Batting conditions favors Group B

Sri Lanka and West Indies must have been pretty pleased with the fixtures they had got to play against New Zealand and England respectively. At the same time, they must also have sensed that the conditions at Pallakale will suit both the teams for the simple reason that the ball will come onto the bat for the best part of the match. Added to this, they must also have sensed that there could be no considerable zip and turn for the opposition to worry about. Though these two former teams must have been pleased with the line of fixtures in the Super 8 group, now they must be wondering that it is their batting skill and not spin bowling that will take them to the next level.

Yes, that has exactly happened. This is the main interesting part of the tournament wherein the tougher group play at the Premadasa Stadium which will invite most turn and zip when compared to the Group 'B'

For the match against England, Sammy was little over aggressive in that he allowed Badree to bowl 3 of his 4 overs before Morgan had taken guard. That he tried the all-spin option at Pallakelle was a wasted one as I feel he has not read the conditions well. He would have had Bravo and/or Pollard the slow medium bowling options and checked whether the ball must have come off the pitch. That Naraine can bowl only on a spinner paradise in now becoming a known commodity.

For the match against Sri Lanka, I think it is the captaincy that lost the match. When you are inviting McCullum to bowl the 1st over to Dilshan, he has already invited trouble for himself 17 runs were scored off the 1st over and that proved costly towards the end. Also, having to send Guptill to open the super-over is again a wasted option - He could have tried either himself or Franklin for such an important innings.

This means that England and New Zealand have to start off the super 8 again, leaving them to win all the 2 remaining matches. To me, with the win Sri Lanka and West Indies have already made it to the Semi-Final, which is in line what we had predicted before the tournament had begun.