A-team could fire without World Cup selection worries

MELBOURNE, Dec 31 AAP - A combination of relief and disappointment could lead Australia A to take an all-guns-blazing approach to tomorrow's day-night cricket match against Sri Lanka at the MCG.

Allrounder Andrew Symonds believes the conflicting emotions for players who have lived with selection anxieties could mean they will hammer out some frustrations.

Symonds was today named in Australia's 15-man World Cup squad along with fellow Queenslander Jimmy Maher, the Australia A captain.

While Symonds was delighted at winning a berth, he felt for some of his Australia A teammates who missed out.

Symonds and Maher agreed A-team allrounders Ian Harvey and Greg Blewett, batsman Michael Hussey and paceman Ashley Noffke were unlucky at being overlooked.

Symonds said the timing of the squad's release could mean some A players have their shackles freed.

"I probably feel like there's less pressure now that (the squad's) actually been released," he said.

"It's probably a load off everyone's shoulders.

"Maybe it'll even spur people into action even more tomorrow. You might see a really fired-up side tomorrow."

Maher, who scored a century for Australia A against Sri Lanka earlier this month, said the A-team was keen to continue its good recent run, including wins over the Lankans and England.

"There'll be a lot of guys going out there to put on a show and we want to keep our form rolling with the A side and keep Sri Lanka under pressure when they play against Australia and England for the rest of the series," he said.

Sri Lanka will play veteran batsmen Aravinda De Silva and Hashan Tillakaratne, who were last week added to the Lankans' World Cup squad.

Captain Sanath Jayasuriya said the tourists' confidence had picked up after their first win of the tour, against a country Victorian side in Hastings on Sunday.

"We hadn't had a win for three or four games and if we can have a win here it means we can get some confidence mentally," he said.

Sri lanka will rest off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan despite him bowling his first three overs of the tour on Sunday.

Muralitharan is a chance to resume in the tri series match against Australia in Sydney on January 9.

Teams:

Australia A: Jimmy Maher (captain), Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Ryan Campbell, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Brad Hodge, Michael Hussey, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds. Cricket Victoria to provide the 12th man.

Sri Lanka (likely 12): Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda De Silva, Dilhara Fernando, Pulsasthi Gunaratne, Mahela Jayawardene, Jehan Mubarak, Prabath Nissanka, Kumar Sangakkara, Hashan Tillakaratne, Chaminda Vaas.