England at least unpredictable

SOCCER:ENGLAND HAVE got this far in the World Cup on a wing and a prayer. Against the best sides they have shown resilience and tenacity but against the remainder, Bangladesh and the two Associate nations, Ireland and the Netherlands, they have been abject.

It is no grounds for optimism when taking on one of the tournament favourites today, in Sri Lankan conditions and in front of a Sri Lankan crowd. Sri Lanka will be mindful not so much of the collective ability they will recognise lurks beneath the surface but of their unpredictability. There is no legislating for erratic behaviour.

We are the quarter-final stage, possibly two matches from a World cup final, and, as yet, there is one fundamental element of strategy that has yet to be resolved.

Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar; Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla; Chris Gayle and Devon Smith; Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill; Shane Watson and Brad Haddin; Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga: only Pakistan and England have been undecided about openers and Pakistan appear finally to have settled on Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal.

England will go into the match with another new partner for Andrew Strauss. There would appear to be two options in Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara.

If, as they are suggesting, Sri Lanka will be presenting a surface more conducive to runs than hitherto at Premadasa then England will need even more careful consideration of their bowling options. They will almost certainly go in with Graeme Swann and James Tredwell as their spin options and it looks as if Tim Bresnan will be over his calf injury in time.

Chris Tremlett was the second seamer then, but it is doubtful whether his back of a length bowling will serve the purpose this time. Thus it would leave the further option of returning to a refreshed Jimmy Anderson, deadly if it swings, fodder if not, or to take the mother of all gambles and blood Jade Dernbach, who only arrived recently from the Lions tour in the Caribbean. Anderson will win the day there.