*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka

[Migara]

Chandimal 103*, Prasad 52* and having a special liking to vettori's and Patel's spin. Great going by the young Sri Lankans.

 

[Athlai]

Patel's doing great TBH.

 

[Migara]

Some more time for Prasad in the middle and you'll be guaranteed fireworks. He's a bull of a man, and clear boundries with utmost ease. Only problem is he's not technically sound. Otherwise would have been the ideal replacement for Vaas athough what they bring to the team is different.

 

[Bahnz]

Yet again, New Zealand gets their opposition 5 or 6 wickets down before letting their lower order rattle up masses of runs. It would be depressing if it weren't so predictable.

 

[Polo23]

Yet again, New Zealand gets their opposition 5 or 6 wickets down before letting their lower order rattle up masses of runs. It would be depressing if it weren't so predictable.

You're not wrong to be honest. Pretty much sums up NZ cricket..."i'd be disappointed if I didn't predict exactly this before the game/tour/WC"

 

[Migara]

Chandimal is not exactly a lower order batsman.

 

[Athlai]

Collapse of Pakistani proportions.

 

[_Ed_]

Haha, blimey. That is an impressive collapse.

 

[Athlai]

From on top to even stevens in a matter of a couple overs.

 

[Polo23]

Go OB!

Tuffey and OB for the tests!!!

 

[Athlai]

XXXX
Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
...Sigh... Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Patel
Tuffey
O'Brien

 

[Polo23]

Spot on Athlai.

 

[Athlai]

Cumming or McIntosh could be dependant on the second innings, though McIntosh is probably ahead with the selectors.

 

[Migara]

Looks like Dilshan is going to open in test matches. Opened against pak A and scored 68(60).

Probable test line up

Paranavithana, Dilshan, Sangakkara, Jayawardane, Samaraweera, Mathews, P. Jayawardane, Kulasekara, Thushara, Murali and Mendis

 

[Polo23]

Reckon we've got a chance against that batting lineup. Sangakkara and Jayawardene (Mahela) are the big worries and will probably tear us a new one.

 

[Migara]

Reckon we've got a chance against that batting lineup. Sangakkara and Jayawardene (Mahela) are the big worries and will probably tear us a new one.

Possibly. Three players average 50+ or close to it, two in 40s, and rmaining one improving. That will be a cake walk for the NZ lineup.

 

[Zinzan]

XXXX
Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
...Sigh... Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Patel
Tuffey
O'Brien

Conveniently forgetting that like it or not Martin's our best test seamer and has been since Bond retired from Tests a few years back. Even the Indian's batsmen last year after they hammered us in the test matches made mention that Martin was a step-up from the other NZ seamers.

 

[Halfpast_Yellow]

Conveniently forgetting that like it or not Martin's our best test seamer and has been since Bond retired from Tests a few years back. Even the Indian's batsmen last year after they hammered us in the test matches made mention that Martin was a step-up from the other NZ seamers.

It's true.

It's a toss up between O'Brien and Tuffey.

Have we got no better NZ Batsman available than Oram at 6? Cumming perhaps? Imagine Oram vs Murali in SL already...

 

[Woodster]

It's true.

It's a toss up between O'Brien and Tuffey.

Have we got no better NZ Batsman available than Oram at 6? Cumming perhaps? Imagine Oram vs Murali in SL already...

I see big Jake's been copping a bit on here, I think you could do much worse than have him wandering to the crease when you're four or five down. I accept he can look confused as to his options available when facing a top class twirler such as Murali, but he's not on his own. With a decent gameplan in place, I back him to do a decent job with the bat, and his handy medium pace should definitely offer control.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's true.

It's a toss up between O'Brien and Tuffey.

Have we got no better NZ Batsman available than Oram at 6? Cumming perhaps? Imagine Oram vs Murali in SL already...

Should've taken a spare middle order bat on tour, IMO. Oram's a good player but his incompetence against spin with the bat and lack of bowling "teeth" on pitches that don't offer sideways movement for the quicks makes him ridiculously unsuited to these conditions. He's liable to getting injured too and you don't have anyone else over there.

I don't have too many issues with Cumming being on tour as such as you needed a spare opener and he's as good as any, but there are better middle order players available than him.