Cricket: Jayasuriya back to torment Black Caps

QUEENSTOWN - Sri Lankan linchpin Sanath Jayasuriya has been given the all-clear to wreak havoc on the Black Caps as the star cricketer looks set to re-enter the game after a controversial stage of his career.

The 345 match veteran was omitted from the Sri Lankans ill-fated tour of India recently where they lost the three-match test series 2-0 and were walloped 6-1 in the one-day international (ODI) series.

The initial reasoning given by the selectors was the 36-year-old was lacking form and fitness.

They later changed tact saying it was due just to fitness, but he was quickly reinstated to the squad for the resumption of the series against the Black Caps after last year's Boxing Day tsunami cancelled the tour with four games remaining.

The first match gets underway in Queenstown tomorrow and Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody yesterday gave another twist to the saga when he said Jayasuriya had suffered a shoulder injury which had now healed.

Jayasuriya, just the fourth player to pass 10,000 ODI runs, would naturally feature high on Moody's team list given his success against New Zealand. Besides clocking 1209 runs at 34.54, Jayasuriya has taken 267 wickets against all opponents and 28 against New Zealand -- the second highest for any Sri Lankan behind spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

Moody confirmed the left-hand slow bowler would be free to perform both roles.

"Sanath's in good condition and he's now 100 per cent fit to bat and bowl," Moody said.

"I think the bowling's an important part of his game. It gives him that allround edge and another element of the game to lean on and he can get confidence from that. He's in good shape and hitting the ball well so looking forward to a good return from him."

Thoughts elsewhere

With the one-year anniversary of the tsunami, which claimed over 31,000 Sri Lankan lives, so close to the series opener, Moody dismissed suggestions the players could still have their thoughts elsewhere.

"There was a lot of loss obviously throughout Asia and also personal loss for the players, but they're back in business now and looking forward to getting back into some cricket.

"They were in Sri Lanka when then anniversary happened and they had their chance to pay respects and have thoughts for their loved ones, but its been over a year now and they're well focused on the game."

Moody, a former Australian international, will have his full quota of players available while the Black Caps have lost Andre Adams to injury while skipper Stephen Fleming has taken paternity leave.

Nathan Astle will join the squad following Canterbury's State Shield match against Wellington on Friday while James Franklin replaced Adams on Wednesday.

Daniel Vettori will keep the captain's armband he wore in the Chappell-Hadlee series.

On paper Sri Lanka have a stronger batting line-up with one top-10 world ranked player in Kumar Sangakkara, and two players in the top-20 -- Marvan Attapatu and Jayasuriya.

But even on a pitch expected to favour batting with good pace and bounce, Moody felt his talisman in Muralitharan, whose taken 47 wickets against the Black Caps at 19.63, would still pose a threat.

Moody also earmarked Lasith Malinga as potential hazard for the hosts. The right-arm pace bowler created a stir when he played in the April test series with his low-slung deliveries and could trouble again if the conditions provide some swing.

New Zealand will have a slightly changed batting line-up to battle the Sri Lankans with Central Districts opener Jamie How set to debut on Saturday, while Astle could return to national colours days after being dropped following a lean run patch over his last seven innings.

"There's a chance he (Astle) may play depending on what we want to do and when they finally peel back the covers," Black Caps coach John Bracewell said.

"We'll also look at how we use the super-sub."

Bracewell also kept the pundits guessing when he declined to reveal who would bat at number six after earlier stating he was looking to use a different player there throughout the series.

The second match is in Christchurch on January 3.

- NZPA