Sri Lanka in Australia

[Hooper]

India are a better team now than then, and did come close to beating them in a test series in the 2003 series. I dont think they (or Sri Lanka) will manage to do something like that again, but I'd expect it to be much closer than the 1999/2000 series wherein both the Asian sides got hammered.

Well if they are a better team now then why can't they do better then the '03 side?

 

[manee]

Well if they are a better team now then why can't they do better then the '03 side?

Because Sachin Tendulkar was in fantastic form and that can bring a team far beyond what they would normally produce.

 

[charith]

I really hope that the this series focuses on the quality of the cricket and not on the stuff off the field. Its more of a wish than it actually occurring.

I think that SL have good chance because like mahela said earlier this week, the bowling attack is capable of getting 20 wickets with 3 genuine strike bowlers fernando, malinga and murali with vaas as a foil. Fernando especially has bowled brilliantly of late consistently clocking over 90mph and would like the gabba bouncy track.

The batting is the problem for me with the consistency. The top four must fire especially sangakkara and mahela. I think they will go for the jayasuriya/attapatu opening combination perhaps for the last time they will reunite to give the experiance. Tharanga will miss out probably. It will be a balanced side on paper but they have to put the runs on the board then set it up for the bowlers if they win the toss.

 

[smssia0112]

2-0 is my tip for the series, can't see Sri Lanka who are very much ODI specialists in my eyes taking a game off the Aussies.

Will be a good warmup for the India Series, and likely Mitchell Johnson's test debut.

 

[Inbox24]

2-0 is my tip for the series, can't see Sri Lanka who are very much ODI specialists in my eyes taking a game off the Aussies.

Will be a good warmup for the India Series, and likely Mitchell Johnson's test debut.

Let's hope not:

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds/Hodge?!/Wildcard
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Bracken/Hilfenhaus
MacGill

 

[aussie1st]

Chairman 11 has been picked.

Chairman's XI Lloyd Mash, Greg Moller, Phillip Hughes, Luke Ronchi (capt, wk), Callum Ferguson, Tom Plant, Cullen Bailey, Doug Bollinger, Aaron Heal, Mick Lewis, Paul Rofe

Good to see Hughes given a go, hopefully he converts his u19 form against SL. Don't know why Rofe or Lewis are there especially Lewis.

 

[edgefan007]

My Teams :-

AUSSIES [will probably win 3-0 with 1 Draw] :-
M. Hayden
P. Jaques
R. Ponting (c)
M. Hussey
M. Clarke
A. Symonds
A. Gilchrist (V.C)(W.K)
B. Lee
M. Johnson
S. Clark
S. MacGill

12th:S. Tait
13:B. Hodge
14:N.W. Bracken
15:S. Watson

Sri Lanka :-
S. Jayasuriya [will make 1 BIG 100]
M. Atapattu
K. Sangakkara(V.C)(W.K) [will do the best among batsmen]
M. Jayawardena (c)
C. Silva
T. Samarweera
J. Mubarak
C. Vaas
L. Malinga [will do well]
D. Fernando
M. Muralitharan [will DEFINITELY break Warne's record !]

12th:U. Tharanga [Reserve Opener]
13:F. Maharoof [may Replace Dilhara Fernando in 2nd Test.]
14:M. Vandort [Reserve Opener]
15:C. Welagedera [A very Underrated Swing Bowler]
16:Malinga Bandara.
17:C. Kapugedera.

Lanka should have taken P. Jayawardena as Reserve W.K & T. DILSHAN instead of C. Kapugedera & M. Bandara [Bandara can NEVER Replace Murali. Similar to Warne having MacGill as an Understudy but MacGil is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> M. Bandara. In fact, a talent like MacGill could have gone to any other team in this world & taken 300+ wkts. by now. MacGill >>> Harbhajan >>>>> Kaneria/Saqlain/M. Ahmed >>>> Vettori/J. Patel >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any W.I Spinner >>>>>>>>>> England's G. SWANN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any S. African Spinner-Boje/R. Peterson/P. Harris/J. Botha/T. Tshabalala]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bandara/Lokuarachchi.]

In my All-time Leg Spinner's List, I would rate Stuey MacGill as 3rd behind Warne & Kumble !!!

In fact when anybody analyses the situation closely, after 5 yrs. if Hussey,Ponting,Gilchrist,Hayden RETIRE, Aus. will still at least be 1 of the Top 2 teams but take away Pollock,Kallis,Boucher,Ntini from S.A or Sachin,Dravid,Ganguly,Kumble,Laxman from India or Jayasurya, M. Jayawardena,Vaas,Murali from S. Lanka or Vettori,Fleming,Styris,Oram from N.Z & these 4 teams [Ind.,S.L,S.A,N.Z] will hit Rock Bottom.

England btw have the best Future ahead as Cook,Bell,KP,Mustard/Prior,Broad, Anderson, Tremmo,Sidebottom,Panesar,Bopara,L. Wright, Shah are all quite young. Even Collingwood,Jon Lewis,Kirtley,Mascarenhas seem like capable of playing for 6-7 more yrs. they might just lose Strauss, Vaughan & Freddie Flintoff.]

 

[mattfb]

Clarke has to bat at 4 and Hussey 5. Hes our future, he needs to cement his spot at 4.

 

[Dare]

does anyone know the exptent of Sangakkaras injury??

 

[ivanvdm15]

no I didn't even know Sangakara was injured

 

[Dare]

he got hurt in the warm up match, atleast thats what it said on cricinfo. its a leg injury.

 

[manee]

Chairman's XI: Lloyd Mash, Greg Moller, Phillip Hughes, Luke Ronchi (capt, wk), Callum Ferguson, Tom Plant, Cullen Bailey, Doug Bollinger, Aaron Heal, Mick Lewis, Paul Rofe

No big names in there but I imagine a lot of proven domestic cricketers and talented youngsters - and Mick Lewis too

 

[aussie1st]

Someone pointed it out to me that the big names aren't there cause they are playing in our domestic comp. These guys are just the players not playing this weekend. Rofe and Lewis not very effective, Bollinger did manage a late wicket to make his day better.

Heal was the pick of the spinners, Bailey was getting thrashed to all parts of the ground.

 

[Left_Hander]

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds/Hodge?!/Wildcard
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Bracken/Hilfenhaus
MacGill

I really like the look of that line-up. I think Bracken should be given a go in the Test side. When he bowls in the one-dayers he troubles batsmen with swing and that is what you need in Test cricket.

 

[ivanvdm15]

I think Symonds should be chosen for the test side due to current good form I think he will do well in the tests.