Mendis could cause problems tbf. But otherwise you may be onto something here...
True. but for me the most important thing in this tour is the performance of the younger generation of sri lankans. If people like chandimal can bat well in this tour it will do wonders for their career and SL cricket. I also want to see how successful samaraweera will be in this tour
The thing is people are saying Mendis and Randiv are the bowlers to do the damage yet both are spinners and probably won't be in the same side. We are having freakish weather at present so it may turn but i would expect a few greentops to be produced as that would play to our strengths. Swann hasn't been needed much in the early season tests over the years as the conditions are generally so seamer friendly.
Yeah, true. Though his away record isn't that strong IIRC. But these guys will be badly missed over the next few years, if only for their experience.
You might find those type of condition being fairly suitable for mendis. his top spinners will skid through & keep a little low.
Haha jesus christ.
Well, SL batting will not fare well actually, and don't expect to see 500+ scores from them. Losing Mathews was a big blow because he can play pace and movement very well, and does it with some disdain as well. Sangakkara will do well, he's probably the best inform test batsman in the world now. Samaraweera has the technique. So I expect a century from him at least in one match. Dilshan will be hit and miss and won't do well. But if he gets some in the middle and demoralizes the opposition, he'll score a big one, and probably will hit Swann out of the attack. Paranavithana is untested up to now. May not do well, but he's the sort of bloke who tend to forget the last delivery and concentrate on the next. Might see some painstakingly slow, grinding innings from him, and SL will be happy to take a 40(150) from him. Mahela is in form, but historically has not done well when the ball moves. But if English seamers try to challenge him vertically, he'll score heavily. Chandimal is not the best against pace. But I can assure, if gets set, he and PJ will take Swann to the cleaners. PJ is a non entity against moving ball. More the reason to pick Kaushal Silva ahead of him, a compact and very correct player, who have shown to be good against moving ball.
That's a problem then because I see SL's best hope in putting scoreboard pressure on the English bats. If they can't rack up big scores with any kind of regularity...
I don't think Pradeep is ready yet, and is too wayward. Would have picked Prasad over him any day TBH. Mendis won't trouble any one in test matches. He keep refusing to develop a stock ball that actually spins.
Mendis is the only bowler we have that has shown capable of running through a side. And if I were to take a guess, I think he the only bowlerr that the English batsmen are concerned of. With his recent good form, he deserves a chance in the first test at least.