Overview

Unnecessary ODI series don't come more superfluous than four matches - including a final hardly worthy of its title - across seven days at the same ground. Yet, that is what we are faced with as Compaq claim their sponsorship fill, Sri Lanka get to make up for their Twenty20 whitewash and New Zealand offer what we all already know: they're a decent limited-overs outfit.

But the biggest travesty that greets the R Premadasa Stadium this month, is the fact that fly-by-night tourists India have the chance to drop into Sri Lanka, sweep what should be an easy series for them, claim the number-one spot in the ICC ODI rankings and leave South Africa - who beat the Aussies at home and away - to scratch their heads as to why they've been pipped at the pinnacle. With the Champions Trophy a mere two weeks away, one has to believe Mahendra Dhoni and company would rather pit their ability against the world's best for such acclaim, rather than pick it up unnoticed in Colombo.

However, amidst the charitable Champs Trophy curtainraiser lies some viewing pleasure in the form of individual performances, thankfully.

India take into the series Rahul Dravid, who has been recalled to the limited-overs fold after Rohit Sharma and a couple of young guns were found wanting against the short ball at the World Twenty20. If anything, the former captain will provide solidity in a middle-order in need of an anchor for the big-hitters to bat around. Their bowling resources, however, appear lean and Ashish Nehra needs a big series if Zaheer Khan's absence isn't going to be too uncomfortable.

New Zealand seem a revitalised unit. Quickly putting their Test defeats against Sri Lanka behind them, they've bounced back with a couple of Twenty20 International triumphs and head into the four-match spread with Shane Bond almost firing on all cylinders. If ever India are going to be tested against the short ball, it's going to be against the resurgent ICL sign-off.

Upul Tharanga and a couple of other deserving openers will once again watch from the sidelines as the hosts offer Sanath Jayasuriya yet another/one final chance to show the world his Master-Blasting efforts of yesteryear and while a poor series won't seal his fate, one has to imagine a repeat in South Africa will.

As is always the case on the sub-continent, spin will prove a major factor and while Sri Lanka and India have their combinations well settled, the Kiwis need to give Nathan McCullum a run alongside Daniel Vettori. Now is the time to experiment and tried-and-tested Jeetan Patel need step aside, for the time being.

Ultimately this series reeks of Afro-Asia Cup-style insignificance, but here's hoping the host of individual match-winners on show pull the week from the waste.

Likely Starting XIs
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Thilina Kandamby, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Thushara.

India: Mahendra Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ashish Nehra, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor.

Potential Match-Winners
Sri Lanka: Ajantha Mendis will do well to reclaim his waning mystery against India and company. Although this isn't the Asia Cup, conditions for turn are as good as they'll get for the ODI oddity.

India: Able to take the game away from the opposition in a matter of overs, Yuvraj Singh is arguably international cricket's biggest hitter and you can bet your bottom rupee the boundaries will be considerably shorter for this four-match gesture. His slow bowling is becoming increasingly better too, perhaps affording India the luxury of an extra seamer instead of a specialist spinner.

New Zealand: Shane Bond is faced with a couple more stepping stones to reclaiming his spot amongst world cricket's pace fraternity. Although bowling at the RPS is hardly a fast bowler's dream, Bond brings a much-needed edge to an otherwise mundane Kiwi pace attack.

ODI Results History
Sri Lanka versus India
ODIs: 111, Span: 1979-2009, SL wins: 42, India wins: 59, Ties: zero, No-results: 10

Sri Lanka versus New Zealand
ODIs: 68, Span: 1979-2009, NZ wins: 34, SL wins: 30, Ties: one, No-results: three

India versus New Zealand
ODIs: 80, Span: 1975-2009, NZ wins: 36, India wins: 39, Ties: zero, No-results: five

The Skippers' Say
"We have a lot of things to work on, going into the one-day series. We have to start somewhere, and the first one-dayer is the place. It's always a concern when a batsman is out of form. But we all know what he can do and what he has done. We have to give him every opportunity to get back in there and score runs." - Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara hopes for heftier contributions from his batsmen, particularly Sanath Jayasuriya.

"The one-day team has virtually an 80 percent win ratio in the last eight months. We take pride in our consistency and we would like to continue that. The team spirit and unity is good as it has ever been and everyone is feeling quite fresh mentally." - India skipper Mahendra Dhoni isn't about to brush this series off as token.

"The back-to-back wins in the Twenty20 matches is an indication of things to come. I think every player put up a performance at some stage and they will be happy and take a lot of confidence from that into the one-dayers. Making it to the final will be a great stepping stone for the Champions Trophy." - New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is pleased with success in the shortest format and looking for more of the same in the ODIs.

Prediction

India boast the most balanced outfit of the three and a win over Sri Lanka in the final should set them in good stead for more success in South Africa.

Squads
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Thilina Kandamby, Angelo Mathews, Dammika Prasad, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Malinga Bandara.

India: Mahendra Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Rudra Pratap Singh, Sachin Tendulkar.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Brendon Diamanti, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor.

Fixtures
First ODI: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 8 September
Second ODI: India versus New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 11 September
Third ODI: Sri Lanka vs India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 12 September
Final: TBC vs TBC at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 14 September

Jonhenry Wilson