Lanka less worried about Aussies sans ‘on song’ spearhead Tait

PERTH - The Sri Lanka cricket team which will take on Australia in the first of two Twenty20 internationals here ob Sunday, has said that the absence of Australian pace ace Shaun Tait has eased his team’s worries.

Tait has terrorised teams at the WACA in the past, inciting absolute fear into New Zealand’s batting line-up in December 2007 when he collected 2-22 during a devastating spell at the speedster-friendly venue.

The 27-year-old is currently sidelined after another bout of surgery on his troublesome elbow and Sri Lankan vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene said Tait’s absence meant at least one fewer worry for Sri Lanka.

“Whenever he’s on song he’s pretty decent and he’s a match-winner,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Jayawardene, as saying on Friday.

“Tait’s always going to be a factor but we’ve seen in his career, the last two, three years, it’s been on and off. He’s definitely a factor but we can’t worry about that (now that he’s not playing),” he added.

While Tait’s absence has Sri Lanka breathing a sigh of relief, Jayawardene said Australia’s youthful line-up still possessed plenty of match-winners.

“Obviously the batting looks stronger with (David) Warner, (Shane) Watson … Cameron White has been in pretty good form the last six months,” he said.

Jayawardene said fans would see a far more relaxed Muttiah Muralidaran as the record-breaking spinner tours Australia for the last time before he leaves the game after the World Cup.

“He has nothing to prove to anyone right now,” Jayawardene said of the 38-year-old. (ANI)