[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia | CB Series 2008 | Match 3 | 1st Session Mini HL

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It appears that both the Lankan skipper and the vice captain seem to have a negative mental block when playing Australia. Defencive field placings and the lack of innovative shrewd thinking ensured both India and Australia managed to get off the hook despite early loss of wickets.

It's clearly evident to me that the last ten overs of our bowling and the last 10 overs of our batting is what decides if we win or lose and that's obviously taking Sanath Jayasuriya away from the equation.

For 12 long years team Sri Lanka's batting has placed all hope on Sanath it's bowling attack has burdened Murali and Vaas. Sri Lanka have always based their game plan keeping stalwarts in mind the rest of the bowling is asked to bowl to predominantly one sided fields giving the bowler no option for experimenting or variety. Kudos to Ishara Amarasinghe for a remarkable performance thus far in the CB series and young Kapugedera looks a promising 'Gavin Larsen' type bowler.

Malinga has to realise that in order to be a strike bowler one must do more than just "wow" the crowd. A new ball bowler must induce false shots or get the batsman playing in order to get dismissals behind the wicket.

If team Sri Lanka paid any attention to Irfan Pathan after the recently concluded Test series they would know that Jeff Thompson's suggestion of delivering the inswinging ball a foot or two outside off stump paid huge dividends. Lasith's yorkers are released on a off stump/middle stump line and end up either as a leg stump full toss or a full wide delivery outside the left hander's off stump with no support from Mahela in regards to field placing all our striking options go for plenty of runs.