by Rex Clementine

Gold has always been an expensive commodity. These days with a hand to mouth existence many Sri Lankans can’t afford it whatsoever. So they seem to settle for yellow, the closest thing to gold. Australia’s team colours are gold and green. As an appreciation for the Australian cricket team for touring Sri Lanka, spectators are going to turn up at RPS in numbers today wearing yellow shirts. An appeal was launched to all cricket fans through social media yesterday and Sri Lankans agreed in unison. For a change they will be keeping their navy blues at home.

Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka was hanging in balance after political uncertainty and the economic crisis. To make matters worse, the May 9 attack on peaceful protesters at the Gotagogama happened a mere three weeks before the tourists landed in Colombo. The team hotel was just a stone’s throw away from where people were attacked. Many suspected that Australia will at least ask Sri Lanka Cricket to shift games from Colombo. But to their credit, the Aussies decided to stick to the original schedule. The Australian High Commission in Colombo too has played a major role in ensuring that their team toured the island and the five time World Champions have been welcomed warmly. Today RPS is expected to put up a grand show knowing too well that Australia’s refusal to tour would have sent the country into cricketing isolation.

The Sri Lankan camp will leave out Dushmantha Chameera, who has a swollen ankle. The quick didn’t play the fourth game as well, but MRI scans showed no fracture. The team will not take any chances with their fastest bowler with the World Cup around the corner. With the series already won, there’s no point in risking Wanindu Hasaranga as well. The leg-spinner missed a few games with a groin strain but played the series clinching fourth ODI and could be left out from today’s game too.

The tourists have been hampered by several injuries and the latest casualty is middle order batsman Travis Head, who has a hamstring problem. Australia will be looking for a consolation win today having suffered their first ever five match series defeat to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood is a happy man indeed. Five months ago, he was going through the Ashes campaign down under and lost his job after England surrendered the Ashes. That was in January this year. In June, his new international team Sri Lanka have completely outplayed the Aussies.

“I had a rough winter in Australia. They are a very tough team to beat in their backyard. Winning here was satisfying. But more important is the progress we have made. The run chase that day was great. The way we have handled the pressure is superb and we have forced results in our favour. The good thing is that we are no where near the potential that we have and we can do much better,” the former Yorkshire fast bowler told journalists yesterday.

Silverwood felt that the series win will give his side confidence lead up to the two match Test series that gets underway next week in Galle.

“It will give the guys confidence moving forward for the Test series. The guys who play all formats will have an idea as to what kind of challenge they can accept from the opposition. We know the Aussies would come hard at us. Its going to be an exciting series,” said Silverwood.