Nah, Sri Lanka have a decent shot at winning the match provided the weather does not play spoilsport. West Indies will almost certainly save the follow on, but I can see Sri Lanka picking up the five remaining wickets in a session. I cannot see West Indies sticking around for too long in their second innings either.
Bravo is more than capable of getting a 50 himself and Baugh didn't get out in the last innings, Sammy isn't the worst batter once he gets in either, i see us getting past the follow on and then going defensive!!.. waste a little time and if we're still there by lunch the prospect of a draw will be a real reality because they are gonna have to bat too remember?!!, if they are still batting in the first session of the 5th day they can forget about winning.
I am not sure about that. I don't think Sri Lanka will need more than sixty-seventy overs to skittle West Indies out on a day five wicket.
Brings an average of 38 and some handy left arm spin. Not a world beater, but good enough for a middle order batsman.
Knowing Sanga, (A shrewd little bastard), I thought he would have said umps. "look mate, it's gonna rain in five minutes time". Umps do respect the local knowledge, and it started raining withing five minutes they have gone off the field.
Do you really think the likes of Gayle, Bravo, Nash, Chanders etc will be going for stupid shots on the 5th day?
they'll be defensive, and let's remember the day will most likely be shortened again due to bad light.
Indeed. I've seen spinners bowl quicker spells but it's all seam up.
He bowled some good looking slow left arm here and took Mahela Jayawardane with one of it. Very loopy and spins it too. Could be very useful IMO.Indeed. I've seen spinners bowl quicker spells but it's all seam up.
Yeah, that was a disappointing shot, given the context of the match. A rash shot that could be blamed in his youth and inexperience?
Haha really? Must've realised his pace was muck and worked on becoming a part-time spinner. Haven't seen him bowl in this series.
Let us wait and see. If West Indies are given three hundred or thereabouts to get in a full day's play, I would bet my bottom dollar on them collapsing emphatically. You are underrating the Sri Lankan bowlers a touch, perhaps. They are lethal in home conditions.Do you really think the likes of Gayle, Bravo, Nash, Chanders etc will be going for stupid shots on the 5th day?
How did Junior Bravo bat otherwise?
I'm not saying we're gonna make 300 on the final day, what i'm saying is we'll be extra defensive on day five in an effort to secure a draw, i believe our top order is more than capable of doing that.
He was absolutely brilliant to be honest!!, everyone keeps saying he bats like Lara!!.. from cricinfo reporters to the commentators at the game, they even said that they didn't want the game to end because they were being so entertained by Darren's knock, also word behind the scenes suggest Brian told Darren that he is better than he was aged 21, i think we've got another superstar i really do, threw it away foolishly in the end but his class was evident and he'll only get better.
Problem with him and Mendis are that they don't get much bounce (because of short stature). If there is no big spin (or big mystery in case of Mendis) they are ineffective on batting surfaces. And they lack that killer explosion off the pitch which Murali or Warne used to get on a 5th day. Senanayake and Randiv are quite tall men (both are taller than some of the SL's seamers!) they'll get some dangerous bounce too. These too would have been very effective against LHB heavy Windies. But you know, the select suckers. They'll play both of them against a RHB heavy side.
The West Indian top order is certainly capable of hanging on for a draw, but the Sri Lankan bowling attack is equally capable of picking up ten wickets on the final day. Like I said, let us just wait and see.
