Group B - Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe

[Polo23]

Oh, for ****'s sake.

 

[Nate]

While all the Kiwis are fast asleep, I'll drink from the supporters cup.

But no Mills.

 

[King Pietersen]

Really looking forward to watching McCullum and Ryder open for NZ, watching those 2 vs Malinga is going to be surefire entertainment. Backing NZ in this one, just don't see Sri Lanka having a great tournament for some reason.

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

Chandimal to debut for Sri Lanka today....
Interesting to see how he performs...

Overall, i bet on Sri Lanka.....

 

[BoyBrumby]

Gotta love Bumble; was playing league cricket against McCullum, N last year. "Nothing special; but slow. Very slow."

Offies opening the bowling causes me to die a little inside tho.

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

Sri Lanka have got a good start

Sri Lanka 18/0 (3 ov)
Jayawardene 15*
Dilshan 2*

 

[Prince EWS]

I love watching Jayawardene in this format of the game. Not the most effective of players all the time but when he's in form he's one of the players who can score quickly by just playing gorgeous cricket shots off every ball rather than playing the power-hitting game.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Dilshan's purple patch well and truly over.

 

[GGG]

3 of 19 damn.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Now Sanga gone 44/2

Jayawardene needs to bat through the innings

 

[Prince EWS]

Simon Doull: Well I don't think we'll see Styris bowl a seam-up delivery in his spell.
Next ball: *Styris bowls Sangakkara with a seam-up delivery that he tried to play like an off-cutter*

 

[King Pietersen]

I don't get why people were talking Sri Lanka up tbh. Their side in the last tournament looked much better. The batting line-up this year doesn't look strong enough. Dilshan's in terrible form, Jayasuriya's past his best, Sangakkara didn't look in particularly good form and after that there's very little International quality. Their bowling attack with the 3 M's looks impressive, but I don't see their batting being good enough to post/chase large totals. May end up proving me wrong, but I don't see them getting close to winning the tournament atm.

 

[Jayzamann]

I am slow, yes. Only now am I realising how strong NZ is on paper. It's great to see Oram getting a scalp so early in the tournament to blow out the cobwebs. The batting lineup is seriously impressive as well.

 

[Faisal1985]

Tim Southee is the man.....very economical.

 

[tooextracool]

I don't get why people were talking Sri Lanka up tbh. Their side in the last tournament looked much better. The batting line-up this year doesn't look strong enough. Dilshan's in terrible form, Jayasuriya's past his best, Sangakkara didn't look in particularly good form and after that there's very little International quality. Their bowling attack with the 3 M's looks impressive, but I don't see their batting being good enough to post/chase large totals. May end up proving me wrong, but I don't see them getting close to winning the tournament atm.

2 things:

1) angelo matthews
2) they're playing in the WI, the slow pitches are going to play right into the hands of Murali and Mendis and lets not forget who reached the finals of the 2007 wc.

 

[Faisal1985]

This preditctor thingi is pretty engaging...

 

[Howsie]

And Hopkins drops his first catch of the tournament, surprise surprise.

 

[GGG]

Not even going to bother runing down Hopkins, its the selectors that need a uppercut.

 

[Uppercut]

I love watching Jayawardene in this format of the game. Not the most effective of players all the time but when he's in form he's one of the players who can score quickly by just playing gorgeous cricket shots off every ball rather than playing the power-hitting game.

When did he become some kind of T20 god? This is so, so good.

 

[Faisal1985]

Whaaat! Mahela!