South Africa Tour to New Zealand Complete Tour Schedule 2012

South Africa Tour to New Zealand Complete Tour Schedule 2012 

South Africa Tour to New Zealand T20 Series Schedule 2012

Day	Date	Match	Teams	Venue	Time
Fri	Feb 17	1st T20	NZ vs SA	Wellington	06:00 GMT | 19:00 Local
Sun	Feb 19	2nd T20	NZ vs SA	Hamilton	06:00 GMT | 19:00 Local
Wed	Feb 22	3rd T20	NZ vs SA	Auckland	06:00 GMT | 19:00 Local

South Africa Tour to New Zealand ODI Series Schedule 2012

Day	Date	Match	Teams	Venue	Time
Sat	Feb 25	1st ODI	NZ vs SA	Wellington	01:00 GMT | 14:00 Local D/N
Wed	Feb 29	2nd ODI	NZ vs SA	Napier	01:00 GMT | 14:00 Local D/N
Sat	Mar 3	3rd ODI	NZ vs SA	Auckland	01:00 GMT | 14:00 Local D/N

South Africa Tour to New Zealand Test Series Schedule 2012

Day	Date	Match	Teams	Venue	Time
Wed	Mar 7	1st Test	NZ vs SA	Dunedin	21:30 GMT | 10:30 Local
Thu	Mar 15	2nd Test	NZ vs SA	Hamilton	21:30 GMT | 10:30 Local
Fri	Mar 23	3rd Test	NZ vs SA	Wellington	21:30 GMT | 10:30 Local

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Bangladesh Premier League Complete Schedule 2012

Bangladesh Premier League Complete Schedule 2012

Day	Date	Match	Teams	Venue	Time
Fri	Feb 10	1st T20	Burners vs Royals	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Fri	Feb 10	2nd T20	Kings vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sat	Feb 11	3rd T20	Gladiators vs Royal Bengal	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sat	Feb 11	4th T20	Burners vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sun	Feb 12	5th T20	Kings vs Royal Bengal	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sun	Feb 12	6th T20	Gladiators vs Royals	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Mon	Feb 13	7th T20	Burners vs Royal Bengal	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Mon	Feb 13	8th T20	Kings vs Gladiators	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Tue	Feb 14	9th T20	Rajshahi vs Royals	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Tue	Feb 14	10th T20	Burners vs Gladiators	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Wed	Feb 15	11th T20	Kings vs Royals	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Wed	Feb 15	12th T20	Royal Bengal vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Thu	Feb 16	13th T20	Burners vs Kings	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Thu	Feb 16	14th T20	Gladiators vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sat	Feb 18	15th T20	Kings vs Royal Bengal	Chittagong	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sat	Feb 18	16th T20	Burners vs Royals	Chittagong	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sun	Feb 19	17th T20	Kings vs Rajshahi	Chittagong	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sun	Feb 19	18th T20	Gladiators vs Royal Bengal	Chittagong	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Mon	Feb 20	19th T20	Burners vs Rajshahi	Chittagong	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Mon	Feb 20	20th T20	Royals vs Royal Bengal	Chittagong	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Wed	Feb 22	21st T20	Gladiators vs Royals	Chittagong	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Wed	Feb 22	22nd T20	Burners vs Royal Bengal	Chittagong	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Fri	Feb 24	23rd T20	Kings vs Gladiators	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Fri	Feb 24	24th T20	Rajshahi vs Royals	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sat	Feb 25	25th T20	Burners vs Gladiators	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sat	Feb 25	26th T20	Kings vs Royals	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sun	Feb 26	27th T20	Royal Bengal vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Sun	Feb 26	28th T20	Burners vs Kings	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Mon	Feb 27	29th T20	Gladiators vs Rajshahi	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Mon	Feb 27	30th T20	Royal Bengal vs Royals	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Tue	Feb 28	1st Semi-Final	Semi-Final 1 - 1st vs 3rd	Dhaka	2:00pm – 5:00pm
Tue	Feb 28	2nd Semi-Final	Semi-Final 2 - 2nd vs 4th	Dhaka	6:30pm – 9:30pm
Wed	Feb 29	Final	TBC	Dhaka	6:00pm – 9:00pm

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New Zealand Looking For a 3-0 Series Whitewash against Zimbabwe

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 3rd ODI, Napier

Firdose Moonda

February 8, 2012

Match facts
February 9, Napier
Start time 14:00 (01:00 GMT)

Big Picture
New Zealand have the opportunity to make a statement as loudly as was possible against an opposition that have been overawed, intimidated and just plain outplayed. Victory in Napier will give them their first whitewash in two years and their boldest statement in that time.

A whitewash against Zimbabwe will have to be measured in its context, and given the cowering nature of their opposition, that context is not very rich. Still, it has served as the best preparation they can get for the main course - South Africa, whom they play in just over a week's time.

New Zealand have used the series to integrate new players into the side. They settled their batting line-up and rotated their bowlers, to toy with combinations and look ready to launch their new unit into action against one of the best sides in the world.

Zimbabwe may be wishing they never left the comfort of Harare but they still have three matches - this ODI and two Twenty20s - to play before they head home. They have not allowed any of their good signs to show on the tour and have been prone to ill-discipline in all three departments. Most worryingly, their lapses in the field are an indicator of how low their confidence has dipped.

Energy and commitment in the field has always been a sign of strength for Zimbabwe and a way to measure how positive they were feeling. After numerous dropped catches - including letting all of New Zealand's top four off the hook in the second match - and misfields it's clear they are distressed by their poor showing.

The only thing they can do is stop it from getting any worse. That does not necessarily mean avoiding defeat but it simply means putting on a respectable showing. In the last match, their target was to bat 50 overs and they did it, they will have to see out the rest of the series with similarly small goals in mind and take satisfaction out of achieving those.

Form guide
New Zealand WWLWW (most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLWLL

In the spotlight
Tarun Nethula has been touted as a potential partner, or even replacement, to Daniel Vettori in the Test arena but John Wright made it clear that he would have to prove himself in the ODI side first. He went wicketless is his first outing, going for 55 runs in his 10 overs in Whangerai, and will want to show his ability to get among the wickets in a three-pronged spin attack in Napier.

The last time New Zealand had thumped Zimbabwe in two matches, in October last year, Malcolm Waller stepped up to make sure it didn't happen a third time. Waller scored a valiant 99 as Zimbabwe chased a record 329 in Bulawayo - their biggest morale booster since making their Test return. He is an aggressive allrounder who is not afraid to hit the ball hard and take the game to the opposition. With the situation Zimbabwe are in now, they will need someone with courage and confidence, two words that perfectly describe Waller.

Team news
Left-armer Michael Bates finally gets his nod in the final 12, with Tim Southee dropping out. Legspinner Tarun Nethula is likely to get a second match, which would mean Kyle Mills sits out. Nathan McCullum will be back in the starting XI in place of the injured Dean Brownlie, who has a fractured finger.

New Zealand: (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Rob Nicol, 3 Brendon McCullum (capt & wk), 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Tom Latham, 6 Nathan McCullum, 7 Andrew Ellis, 8 Jacob Oram, 9 Tarun Nethula 10 Doug Bracewell, 11 Michael Bates

After a second opening flop, Zimbabwe may want to tinker with the top two and bring in Tino Mawoyo and the expense of one of Stuart Matsikenyeri or Hamilton Masakadza. They are likely to go in with a similar bowling attack, the only probable change being Keegan Meth in for one of Elton Chigumbura or Prosper Utseya.

Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Stuart Matsikenyeri/Tino Mawoyo, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Regis Chakabva, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Shingi Masakadza, 10 Ray Price, 11 Kyle Jarvis

Pitch and conditions
Described by locals as a "typical McLean Park belter", the strip is expected to be packed with runs. The weather is expected to be mostly sunny with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Stats and trivia

The last time New Zealand whitewashed a team was when they beat Bangladesh 3-0 in the 2009-10 season at home.
Tatenda Taibu will play his 150th ODI in Napier.

Quotes
"We started incredibly well the other day, so if we can get some partnerships at the top it puts us in a position where we can be a little bit more flexible and try to attack at certain times."
Brendon McCullum hints at Jacobs Oram getting another promotion up the order

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Finn wants to Stop Carrying Drinks

Pakistan v England 2011-12

George Dobell in Abu Dhabi

February 8, 2012

You might expect a man on the fringes of a team - and a losing team at that - to point out the failings of his colleagues in an attempt to advance his own ambitions.

Steven Finn, however, is not that sort. While he admits to frustration at having been 12th man throughout England's Test series against Pakistan, he remains fiercely protective of his under fire colleagues, insisting this is not the time for knee-jerk reactions.

Finn came within an ace of playing in both the first two Tests of the series against Pakistan in the UAE. On the first occasion he missed out to Chris Tremlett and on the second he missed out to Monty Panesar. Panesar's subsequent success ended Finn's hopes of selection for the third Test and he was a powerless onlooker as England, their batsmen bamboozled by Pakistan's spin attack, succumbed to a 3-0 whitewash.

"In terms of having to change personnel, I don't think we need that kind of knee-jerk reactions at the moment," Finn said. "The side has been very, very successful over the last two years with the personnel who played in this series. There's no doubt we have the best people available in the country playing in the team, we just didn't adapt to the conditions as quickly as we'd have hoped.

"The bowlers did a fantastic job during this Test series. Obviously I wanted to play every game and I was disappointed that I didn't, but that's the way it goes.

"I'm getting very good at mixing drinks for the boys. I've sort of got used to it over the last 12 months. But it's not the sort of thing you enjoy getting used to."

The worry for England is that they have lost nine of their last ten international games. It is a run that extends back to the final Twenty20 international game against West Indies in September and includes the tour of India, the current tour of the UAE and all three formats of the game.

While their Test form has been, until recently, good, their ODI form away from home has been wretched. They lost all five ODIs against India in October and have lost 14 of their last 20 ODIs outside England. There are few realistic grounds for optimism going into the ODI series against Pakistan.

But Finn was one of the few successes of England's limited-overs tour of India. Not only did he take the most wickets of any English bowler - eight - but he also proved the most economical, conceding 5.27 runs an overs. He bowled at a sharp pace and showed a newly acquired ability to reverse swing the ball. Aged just 22, he is one of England's brightest prospects.

Now he hopes that he can be part of a fresh injection of young talent into an England camp that is looking to the future and the World Cup in Australasia in particular. In Finn, along with new additions Jos Buttler (aged 21), Danny Briggs (aged 20), and the likes of recently capped Jonny Bairstow (aged 22), England hope they have the nucleus of a bright, young side that can lead the team to brighter times.

"This one-day team is a very youthful, very exciting place to be," Finn said. "The guys coming in, the fresh faces, are going to be very enthusiastic to show what they can do.

"They're very skilled players as well, so they're going to be breathing down the necks of the guys in the team. I think this one-day series is going to be a great opportunity for us to put what's gone under the carpet."

Finn also feels that Friday's game against England Lions will present an excellent opportunity for young players to catch the eye of the England management. While Andy Flower, the England coach, has confirmed that Lions players will not be promoted to the senior squad irrespective of performances in the game, Finn knows from experience that such games can provide a useful 'shop window.'

It was in the same stadium in Abu Dhabi in February 2010 that Finn, along with Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb, were part of a Lions side that beat England. On the strength of that performance, Kieswetter and Lumb were selected as the opening partnership for the World Twenty20 while Finn wasn't far behind in a call up.

"Friday's game is going to be important for everyone, on either of the two sides," Finn said. "There's great opportunity for people on both sides to push for places in every format of the game. If you look at Kieswetter and Lumb, they played against the England team over here two years ago, the next month they were opening the batting in the World Twenty20. I played in that game, too, and less than a month later, I was playing Test cricket.

"Andy Flower and the management team are looking for people's attitudes; they're looking for things other than just performances - and games like this are a great opportunity for people on both sides to show everything they can give."

The Lions team will contain all the members of the senior England squad who do not make it into the main England side for Friday's match.

Meanwhile Andy Hurry, the first team coach at Somerset, has joined the England party to deputise for Richard Halsall, the fielding coach and Flower's unofficial deputy, who has returned to England to be with his heavily pregnant wife.

England are also looking into the possibility of some of their players - notably Ian Bell, who has been left out of the limited-overs squads - travelling to Sri Lanka ahead of the rest of the party to acclimatise to the pitches and conditions. It is possible that Bell will be able to represent a local side in Sri Lankan domestic competition, as have the likes of Varun Chopra and Moeen Ali in recent weeks.

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Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series - India vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI Highlights - 8th Feb 2012

Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series - India vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI Highlights

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Full Match Highlights

Match Info:Teams

India (Playing XI): Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Dinesh Chandimal, Mahela Jayawardene(c), Angelo Mathews, Thissara Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dhammika Prasad

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All-Round Ashwin Guides India to a Thumping Victory Over Sri Lanka in CB Series 2nd ODI at Perth

India v Sri Lanka, CB Series, Perth

The Report by Nitin Sundar

February 8, 2012

India 234 for 6 (Kohli 77, Ashwin 30*) beat Sri Lanka 233 for 8 (Chandimal 64, Ashwin 3-32) by four wickets

India's feted openers did not cause significant damage and the inexperienced middle order succumbed to old failings, but their bowling allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin showed admirable poise to steer a wobbly chase home. Virat Kohli's authoritative 77 set the agenda, but India began to falter when he had cramps around the mid-point of the innings. His exit, run out while attempting a hopeless single, left India's lower order 53 tricky runs to get. Ashwin and Jadeja did the rest, braving the Lasith Malinga threat and the epidemic of nerves that had blighted the middle order.

For some reason Sri Lanka did not go hard enough at India after Kohli's fall. Malinga, who yorked the stumps with a slingshot throw from mid-on to catch a diving Kohli short in the 36th over, had four overs left. Mahela Jayawardene brought his trump card on quickly, but didn't provide him with the attacking fields the situation demanded. Malinga was off after two quick overs that were handled well, and by the time he returned for the 45th over, India needed only 17 more. It was too late - Ashwin and Jadeja had played themselves in, and ticked the runs away with composure.

The only moment of indiscretion came when India needed one to win. Ashwin tried to loft Angelo Mathews down the ground and hit it straight up in the air. Three men converged, and mid-off, who should have taken it easily, backed off following some miscommunication, as India scrambled through for the win. The fielder at mid-off was Malinga.

The batting effort capped Ashwin's best day on tour, when he reduced his pace, tossed the ball up, and extracted a lot more spin than is the norm in Perth. He came into the attack at an ideal moment, soon after Zaheer Khan had dismissed Kumar Sangakkara in the 17th over with an away seamer. That was Zaheer's second moment of excellence against a left-hand batsman, after he took just 10 balls in his opening spell to work over Upul Tharanga. Thereafter, Ashwin suffocated Sri Lanka's momentum in partnership with Zaheer. Between them, they reaped combined returns of 20-2-76-5. That included 14 of the 20 Powerplay overs, which yielded 4 for 42.

Tillakaratne Dilshan fought through Zaheer's opening burst, and was primed to take off after beavering to 48, but gifted his wicket away. Dinesh Chandimal took charge, walking across his stumps to clip Praveen fine, steering with soft hands into the covers and setting himself up early for swings to the leg side. He had added 52 in 11.2 overs with Jayawardene, at which point Ashwin began to wield his influence.

The carom ball was scarcely used, as Ashwin focused on loop, drift and traditional turn to good effect. He first induced Jayawardene to top-edge a sweep to fine leg in the batting Powerplay. He then dented hopes of a quick recovery by weaving a sharp offbreak past Thisara Perera, before dismissing Chandimal in the 44th over. That put paid to Sri Lanka's prospects of a flying finish, though Mathews slogged hard and ran harder to provide some late succour.

Sri Lanka's all-seam attack, in contrast to their opponents earlier in the day, attempted to use pace and bounce to unsettle India. Virender Sehwag perished attempting his patent upper cut, which did not carry beyond third man. Sachin Tendulkar's fans enjoyed 48 runs of sublime batting, before he once again succumbed without completing the most eagerly anticipated century in cricket history. Until he played on to Mathews, attempting a cheeky dab to third man, Tendulkar lined up a bunch of pleasing shots, with head stationary and feet moving well. A firm front-foot push off Malinga was as good as any stroke played until then in the day, until Kohli began to dazzle.

Kohli imperiously flicked his second ball through square leg for four. The extra pace on the pitch seemed to play into Kohli's hands, as he pranced into position early to play attacking shots on either side of the pitch. His control was epitomised by the ease with which he pulled a pacy Dhammika Prasad bumper through square leg. Rohit Sharma's lethargic movements at the other end were only accentuated by Kohli's quick feet and hands.

India were coasting when Rohit played a loose cut to be caught at point. Suresh Raina kept the flag aflutter with a couple of pleasing cover drives, but the threat of the short ball was imminently around the corner. With Kohli cramping, Raina took it upon himself to go for the boundaries, and holed out while trying to pull Mathews. MS Dhoni too returned without making a dent, late on a pull that spiralled to mid-on. When Kohli ran himself out, India had lost three big wickets for 24 in 3.5 overs. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, that was the last time Malinga hit the stumps.

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The Facts About Saeed Ajmal's Bowling Action

Pakistan v England 2011-12

George Dobell

February 8, 2012

ESPNcricinfo can today provide the facts that prove the legality of Saeed Ajmal's bowling action.

Ajmal was Man of the Series against England after taking 24 wickets in the three-Test series and playing a prominent role in Pakistan's first Test whitewash against England.

Ajmal caused confusion when he gave a TV interview following the series and appeared to indicate he had been given dispensation by the ICC to bowl above the 15-degree tolerance limit.

Countless fans have contacted ESPNcricinfo through social networking sites and by email asking us to clarify the situation regarding Ajmal. After a thorough investigation, including extensive discussion with the ICC, these are the facts.

1. The bottom line is this: Saeed Ajmal's action is well within the ICC range of tolerance. While he does bowl with a bend in his arm, it does not straighten more, on average, than about eight degrees.

2. His arm does come through at a bent angle but that is allowed so long as it doesn't straighten beyond the tolerance level.

3. The figure of 23.5 degrees mentioned by Ajmal is the average angle of his arm at the beginning of delivery.

4. The ICC put Ajmal, along with other bowlers, under constant scrutiny and evidence suggests that there has been no significant deterioration in Ajmal's action since he was tested in 2009.

5. Contrary to widespread belief, Ajmal's off-break and quicker ball actually cause his arm to straighten more - though only a fraction more - than his much-debated doosra.

6. The ICC is reluctant to discuss bowling actions in detail because officials fear the subject is too complicated to explain.

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BPL will Put Local Players in Spotlight - Dean Jones

Bangladesh Premier League 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff

February 8, 2012

Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman and technical director of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise, the Chittagong Kings, has said the tournament will help young Bangladesh players, as they will have the opportunity to play alongside international stars. The Kings have Tamim Iqbal as their icon player, and bought West Indies' Dwayne Bravo and Jerome Taylor, and Muttiah Muralitharan in the auction.

"The great thing about this tournament is that the players can rub shoulders with Murali, Tamim and Dwayne Bravo," Jones said. "[For the young players], getting to see how good they are against experienced players is really important. I think it will really bring the best out of some players. Some players will fail but some players will do very well."

The BPL has been hampered by some of the high-profile buys pulling out due to international or domestic commitments. The Kings will be without Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan allrounder, and West Indies opener Lendl Simmons. "Everyone has got that problem," Jones said. "We're looking for replacements now as we speak; who they are I'm not going to disclose.

"We've got players coming in on the morning of February 10 [date of the opening fixture] because they are playing first-class matches in Pakistan and the West Indies or something. We've just got to roll with the punches, get them ready and off we go."

The Kings will be coached by former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud and have Michael Bevan, the former Australia batsman, as their batting consultant, with Jones advising the coaching staff. "Khaled Mahmud is my eyes and ears; he is helping me communicate with the Bangladeshi boys and understand their roles as well," Jones said. "Of course we have Michael Bevan and we have bowling and fielding coaches. I am very happy with my coaching staff."

Jones said the BPL would help Bangladesh cricket because it will give the local players the experience of playing under the spotlight. "I think it will give them more exposure, more awareness, it will put them under more pressure, under lights, in front of big crowds. Sometimes you'll get hurt and get beaten. And then you've got to work on your strengths and weakness to come back.

"I think it couldn't come at a better time really for the Bangladesh people and the players. They needed this, I think they wanted this. They need to get out of their comfort zone and now they are going to find out how good they are."

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Rohan Gavaskar Retires From all Forms of Cricket

India news

ESPNcricinfo staff

February 8, 2012

Rohan Gavaskar, the former India batsman and son of Sunil Gavaskar, has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, ESPNcricinfo can confirm. Gavaskar last played a first-class match in 2009 and has since undertaken commentary stints.

Gavaskar played 11 ODIs for India, scoring 151 runs including one fifty. He took part in the one-day tri-series in Australia in 2003-04, where he made his debut. He was recalled for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004 but was never selected again for India. Gavaskar played all his Indian first-class cricket with Bengal, scoring 5073 runs for them in 75 games at 51.24. He joined the rebel Indian Cricket League, rejoined the official fold and represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

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Struggling World Cup Finalists Meet Again in CB Series 2nd ODI at Perth

India v Sri Lanka, CB Series, Perth

The Preview by Nitin Sundar

February 7, 2012

Match facts
February 8, Perth
Start time 12:20 (04:20 GMT)

Big Picture

Just over 10 months have passed since that Wankhede night, last April. Within that period, the fates of the two teams that brought the best out of each other in that memorable World Cup final have nose-dived in bizarre style. India have been mercilessly stripped of their No. 1 Test ranking, the sunset on their golden generation of batsmen hastened by eight successive away drubbings. But their one-day outfit still holds promise, with the energy of fresh legs and the power of broad bats, for the moment at least, masking the worry of poor techniques on quick pitches.

Sri Lanka have had it worse. Finishing second-best in two successive World Cup finals is a tragedy in itself, but even that pales in comparison to what has transpired since. They have endured series after wretched series, home and away, against Australia, Pakistan and South Africa, with no silverware to show for their efforts except in the Twenty20 format. Their players haven't been paid by a board that is now bankrupt. Battered on the field and off it, Sri Lanka are already under their third captain since the World Cup. Mahela Jayawardene led them in the 2008 edition of the CB series, and his reluctant return to the musical chair gives rise to the uneasy feeling that Sri Lanka haven't progressed in four seasons.

Both teams are desperate for the familiarity of better times, and their first encounter since Wankhede will provide them just that. No two sides have played each other more often in ODI history, especially in recent years - 34 of their 129 clashes came between 2008 and 2010. This series kicks off another glut of games between these thick foes, with the Asia Cup and a bilateral series in Sri Lanka to follow in quick succession. Establishing early supremacy in Australia could prove integral in determining which side heals better in the coming months.

Form guide

India LWWLW (Most recent first)
Sri Lanka WWLLL

In the spotlight

MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag haven't played together in an ODI since the World Cup final, though they have individually featured in 11 and four games, respectively. When Sehwag's been fit, Dhoni has been rested. When Sehwag was expected to play, he was 'rested' in the first game of this series. Murmurs of dressing-room disagreements between India's captain and vice-captain mean their internal dynamics will be scrutinised when they take the field in Perth. Signs are that Sehwag will play - you normally don't 'rest' a batsman who smashed the highest score in ODI history in his last outing.

India wouldn't have forgotten Thisara Perera who thumped them to all corners of Mumbai in the end overs of the World Cup final. It wasn't the first time Perera showcased his big-hitting skills through the leg side, and it wasn't the last. More recently, he cracked five sixes in an unbeaten 69 off 44 balls to help Sri Lanka chase 300 against South Africa. His late-swinging yorkers could make him effective at the back-end of Sri Lanka's bowling innings too.

Team news

India won the last edition of the CB series by playing to the conditions, as opposed to their traditional strengths. Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth, all played big roles with the new ball, while spin was relegated to a support role. MS Dhoni went the other way on Sunday, and the move backfired when India's three inexperienced spinners came unstuck in a rain-reduced game. The Perth track will be more amenable to pace, and Dhoni will consider bringing in Pathan for Ravindra Jadeja, whose 2.4 overs leaked 41 runs against Australia. Sehwag is expected to play, with Gautam Gambhir making way at the top of the order. Zaheer Khan or Umesh Yadav could be in line for a call-up too, since India could do with an extra yard of pace.

India: (possible) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Irfan Pathan/Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Vinay Kumar, 10 & 11 Praveen Kumar/Umesh Yadav/Zaheer Khan

Injury kept Jayawardene out of the latter stages of the ODI-leg of the South Africa tour. He will resurface in the middle order on Wednesday. On form, Angelo Mathews should make way, but the axe is likely to fall on Lahiru Thirimanne who hit a match-winning 69 in the final ODI in South Africa.

Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Chanaka Welegedara/Dhammika Prasad

Pitch and conditions

The WACA strip was zippy in the Test match, and is expected to behave similarly, but it would require bowlers with real pace to make that count. The conditions in Perth are dry and hot, meaning the pitch has cracks to go with its green tinge. The teams will have an interesting time zeroing in on their bowling units.

Stats and trivia

India hold the advantage against Sri Lanka in ODIs, with a 68-50 head-to-head record. They also have a 2-1 advantage in games in Australia.
Only one batsman has scored over 3000 runs against one particular team - Sachin Tendulkar against Australia (3060). If he gets 18 runs on Wednesday, he would have repeated the feat against Sri Lanka.

Quotes

"I think they haven't played really well in the Test series. That's a plus point for us. [But] They are a different team when it comes to the one-dayers. We are up for it and we are ready to go."
Angelo Mathews isn't taking India lightly

"[On] Any day, any team can beat anybody."
Much like his batting, Virender Sehwag keeps his predictions for the series simple

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