Story (08)The Lankan battle,Bladescape vs. AOTF

[bladescape]

3rd ODI:
Sl:
Sangakkara
Vandort
M.Jayawardene
C.Silva
Dilshan
P.Jayawardene
Chandana
Vaas
Malinga
Mendis
Muralidaran

Ind:
Sehwag
Gambhir
Tendulkar
Dravid
Laxman
Karthik
I.Pathan
Chawla
P.Kumar
Z.Khan
M.Patel

No changes
Match:
Ind innings:163/8 overs:50
Chawla 34no
Karthik 24

Malinga 3-39
Chandana 2-20
SL innings:164/6 overs:42.4
Dilshan 60no
Chandana 38

I.Pathan 3-44
Z.Khan 2-47
MOTMilshan
Result:SL win by 4 wickets.
Reaction:
A whitewash.
Dilshan was really my master card in this series.
We started by reducing them to 6/71 and the bowlers played like a test match from there,Chandana finally finding some economy and a few wickets to go with it.
Malinga started it by removing Gambhir caught behind,then got Sehwag bowled and finished with Tendulkar.
I might try De Silva against Zimbabwe as he looks to be more consistant then Vaas.

we started badly too,losing Vandort,Sangakkara and M.Jayawardene for 30 runs.
Silva went a little bit later with P.Jayawardene.
Chandana,Dilshan and Vaas yet again brought me home.
Well done AOTF on whitewashing them too.

 

[age of the fall]

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe 1st Test.

Sri Lanka

Sangakkara
Vandort
Jayawardene
Silva
Samerawerra
Dilshan
Fernando
Lakshitha
Murali
Malinga
de Silva

Zimbabwe

Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Strydom
Marumisa
Taibu
Chigumbura
Mupariwa
Manyumwa
Rainsford
Garwe

Sri Lanka 1st Innings 405/10

Silva 103
Jayawardene 100
Garwe 4/94
Manyumwa 2/28

Zimbabwe 1st Innings 169/10

Coventry 34
Taibu 26
Lakshitha 5/45
Fernando 3/30

Zimbabwe 2nd Innings(following on) 291/10

Strydom 142
Matsikenyeri 84
Malinga 6/75
de Silva 3/71

Sri Lanka 56/3

Sangakkara 25
Dilshan 11*
Mupariwa 1/5
Rainsford 1/17

Result:Sri Lanka Win by 7 wickets
MOTM Strydom

Reaction: Well congratulations Zimbabwe, you are know officially on my hit list. A bouncer to Jayawardene set him to be injured for 9 weeks with a Broken Arm. Goodbye- In form Batsmen:crying

Besides that one unfortunate incident the match went pretty much as expected. No major issues. Jaya and Silva set up a Beauty of a first innings score and Lakshitha(On Debut!) and Malinga dominated the batsmen with there pace(was a pace favouring pitch) Overall well effort by Strydom with his first Test Century on his Debut! Really just how I expected the next few matches to go. It's all Mirrows from here on in. Gutted about Jayas injury, was looking forward to him getting 1000 runs in the season.

 

[Jaztheman]

Amazing on how you both whitewashed India, great work both of you. Bladescape, their bowlers seemed to help them into a position which could of challenged your middle order, especially Dilshan, was too strong. Another good victory for you there.

The injury will of course dampen spirits in the camp and will damage your team but you have been rather lucky, with him getting injured against Zimbabwe rather than someone like India. It was a simple victory in the end, with pace being favoured you got exactly that with Lakshitha, on debut, and Malinga being the best bowlers. Definitely promising for you. A good batting performance also in the first innings, however you should of done a bit better in the last innings, losing a few cheap wickets. A win's a win though, and that was a good start to the Test Series.

Enjoying this story, you two. Keep this going.

 

[bladescape]

1st test:
Sl:
Warnapura
Vandort
M.Jayawardene
Sangakkara
C.Silva
Sameraweera
P.Jayawardene
Vaas
Mendis
Muralidaran
De Silva

Zim:
Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Strydom
Taibu
Marumisa
Chigumbura
Cremer
Maruma
Manyumwa
Rainsford

An Injury to Malinga puts De Silva into the team.
Sameraweera also returns from injury.

Match:
SL 1st innings:411
Sangakkara 117
C.Silva 71

Manyumwa 5/85
Rainsford 2/124
Zim 1st innings:173
Williams 84
Maruma 31no

Muralidaran 3/58
Mendis 3/65
Zim 2nd innings(Following on):153
Coventry 49
Williams 31

Muralidaran 4/46
Mendis 2/26
MOTM:M.Muralidaran
Result:SL win by an innings and 85 runs
Reaction:
Warnapura's early exit was a surprise to me,considering the fact that he has fought in tougher conditions I thought he'd relish a slaughter of Zimbabwe.
Sangakkara and C.Silva were the only one's who made starts and went on to make a worthwhile score.

De Silva's removal of Matsikenyeri for ducks in both innings(Golden in the first but not in the second) gave me the start I wanted and with the dominence of Murali it was never going to be tough.
Minnow's are somewhat boring.

 

[age of the fall]

Twas the First test, Sir

And yeah, They are, I'm looking to finish of this year within the next week so we can move onto some proper tours. Considering this is the Rest of our Year(Including this tour)

2 Tests-3 ODI's agianst Zimbabwe in Sri Lanka
2 Tests-3 ODI's against Bangla in Bangla
2 Tests-3 ODI's again Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe.

After all that Ill be looking forward to some proper Tours. Haha

 

[Jaztheman]

Ha few easy tours there. Nonetheless a routine win for you, Bladescape, which we expected. Hopefully you can whitewash them in both series, like you should.

 

[bladescape]

2nd test:
Sl:
Warnapura
Vandort
M.Jayawardene
Sangakkara
C.Silva
Sameraweera
P.Jayawardene
Vaas
Mendis
Muralidaran
De Silva

Zim:
Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Strydom
Taibu
Marumisa
Chigumbura
Rinke
Maruma
Manyumwa
Rainsford

The only change to either team is Rinke comming in for Cremer.
By the way,Malinga is out with a cold,not an injury,so a slight mistake there.

Match:
Zim 1st innings:264
Marumisa 97
Maruma 49

Mendis 3/69
Muralidaran 3/69
SL 1st innings:297
M.Jayawardene 110
Sangakkara 47

Rinke 3/46
Manyumwa 3/76
Zim 2nd innings:294
Chigumbura 81no
Coventry 44

Muralidaran 6/61
Vaas 3/56
SL 2nd innings:262/2
Vandort 128no
Sangakkara 91no

Maruma 1/19
Chigumbura 1/27
MOTM:M.Vandort
Result:SL win by 8 wickets.
Reaction:
De Silva and Vaas didn't do so well for me this time,with Mendis and Murali having to fix up the batsman that they didn't kill!

Then came the surprise,a removal of 7 wickets for about 110 in the late on end of my innings as Rinke in perticular was the responsible bowler bowling much better then Zimbabwe had before.

Murali mastered the Zimbabwen's in the second innings with three wickets from an unread doosra.

After a terrifying vision of a collapse to lose because we were at 2/20 odd.
Vandort and Sangakkara took a whole day just taking down the total with only a session between victory and a draw!
Vandort has now secured his spot for a while now with him being a definate for the rest of the tours this year.

 

[Jaztheman]

That was a closer match then expected by anyone. Vandort was awesome in the second innings with Sangakkara, who was awesome in both innings. Muralitharan managed to get 9 wickets as was the most effective bowler. The thing that made me laugh though was that Mendis and Murali both managed to get 3 wickets for 69 runs. What a lovely amount of runs.

Great work here guys.

 

[age of the fall]

Sri Lanka Vs Zimbabwe 2nd Test.

Sri Lanka

Sangakkara
Vandort
Silva
Samaraweera
Paranavitana
Dilshan
Fernando
Lakshitha
Murali
Malinga
de Silva

With Jayawardenes injury, Silva and Samaraweera move up to 3 and 4 respectively, while Paranavitana comes into the side.

Zimbabwe

Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Strydom
Marumisa
Taibu
Marumisa
Mupariwa
Manyumwa
Rainsford
Garwe

Marumisa comes in for Chigumbura

Zimbabwe First Innings 229/10

Strydom 91
Taibu 38
Fernando 3/41
Lakshitha2/52

Sri Lanka First Innings 393/10

Paranavitana 123*
Sangakkara 88
Manyumwa 3/105
Garwe 2/94

Zimbabwe Second Innings 430/10

Coventry 117
Taibu 62
de Silva 5/125
Fernando 2/89

Sri Lanka Second Innings 264/2

Sangakkara 128*
Samaraweera 70*
Cremer 1/70

Result: Sri Lanka win by 8 Wickets
MOTM: Coventry

Reaction: Sanga was totally robbed of that MOTM:

Anyway, Good job done there by Zimbabwe in there Second innings. It was insane. None of my bowlers could strike until de Silva managed to run though there order once they where at 350odd. But I never really looked like losing considering I still had a day and a half to just chase 262. Definitly a closer match then I had anticipated but still an easy win on the board.

Also, I'm not sure what it is with me and debutantes. Paranvitana with a 123* on his test Debut. When we face Aussie next I should just do a squad of people on debut. Lol.

 

[bladescape]

I haven't had too much luck with debutants except Mendis who has been brilliant all round for me.

 

[age of the fall]

Sri Lanka Vs Zimbabwe 1st ODI

Sri Lanka

Sangakkara
Vandort
Silva
Samaraweera
Paranavitana
Dilshan
Ariyasinghe
Fernando
Murali
Malinga
de Silva

Zimbabwe

Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Taibu
Strydom
Mazakadza
Rinke
Mupariwa
Maruma
Manyumwa
Rainsford

Zimbabwe 224/9

Williams 52
Coventry 35
Samaraweera 3/26
Murali 2/24

Sri Lanka 226/6

Dilshan 68
Paranavitana 60*
Mupariwa 2/34
Rainsford 2/56

Result: Sri Lanka win by 4 Wickets
MOTM: Paranavitana

Result: At first Look that looks like a pretty Simple victory chasing a small target. But I had a bit of a batting slump where Zimbabwe did a great job of drying up the runs. At the last 10 overs I needed 66 runs, Which Dilshan and Paranavitana really fired. Finally managed to knock off the runs at 49.1 Overs. Wasn't very impressed with my bowling in the match, Malinga was really poor(1/72) and I'm thinking of bringing in Mendis and Lakshitha.

This Tour has been more interesting then I had first expected.

 

[Jaztheman]

Good first ODI win for you there, AOFT. It took you a while to get the runs but a wins and win. Malinga was very poor but if he has good form then perhaps you should give him another go, I'd say let Mendis come in. Saying that Lakshitha has an awesome name and is good on ICC.

Great presentation.

 

[bladescape]

1st ODI:
Sl:
Sangakkara
Vandort
M.Jayawardene
Paranavitana
C.Silva
Sameraweera
Dilshan
Maharoof
Vaas
Mendis
Muralidaran

Zim:
Matsikenyeri
Coventry
Williams
Taibu
Strydom
Marumisa
Chigumbura
Rinke
Cremer
Manyumwa
Rainsford

Sangakkara is opening as usual in ODI's and Paranavitana gets a second chance.
P.Jayawardene's lack of apparent ability in ODI's see's Dilshan take the gloves and Maharoof takes the other opening bowler's spot.
For Zimbabwe,Strydom and Taibu swap spots and Cremer comes in for Maruma

Match:
SL innings:316/6,50 overs
Vandort 104
M.Jayawardene 73

Manyumwa 2/47
Chigumbura 1/67
Zim innings:131
Taibu 34
Coventry 28

Mendis 6/22
Sameraweera 2/24
MOTM:M.Vandort
Result:SL win by 185 runs.
Reaction:
Despite Sanga going for just 11 I quickly had 2/199 and just lifted it from there and I always assumed I'd get 300+,so no sweat.
Dilshan almost got another 50 but missed out by 2 runs.

Maharoof picked up 1 wicket but didn't make much impact and Zim were well on their way to winning until Mendis was brought into the attack.
On a side note,There were 2 dropped catches,4 failed lbw appeals and 10 plap and misses off Mendis,he was virtually unplayable!

 

[Jaztheman]

Massive win there and very easy. Mendis and Vandort were sensational but Mendis' bowling was productive and he nearly got extra wickets as well. As you said, unplayable.

Good stuff here you two, should win the series easily, bladescape.

 

[bladescape]

In reality,we both should!