Date-stamped : 25 Jan96 - 02:34 Thursday 25, January 1996 Third test vs Australia: Lankans cannot be taken lightly Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle The Sri Lankan cricketers will, for the last time be seen in ac- tion in Adelaide in this controversy riddled Australian tour when they play the final test against Australia which would be in pro- gress while this is being read. The Aussies have won the series two-nil. But the Lankans need not be disappointed. If they can win this one, or finish the better side, then it should do their game and confidence a lot of good what with the World Cup around the corner. One can`t remember a tour where one team had been so much at the receiving end as the Sri Lankans have been on this dreaded tour. After their successful tours of New Zealand, Pakistan and Shar- jah, the gutty Lankans will want to forget this tour as a bad dream. Why the Aussies had to resort to tactics that was not cricket de- fies reasoning. Anyway that is something that only they and their cohorts can explain. The Lankans have finally proved that no side can afford to take them lightly. The cricket they have played has been attractive and exciting and the record crowds that have had the turnstiles working overtime proves this. We are worthy competitors and crowd pullers and can now proudly take our seat alongside the glory boys - the calypso cricketers from the Caribbean. To get back to today`s test and the nagging question that the selectors on tour would have had to answer was: to play or not to play the innocent off spinning sensation Muttiah Muralitharan? Had we the option to answer that question, we would have played him without batting an eyelid. All quarters that matter have had their say and cleared him of the throwing stigma and now the cy- clops must allow him to play the game and put Sri Lanka on top. Not to play him would be foolish. It is left to the Aussies, as their cricket manager Bobby Simpson said to find ways to counter his wiles and not to call him names. The Adelaide wicket is expected to be a 50-50 one. But the side batting first will definitely have an advantage. A big score from the side batting first and the remainder of the game should see the other side struggling to avoid defeat, unless the glorious uncertainties of the game decides to participate in the game. The Aussies take the field favourites. But the Sri Lankans have it them to force the Aussies to the ropes and deliver the ko. If they play true to ability then there is no reason why they can`t fly back with a victory tucked under their cricketing belts. Source :: Lake House/Lanka Internet Services Contributed by Ravi (sista@*.latech.edu)