Lanka face selection dilemma - Chaminda Vass to be OUT ?

Sri Lanka face selection dilemma - Chaminda Vass to be OUT ?

SECOND TEST MATCH, Hobart:
Australia v Sri Lanka
Play starts 2330 GMT Thursday
Live coverage: Sky Sports 1

Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga is hoping for a Test recall

Sri Lanka must decide whether to recall Lasith Malinga for the second and final Test against Australia in Hobart after he was omitted in Brisbane.

Chaminda Vaas, on 99 Tests, is most vulnerable, while Kumar Sangakkara may come back into the side to replace Thilan Samaraweera after injury.

Australia will name the same side that thrashed Sri Lanka in Brisbane.

Michael Clarke is the only minor doubt with a tight hamstring, but the 26-year-old is expected to recover.

Malinga is an attacking option; we need to win a Test match Mahela Jayawardene

Sri Lanka need their fast bowlers to offer better support for spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who needs only seven wickets to pass Shane Warne's world bowling record.

And captain Mahela Jayawardene hinted that Vaas will be the man to miss out.

"We have four quicks and Muttiah so we will have to make a decision," he said.

"Malinga is an attacking option. We need to win a Test match. I think there's a good possibility he can come into the side.

"I made tougher decisions than this in the World Cup - when we left Marvan Atapattu out - and in England.

"It's a decision you have to take regardless of seniority or the [past] performances of the guys, just on form and who you think can get the job done."

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting believes the match will be closer than his side's opening Test victory, by an innings and 40 runs.

"There is a fair bit of moisture on the surface so it will probably spin from day one," said Ponting.

"It's only one Test in Brisbane we have played well [since the retirement of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Justin Langer] and this Test could be different."

The world's three leading news agencies have not been providing material from the Australia-Sri Lanka series because of a dispute with Cricket Australia.

As a result, none of our pictures are from the current series.

Australia: Matthew Hayden,
Phil Jaques, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart MacGill.

Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Michael Vandort, Chamara Silva, Prasanna Jayawardene, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas.