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 At it again Warne, Ranatunga in limelight in first test
Posted: Wednesday September 08, 1999 11:03 AM
KANDY, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -- Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne is set to resume his old rivalry with former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga when the two teams meet for the first of three tests in the hill capital of Kandy on Thursday. Warne and Ranatunga, who has been replaced as captain by Sanath Jayasuriya, have had a verbal match both on and off the field which the Australian recently said was “all in good fun.” Warne wrote in a column in London's Times newspaper in May that the sport would be better off without Ranatunga because of his on-field behavior. The leg-spinner was subsequently reprimanded, fined and handed a suspended two game-ban. Warne is expected to form the spin combination with off-spinner Colin Miller, as Australia look to consolidate their position as the top test cricketing nation after their one-day World champion title was dented by Sri Lanka when they lost the final of a triangular tournament to the hosts last week. Warne, whose place in the test team was taken by Stuart MacGill during his absence after undergoing surgery to his bowling arm, bowled himself into the reckoning with match figures of 5-111 in the four-day tour match against a Sri Lanka Board XI which the visitors won by four wickets. “MacGill probably came into this game with not a lot of work under his belt. Being a leg-spinner you need a little bit of work. He'll get better and better the more bowling he does,” Australian coach Geoff Marsh said. Miller, the oldest member of the Australian team at 35, bowled his off-spinners with nagging accuracy to pick up six wickets during the tour match to seal his place in the side. Ranatunga lost his job as captain and was also not included in the one-day side after the team's dismal performance at the World cup tournament in England when Sri Lanka failed to make it to the second round. He is however likely to be retained in the test side along with Aravinda de Silva, the former vice captain. “Their presence is vital for our success. They have the experience which none of us have and I hope they will give their very best,” Jayasuriya said. Sri Lanka is likely to include leg-spinner Upul Chandana to complement off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Batsman Russel Arnold is likely to be also included after some good performances in recent matches. Teams: Australia (from): Steve Waugh (captain), Greg Blewett, Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Ian Healy, Colin Miller, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Damien Fleming. Sri Lanka (from) : Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Suresh Perera, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Zoysa, Indika Gallage.
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