Sri Lanka in New Zealand

[irottev]

Well Andre Adams is out with a broken bone in his hand which is unfortonate. And they now selected Franklin, who is my least favorite cricketer in this country. He bowled shocking against Australia, he doesn;t deserve another chance. Let him focus on tests where he bowls well. When under pressure you just see the confidance leave him. So hopefully hes 12th man at best.

POSSIBLE LINEUP based on things the Bracewell has said.
Nathan Astle
Jamie How
Lou Vincent
Hamish Marshall
Scott Styris
Chris Cairns
Jacob Oram
Brendon McCullum
Daniel Vettori (c)
Kyle Mills
Shane Bond
Peter Fulton (sub, will bat at 4 or 5)

Looks like the likely lineup. I would of though Adams would of probably been in there or at least been the supersub had he been fit. Otherwise How as the sub. How they can take Vincent away from opening the innings I don't know as he has done great there. Mabee we are trying new things. I also don't want to see us win the toss and make a call on bowling first just because of this "we chase better" or "we have a batting sub" as the reason. We need practice at setting compeditive targets and defending that score because we will need to in the World Cup and Champions Trophy.

Instead of Franklin we should of got gool old Harry back. I hope he at least makes the World Cup squad. The wickets will suit him and he will make for a handy supersub and the experiance and everything will be valuable. He has been in good form so why not? Hes fit and wants to play in it.

EDIT: Stephen Fleming has returned to Wellington for his son's birth so he will not be in the first ODI on the 31st so Vettori will captain again. Astle has been added to the squad to cover for him. I guess he will make the starting XI because they will need an experianced opener with How on debut. However he might find himself as the supersub or mabee they might even leave him out. I myself would give him a last chance. Make him the supersub at least, please. Sri Lanka isn't Australia, he might settle much better.

 

[sahassaigal]

I think Astle will make a big score if he's in the playing XI....he's batting in New Zealand, so he's used to the conditions and most of the Sri Lankan bowlers are demoralized after they're poor series in India (except Murali, even Vaas wasn't looking too good)....

And talking about Astle being in the team what about Jayasuriya for Sri Lanka?? He's in terrible form and I doubt that he'll be in SL playing XI, I hope Upul Tharanga's opening with Sangakarra, he looked pretty good against India, Jayasuriya should retire like his fellow left-hander and 10,000 club member Ganguly

 

[rahulk666]

New Zealand always has been a team with good but not top-class players after say M. Crowe or R. Hadlee. Their strength is that they use the available resources and play as a team. You don't see New Zealand win matches due to individual brilliance much. They are tough competitors.

I know some hardcore NZ fans are going to pounce on me for saying that NZ does not have world-class players. Bond may be a good bowler but he lacks fitness. To be a great in the game you should have the whole package... talent, brilliance, guts and fitness too.

Vettori and to some extent Fleming can only be termed moderately world-class in NZ team.

 

[irottev]

Bond is fit, he doesn't lack fitness. Where did that come from? His back injury? I thought thats all in the genetics. Hes bowling at 150 kmph. Hes 100% fit now though. The only thing you could say is that he has missed a lot of matches through injury so is still reletively new.

Vettori, Fleming, Cairns and Bond are world class. Vettori, Fleming and Cairns have represented us in World XI matches. Bond is just getting back, go look at his ODI and Test strikes rate, average and economy rate, that is world class. Despite being out for years he put in the hard yards and got back into the team and bowled as well if not better then ever.

Meh anyway, even your signature I disagree with so I will leave it there. Its your opinion.

 

[ZexyZahid]

First match has just started. New Zealand won the toss and fielded. Maybe because they think they're good in runchases.

Sri Lanka 16/0 after 5.1 overs.

 

[irottev]

That was dissapointing. Its great to see Bond, Vettori, Mills and Oram finish with absolutly fantastic figures.

If you didn't know. Sri Lanka only made 163 runs from 47.2 overs and were bowled out. Bond, Oram and Mills got 3 wickets each at a tiny economy rate.

Theres nothing wrong with the pitch or the conditions, its pretty much perfect. The batting was just extremly poor and the bowling extremly good for the most part. Two threequarter-chance catches were dropped also with a few others were just out of reach.

I hope Sri Lanka at least bowl well. And next up is a triseries against Australia and South Africa. That will be just as hard and harder againt Australia.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Pretty bad performance of Sri Lanka. Only managed to get 163 runs. You can blame that on the top order, who failed again.

It's pretty low score. Sri Lanka need a really good bowling performance if they want to win this one. I don't see that happening.

 

[kamrandahir]

i think new zealand will win the sereis

 

[irottev]

Yeah now my prediction goes to 4-0. I thought Sri Lanka might of had a chance after our bowlers wern't going too flash against Australia but with Bond back and bowling well I don't see them winning. I hope we get to set a score though. Now I am contemplating whether its worth going to the second match.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Depends what a ticket costs. And if New Zealand would bat first in the 2nd ODI then I would surely go. But you can't know when you leave your home.

For me New Zealand were favourites, but this performance had my suggestion stronger that they can the series. I thought at first it would be 3-1.

 

[Hariz]

Newzealand losing two quick wickets, it is getting interesting. Murali into the attack and immediately removes Astle. He can still turn Srilanka towards victory.

 

[ZexyZahid]

New Zealand have won with seven wickets. But they really took their time. They needed 37.2 overs to do it.

 

[irottev]

Of course we took our time, we didn't need 37.2 overs, we used 37.2 overs. We could of made that in 20 overs if we had of needed to. I mean it would be silly to go out and play risky shots. We played the runs down easily and safely. There were still big shots being played.

Murili bowled very well as usual. Vaas wasn't bad either. The batsmen, especially the top order need to get better and fast.

That Astle decision was dodgy. Its a shame because hes been out of form. He played those nice shots but both were cut off due to fantastic fielding. So that was a shame, it could cost him his palce with Fulton and How making fantastic contributions.

 

[kodos]

Yeah Astle decision was a dodgy call. Good performance by NZ and have continued their momentum from their last match in the CH series. Still predict a 3-1 series win to NZ. Nice to see some talented young batsmans How and Fulton performing. Perhaps they are NZ's answers to a promising and stronger batting line up. Also nice to see Bond back and bowling well.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Who do you guys think will be dropped when Fleming comes back? The debutant How and Fulton, who played only one ODI so far, played pretty well. I think personally one of these will be placed as Supersub.