***Official*** Sri Lanka in Australia

[lionheart]

Gut feeling still reckons on a harder pitch and more even pitch with less side ways movement he will struggle to take wickets. But he has done eveything possible outside getting a 5-fer and maybe a 50 to get selected. The fact that he played both tour matches also suggest the selectors are strongly considering playing him.

But whatever happens those last two tour matches will give him some massive confidence going into the next chapter of his career.

I agree that wicket taking won't be nearly as easy on the Gabba, but Roofers (love that nickname), has the right attributes as a bowler to succeed on virtually any wicket. Its just weather he can mentally harness those attributes to bowl consistently nagging line and length. Its a shame he didn't do more with the bat, otherwise he'd be all but sure of selection. But I genuinely think he's turned a corner as a bowler.

Its a shame about Sanga, otherwise I'm 100% certain SL would have played four seamers + Murali. It would have been the right mix for Brisbane. Even now Jayawardene is talking about the possibility of doing so - even without Sanga.

 

[Burgey]

The loss of Sangakarra is a massive one for SL, and frankly one I cannot see them overcoming.

He's one of their best batsmen, if not their best, and they need all of their better players fit and firing if they are to overcome Australia at the Gabba, where they haven't lost a test since about 34 AD.

SL's bowling attack is really very good, their problem certainly isn't in that area. I could see them bowling out Australia twice with the line up they've got, but the problem for them is, without Sanga, scoring runs on a pitch which will bounce above waist height, and likely have good pace and carry as well.

I think if Sanga played, they would have a much better chance of at least getting away with a draw. Without him, it will be very, very tough.

 

[Prince EWS]

The loss of Sangakarra is a massive one for SL, and frankly one I cannot see them overcoming.

He's one of their best batsmen, if not their best, and they need all of their better players fit and firing if they are to overcome Australia at the Gabba, where they haven't lost a test since about 34 AD.

SL's bowling attack is really very good, their problem certainly isn't in that area. I could see them bowling out Australia twice with the line up they've got, but the problem for them is, without Sanga, scoring runs on a pitch which will bounce above waist height, and likely have good pace and carry as well.

I think if Sanga played, they would have a much better chance of at least getting away with a draw. Without him, it will be very, very tough.

Totally random but I promised myself I'd ask you this next time I saw you post.

Do you happen to have "BURGEY" on your car's number plate?

 

[Burgey]

As a matter of fact mate, my wife does.

Seen her at Baulkham Hills shops or somewhere around there?

Been meaning to ask you how the new club's going?

 

[Prince EWS]

As a matter of fact mate, my wife does.

Seen her at Baulkham Hills shops or somewhere around there?

Been meaning to ask you how the new club's going?

I saw said car drive into McDonald's Castle Hill on Saturday on the way home from cricket. I knew you lived in the area so I figured it might be you.

The club is going well; our B2s team actually got pushed up to B Grade due to over-dominance early in the season and they've held their own in a couple of games since then. Our lower grade side is currently first I think. We finished up getting more than enough players in the end.

 

[Burgey]

Good stuff - glad to hear it's doing well. First year or two is always the hardest. After that they tend to build their own momentum. It's a good area demographically for a new club, I imagine.

The kids do love their Maccas. i was in strife for not ringing in to report that we were playing, despite the rain.

PS: that picture is of Alex Hawke, isn't it? Looks like Andrew Strauss a bit. Hadn't noticed before.

 

[iamdavid]

He bowls best when he has bowling under his belt; going on long tours and bowling in the last game or so doesn't help him. As has been said, he's a little quicker than Hopes, just as accurate and, most importantly, swings the ball a mile both ways. When he hasn't played any cricket for a while, he does indeed look decidedly rubbish, though.

Several people just said that, now I've seen quite alot of Hilfenhaus and must admit I've never seen him bowl an inswinger, he has a straight one to go with the lovely, loopy outswing he naturally bowls and that proves just as effective.
And yeah the reason he's so highly rated is he has excellent fundamentals, extremely fit and strong, uncomplicated action, handy pace (I'd put him in the Stuart Clark, Jason Gillespie bracket, he's not as quick as say Mitchell Johnson or Shane Watson but quicker than McGrath, Hopes, Damien Fleming, etc) and most of all he has the priceless ability to move the ball away from the right handers seemingly regardless of the condition of the ball or the pitch.

 

[Laurrz]

Several people just said that, now I've seen quite alot of Hilfenhaus and must admit I've never seen him bowl an inswinger, he has a straight one to go with the lovely, loopy outswing he naturally bowls and that proves just as effective.
And yeah the reason he's so highly rated is he has excellent fundamentals, extremely fit and strong, uncomplicated action, handy pace (I'd put him in the Stuart Clark, Jason Gillespie bracket, he's not as quick as say Mitchell Johnson or Shane Watson but quicker than McGrath, Hopes, Damien Fleming, etc) and most of all he has the priceless ability to move the ball away from the right handers seemingly regardless of the condition of the ball or the pitch.

IIDR his big weapon during last season where he picked up 60 wickets was that he not only had his stock ball (outswinger) but he knew how to bowl the offcutter and trapped a lot of victims LBW.. i think that is a big advantage of a swing bowler that swings it away... to be able to cut the ball bak...ala. Alderman

 

[Laurrz]

The loss of Sangakarra is a massive one for SL, and frankly one I cannot see them overcoming.

He's one of their best batsmen, if not their best, and they need all of their better players fit and firing if they are to overcome Australia at the Gabba, where they haven't lost a test since about 34 AD.

SL's bowling attack is really very good, their problem certainly isn't in that area. I could see them bowling out Australia twice with the line up they've got, but the problem for them is, without Sanga, scoring runs on a pitch which will bounce above waist height, and likely have good pace and carry as well.

I think if Sanga played, they would have a much better chance of at least getting away with a draw. Without him, it will be very, very tough.

yea agree

i think Lanka will be a handful in Bellerive (2nd test).. where Sanga should be back

 

[Laurrz]

Frankly speaking i think too many people just underrate Maharoof and rate him as pure crap but i think if he bowls in the right areas and doesn't try anything fancy (which he usually tries too and that's why he looks so dire as a bowler) then he can serve as an average bowling all-rounder.

I saw the highlights of the match on the news and saw the pitch was quite green... and made a lot of sense as to why Maharoof was a handful and why guys like Kaspa/Bichel/Noffke were more of a handful than a Mitchell Johnson i think..
those types of bowlers that just 'kiss the pitch' (i think thats the expression) prove to be a real handful... and Maharoof has shown that given a juicy pitch he can dismantle teams batting lineups..

come Gabba time i don't know but he may not be as effective.. in saying that he did well in Adelaide too

he could bat at 6 and might play the Flintoff role *shrugs..

 

[pup11]

I saw the highlights of the match on the news and saw the pitch was quite green... and made a lot of sense as to why Maharoof was a handful and why guys like Kaspa/Bichel/Noffke were more of a handful than a Mitchell Johnson i think..
those types of bowlers that just 'kiss the pitch' (i think thats the expression) prove to be a real handful... and Maharoof has shown that given a juicy pitch he can dismantle teams batting lineups..

come Gabba time i don't know but he may not be as effective.. in saying that he did well in Adelaide too

he could bat at 6 and might play the Flintoff role *shrugs..

I don't think Sri lanka would be too keen on playing a drunk Maharoof

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't think Sri lanka would be too keen on playing a drunk Maharoof

Very apt rolleyes. Should be below your post rather than next to it though.

 

[pup11]

Very apt rolleyes. Should be below your post rather than next to it though.

Yeah mate an idiot like me takes time to learn things
____________ see i am learning!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah mate an idiot like me takes time to learn things
____________ see i am learning!!!!!!!!!!

Nah, I didn't mean it like that. Smilies can go next to your posts. It was just my smartarse way of rolleyes-ing your post.

 

[pup11]

Nah, I didn't mean it like that. Smilies can go next to your posts. It was just my smartarse way of rolleyes-ing your post.

No worries mate i know you didn't mean anythingh harsh, but there is no harm in taking a dig at yourselves once in a while!

 

[pup11]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/318415.html
I am not too impressed with Clarke's statement,he surely needs to work on his PR skills.

 

[Prince EWS]

PS: that picture is of Alex Hawke, isn't it? Looks like Andrew Strauss a bit. Hadn't noticed before.

Yes it is, and yes he does. I actually told him as much last week.

 

[Top_Cat]

I am not too impressed with Clarke's statement,he surely needs to work on his PR skills.

Agreed. Comes across as a bit defeatist and trying to pre-empt criticism. Let the team play at least one Test without Warne/McGrath before making any predictions! Geez.

 

[Laurrz]

I don't think Sri lanka would be too keen on playing a drunk Maharoof

 

[Laurrz]

I think it shows Pup has a level head with things... and its true... we wont keep winning games all the time

we'll prolly win 60-70%... before it was like 90% and the games we loss were normally dead rubbers etc. and away from home

if we do keep the standard than it is just that the otehr teams are ****house... so other teams should do better