Whatmore - in confident mood. (Getty Images)

By Myles Hodgson, PA Sport Cricket Correspondent, Port Elizabeth

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Sri Lanka arrived in Port Elizabeth to begin preparations for an unexpected World Cup semi-final against Australia on Sunday hoping another anticipated slow and low St George's wicket will count in their favour on Tuesday.

Despite losing confidence and form following heavy defeats against Australia and India during the Super Sixes, Saturday's victory over Zimbabwe in East London was enough to oust New Zealand and claim the final place in the last four.

It has earned them a reunion with the world champions at St George's Park for the first of the semi-finals with the reward of a place in the March 23 final at the Wanderers on offer for the winners.

Recent form would suggest Australia will reach their third successive final having not lost a one-day international since slumping to a surprise 79-run defeat in Sydney to Sri Lanka on January 9, since when they have embarked on a record-breaking run of 15 successive victories.

But the pitch at St George's Park has proved more of a leveller than most with both England and New Zealand performing better against the world champions here than at any other ground during the tournament so far and Sri Lanka are hopeful it will suit them enough to cause a semi-final upset.

"We've played them at Centurion and got an object lesson in one-day cricket from them but this wicket may be different so we'll see what happens," stressed coach Dav Whatmore,.

"I would have thought the pitch here would be more suitable for Sri Lankans than the one at Centurion."

That will be the hope in the Sri Lankan camp having been hammered by 96 runs in that previous meeting on a pitch which was far livelier than they are likely to face on Tuesday when fast bowler Brett Lee sent captain Sanath Jayasuriya to hospital with arm and thumb injuries.

Yet despite that reverse, the Sri Lankans are determined to make the most of their unexpected progress into the last four of the World Cup with several of their players - Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva and Hashan Tillekeratne - likely to be playing in their last major tournament.

"We're now at the business end of the tournament and our opponents are playing some breathtaking cricket," said Whatmore, talking to Sky Sports News. "They're clearly the in-form side of the competition.

"But there aren't that many boys in our group that will play another semi-final in their careers so hopefully they will make the most of that.

"Sri Lanka are not regarded as a power around the world so it was very important for them to do that. Now that we're here, there's every chance we might progress."

Senior batsman Marvan Atapattu, who scored a century during that last victory over Australia in Sydney, believes that performance should give them confidence despite their mixed form both in this World Cup and the triangular VB series which preceded it.

"It's a hell of an achievement to reach the semi-finals for a side that was all out for a low total against Australia A and to come back from that is superb," stressed Atapattu. "Every cricketer would love to be in our position playing in a World Cup semi-final.

"We've played Australia a lot over the last two or three months and we've not fared too well, but we beat them in Sydney and I don't see why we can't do it again - it depends which team performs on the day."

Since Australian captain Ricky Ponting first complained about the pitch following Australia's preliminary round triumph over England, claiming it "wasn't a good one-day wicket", ground authorities have been working hard to try and produce an improved surface.

Groundsman Adrian Carter does not expect a high-scoring match on Tuesday and is bracing himself for a nervous couple of days while he completes his preparations for the first semi-final.

"Every single groundsman around the country has probably had sleepless nights going into the World Cup," he admitted. "After the Australia against England game the pressure did get to me.

"But I felt slightly more comfortable after the Australia against New Zealand match because it played better and I think it will be a long couple of games going into the semi-final and a couple of sleepless nights for me."