Tuesday 19th February, 2008 It's a two horse race Rex Clementine reporting from Adelaide almost walked out in protest in – 1999, after star spinner Muttiah Following 's win Muralitharan was called by experienced seniors around. against India in the umpire Ross Emerson during an Everything that took place on Commonwealth Bank Series ODI against England. the field wasn't a big issue for here in Adelaide on Sunday, the It is also venue for the verbal me as I wasn't dealing with that. hosts are clear of the two Asian confrontation between Darren My job was to go out there and nations in the competition with Gough and Roshan Mahanama bat and I managed to get a good a total of 17 points, while both and later England captain Alec start and the win was very India (9) and (6) are Stewart barging onto the Sri sweet, especially with Murali yet to get to double figures. Lankan during their chase. hitting the winning runs in a The result means Sri Lanka As it's generally the rule with very controversial game," will have to now compete with the Match Referees, the white Jayawardene recalled. India to qualify for the best of man went unpunished. Apart from recalling fond three finals. Muralitharan finished off a memories, he was also quick to After taking their minds off tense game scoring the wining point out that Sri Lanka need to from the terrible start to the runs as Sri Lanka successfully bounce back hard. A win here is competition, the Sri Lankans chased 303 runs with a a must for them as otherwise trained at the and two balls to spare, but the with the two opponents well Monday morning. man, the boy rather, who laid ahead, Sri Lanka will be left to "Now it's similar to a two the foundation for that win was play catch up. horse race to get into the finals. Jayawardene himself, who had Jayawardene admitted that Australia have gone quite a distance from the other two teams and it's up to us to make sure that we get there," Sri Lanka's cap- tain told 'The Island' on Monday. "We've been inconsistent Mahela Ja with the bat this series. I just turned 21 then. Australia haven't played good thought the bowlers have lifted "Plenty of happy memories during the ODIs this the positives out of those games the mark, but we haven't batted for me here. This is where my summer, but rued at not grab- and try and make sure we focus well at all. We beat India in one career kick started when I got bing the initiative and putting on getting to the final," he said. game and if we get things right, that hundred earlier on in my the opposition under pressure. The tourists also want to