New Zealand look to consolidate with Fleming's return

New Zealand are back at full strength with the return of their captain, Stephan Fleming, who has recovered from stomach trouble. The Black Caps will be looking forward to move to the top of the table with a victory in tomorrow's game, which is the seventh match of the Coca-Cola Cup at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds. If they win, they will be drawing level with Sri Lanka in the points table but in the net run rate they have a slight edge over the hosts. And there are precedents of the net run rate deciding the finalists of Triangular tournaments.

"I'm fine. I'll be perfectly alright for tomorrow's game," said the New Zealand captain at the end of the team's practice session this morning at the SSC Grounds.

But the hosts, who have already got six points, will be determined not to repeat the mistakes against India on Saturday.

Until the last game, India was unlikely to get through to the final, but after the improved performance on Saturday, they've got a slim chance to make it and in the process they have made the competition more interesting.

"We've played some good cricket and confident of getting through to the final," said a confident Fleming at the end of the team's practice session.

Sri Lankan coach Dav Whatmore, does not seem to be too worried about losing the last game against India, "The object of the exercise is first to make the final. We are nearly there. We could have been there after the last game. But we played poorly and the Indians played better."

With Fleming's recovery, Jacob Oram, who played well in the Indian game is likely to make way for him. Batting at No 3, Oram made 41 off 37 balls with five boundaries and a six. He also dismissed Rahul Dravid for 27.

Dion Nash who has played in both the matches against India was left out in the matches against Sri Lanka, but after his brilliant all round performance in the last game against India, he is expected to be in the final eleven, according to the New Zealand captain.

There is a general feeling that the Black Caps have failed to come good against quality spinners, but the captain has a completely different view, "I don't think there's a problem. Off the three teams, we have scored the highest runs so far. It's just not only us; all the teams are finding the wicket difficult in the middle overs. Admittedly, we can do a few things better, but overall we have done well," remarked the New Zealand captain.

The tournament shifts away from Premadasa stadium where the first six matches of the Coca-Cola Cup were played. The last time a One-Day International was played at the SSC, Sri Lanka crushed England by ten wickets. The pitch looks a good one and the curator Ranil Abenaiake feels there should be a lot of runs. This is a view with which Fleming concurs. "Yes, it looks like a good wicket. Looks the best out of the lot," he said.

Sri Lankan cricket manager Air Commodore Ajith Jayasekara has returned to his duties as the team manager after he temporarily stepped down following the terrorists attack on the air-force base at Katunayake.

Sri Lanka are likely to go with the same combination that lost the game against India. Mahela Jayawardene is expected to keep his place in the side despite a lean trot. The right-hander has just scored 20 runs in four innings with two ducks, "We are missing his runs. But batsmen do experience this kind of bad patch. He just needs to spend sometime in the middle. I tell you the boy is a terrific player. There is no doubt about it," said a confident Whatmore.

The coach also says they will stick to the six batsmen policy which they have been following in this series, "I am very pleased with the policy. Those who took the decision did so after taking a lot of factors into account and with the best interest of the team in mind."

With Sri Lanka unlikely to make any changes it's likely that Romesh Kaluwitharana will again be the opening partner for Sanath Jayasuriya after their 103-run partnership against India.

If Sri Lanka win tomorrow's game, they'll be through to the final and that will mean that India and New Zealand will have to fight hard to earn a slot to the August 5 final at the Premadasa stadium under flood-lights.

If New Zealand wins, that will put the Indians in a must win situation in their last two games.