Melbourne ODI could be marred by Cup, bad weather, poor Oz player form

MELBOURNE - The Melbourne Cup, bad weather and the poor form of the Australian cricketers will have cricket officials nervous before Wednesday’s one-dayer at the MCG.

The crowd figure is likely to be low as Australia try to end their international losing streak when they host Sri Lanka at the start of a three-match series.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the series will also give the national selectors a chance to look at players ahead of next year’s one-day World Cup.

Australia have not won a game in any of the three formats since winning their Test against Pakistan by 150 runs in mid-July at Lord’s.

Since then they have lost the second Test to Pakistan in England, lost two Tests in India and also gone down to the Indians in an away one-dayer.

The unwanted streak extended to five on Sunday night when Sri Lanka dominated their Twenty20 match in Perth, winning by seven wickets.

It is a worrying lack of momentum for Australia ahead of the keenly-awaited Ashes series, which starts on November 25 in Brisbane.

“It (the one-day series against Sri Lanka) is important for us because, yes, the Ashes are imminent - but so is the World Cup,” said Cricket Australia public affairs manager Peter Young.

He added: “I think this is the last chance we have to see people (in the one-day format) before we start doing the preliminary squad selection for the World Cup.” (ANI)