thus far. They have a varied bowling attack but that, too, flatters to deceive at times. Lasith Malinga was deadly against Kenya but that game aside his figures for the tournament are 13-0-89-1. Another much touted destroyer, Ajantha Mendis, has career figures that make interesting reading. In his first couple of years as an international cricketer he bowled in 37 ODI innings, taking 72 wickets at 17.86. In the last year he has bowled in ten ODI innings, two of which have been against India but the other eight against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies, Kenya and Canada, and has taken 13 wickets at 29.69. England will do well to approach both of these with caution, but not with fear.

There are, however, good reasons to make Sri Lanka favourites. One match aside, Tillakaratne Dilshan hasn’t been the force that he was in the 2009 World Twenty20, but he remains an opener that just about any ODI side would covet, Kumar Sangakkara would stroll into a World XI, and Mahela Jayawardene is a high quality performer, although half of his 200 runs to date came against Canada. Then there is Murali. He is virtually at the end and is no longer the destroyer of old, but he still has a level of control that is enviable and can be relied on to exert pressure on the batsmen. From this point on he is in the position of potentially playing his last game and he will be desperate to go out on a high.

On paper, then, Sri Lanka should be hot favourites, but they have not been tested in the same way that England have and some of their key players have struggled to make an impact. England can take heart from the fact that they won the World Twenty20 semi-final between the two sides and they won the series last time they were in Sri Lanka, albeit with rather different sides. It’s got all the makings of a classic.

The Verdict: Heart and part of head says England, but Sri Lanka should have just too much for a Broad and Pietersen-less England.