Sri Lankan Tri Series 2009
The Indian Board of Cricket Control (BCCI) has agreed to take part in a tri-series in Sri Lanka in September 2009. The tri series is a late addition to the schedule, made when New Zealand Cricket asked to change the format of their cricket tour to Sri Lanka.
For India, the tri series in Sri Lanka will allow them to get in some valuable one-day cricket match practice before the Champions Trophy in October 2009. While India is always a strong cricket team, they’ve had a long break after playing a weakened West Indies. The 2009 tri series will allow them to try combinations before the bigger tournament with less at stake.
The addition of India to the tri series will be a financial boost for Sri Lankan cricket. Arjuna Ranatunga has thanked India’s BCCI on behalf of Sri Lankan cricket for their agreement to the tri series at short notice, and television rights for the Sri Lankan tri series will be put out to tender, given the short notice.
New Zealand is the weakest cricket team of the three, and traditionally performs poorly on the sub-continent. Still, the trying conditions mean the 2009 Sri Lankan tri series will be valuable build-up for them before the Champions Trophy.
The New Zealand cricket team has a history of security concerns when playing in Sri Lanka, with cricket tours of the country disrupted by bombings in 1987 and 1993. New Zealand cricket have inspected the venues themselves with security experts, and feel sure the Sri Lankan tri series will be safe.
The entire Sri Lankan 2009 tri series will be played over one week. It consists of four games with a day break in between each one. Sri Lanka will play New Zealand first. The second game will be India vs Sri Lanka, then India will play New Zealand. The final is most likely to be India vs Sri Lanka. New Zealand have already organised a 50-over game against an invitational side should they not make the final. All the games of the 2009 tri series in Sri Lanka will be played at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
The tight schedule of the tri series will be demanding on the teams, and the cricket games will be played in high heat and humidity. The lack of travel should compensate for that. Having all four games played at the same venue isn’t ideal for Sri Lankan cricket crowds, but should suit Indian cricket television audiences. The speed and tightness of the Sri Lankan tri series shows the influence of India’s successful Twenty20 cricket competition.
The Sri Lankan cricket team are in good form after recently completing a series win over Pakistan – their first ever series win over the Pakistan cricket team in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka lost the last game, however, demonstrating their reputation of being a team that sometimes doesn’t seem to care if they win.
The Indian cricket team, meanwhile, did very well against the West Indies, but the West Indian cricket team have been in very poor form. How India will go against Sri Lanka is hard to judge until the Sri Lankan tri series begins, and it should give a useful indication of form before the ICC Champions Trophy 2009.
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