Lanka-Australia clash is a virtual final before the real one on April 28

GRENADA: For all those who can’t catch the final of the World Cup on April 28 here’s a chance to watch the precursor between the two sides that most people expect to feature in that match - Sri Lanka and Australia.

The match assumes even more importance because of Australia ‘s 25-match unbeaten in World Cup competition that stretches way back to the 1999 World Cup. The holders have not lost since Pakistan beat them by 10 runs at Headingley on May 1999, registering 24 wins and a tie since then. And no team has got anywhere close to snapping that streak in this World Cup.

For Sri Lanka , who haven’t played badly themselves, the greatest danger might be that they start thinking too far ahead and to beat Australia , you need to be focused completely on the job at hand. From skipper Mahela Jayawardene’s comments, it certainly looks like they are.

“It’s an ideal time to play them because we are very relaxed,” Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said. “I think we have a very good record against them. Why? We play our brand of cricket and we are not afraid of doing that.”

Australia’s all-rounder Shane Watson will be missing still due to a calf injury and even though Malinga bowled a few deliveries in the nets on Saturday, he is likely to sit out. “It is an important game for us, but I don’t think it’s that important for us to risk Lasith if he is not 100%. We’ve got guys who can step up to the plate and deliver, so I’m not very concerned about his fitness right now,” said Jayawardene.

But while Sri Lanka will miss their fastest bowler, Australia’s Shaun Tait will be around to give the opposition a torrid time. There was a time when the men from the Emerald Isle weren’t very good against the short ball and the speedster might be keen to check.

“They have certainly shown no signs of weakness with pace. If anything they prefer the ball coming onto the bat than not coming onto the bat,” Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody said. The pitch in Grenada will suit the Sri Lankans. It is slow - and Glenn McGrath feels that is where Sri Lanka are at their most dangerous.

“From what we’ve seen, the pitch in Grenada is slower and takes some turn. It will be a big test for us,” he said. “It will suit them.”

And there will be the individual battles - Jayasuriya versus Tait, McGrath and Sangakkara but none will be more tantalising than watching Ricky Ponting take on Muthaih Muralitharan.

“For me anyway, it’s the first over that you face from him,” Ponting said. “He changes the seam angle just to confuse you if you try to watch the ball in the air. You’ve got to be able to pick him out of the hand. You can’t pick him off the wicket because he’s too quick to do that as well.”