***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[Burgey]

SL's day but there's enough there for the bowlers if they hit the towel. Watto potentially dangerous with his stump-to-stump ***iness.

Edit: three consecutive posts lauding Watto guarantees 0-108 (15)

 

[Ruckus]

They got through 86.4 overs, minus 10mins (3 overs is it?) for change of innings meaning they lost about an over, so won't be starting early surely.

Alright, cheers.

 

[Lostman]

Ha Herath bowled well today, wanted him no where near the side before the game though.

In 04, SL got a lead of ~150 at Galle and still lost. Dilshan, Sanga, Mahela, Samaraweera all played that test, but at least this time they wont be facing Warne, Gillespie and Macgill.

Need at least 400 here, batting last even 150 is going to be tough.

 

[Julian87]

I think Cribb was very excited by Lyon's straight bat in defence and just has a 'feeling'.

 

[Bun]

It will be interesting how many overs Watson will bowl. This pitch is perfectly suited to his style of bowling.

Agree so much! Watto will be a big threat

 

[social]

Yeah you're right; off spinners never take wickets in Sri Lanka

I assume that the statement "I legitimately think Australia might have found a long-term spinner for all conditions" also includes places like, say, AUSTRALIA where offies are cannon fodder

Id understand if the guy bowled 95 mph or spun a leggie like a top but a ****ing run-o-the-mill offie

Joke selection

 

[Prince EWS]

I think Cribb was very excited by Lyon's straight bat in defence and just has a 'feeling'.

Was stranded.

 

[Prince EWS]

Agree so much! Watto will be a big threat

 

[Burgey]

Ha Herath bowled well today, wanted him no where near the side before the game though.

In 04, SL got a lead of ~150 at Galle and still lost. Dilshan, Sanga, Mahela, Samaraweera all played that test, but at least this time they wont be facing Warne, Gillespie and Macgill.

Need at least 400 here, batting last even 150 is going to be tough.

Yeah Herath was very good.

 

[Lostman]

Yeah you're right; off spinners never take wickets in Sri Lanka

 

[Noble One]

Agree so much! Watto will be a big threat

Unless he looks dangerous early, I don't see Watson bowling much more than 10 overs a day. Australia truly wrap him in cotton wool when it comes to managing his workload during a physically testing series.

 

[Nate]

Michael Hussey WAG. Doubt him at your peril. We'd have been screwed without him.

Also, bring back Kato.

 

[Ruckus]

What are peoples thoughts on Hughes atm, and how he'll fair if he given a longer run?

 

[Howe_zat]

Unless he looks dangerous early, I don't see Watson bowling much more than 10 overs a day. Australia truly wrap him in cotton wool when it comes to managing his workload during a physically testing series.

Can you blame them, after five years of injury after injury?

 

[Prince EWS]

What are peoples thoughts on Hughes atm, and how he'll fair if he given a longer run?

I'd be pretty surprised if he was never a successful Test batsman but whether the time is now or not is pretty debatable IMO, especially with all the unsuccessful tinkering he made to his technique last season. I'd much rather have Katich there obviously but I think he deserves his spot more than Khawaja if you're looking at purely from a "six most credentialed batsmen in Australia" perspective, even if Khawaja is closer to being the finished product and more suited to batting #6. I'd definitely be annoyed to see him dropped for Marsh, Finch or someone of that ilk that any time soon.

 

[andyc]

What are peoples thoughts on Hughes atm, and how he'll fair if he given a longer run?

Will still be in the team come this home summer, regardless of how he does in SL. He's seen as a long-term prospect (and rightly so IMO), and now that Katich is gone, there's no one out there that can replace him that isn't too old or inexperienced.

 

[four_or_six]

Unless he looks dangerous early, I don't see Watson bowling much more than 10 overs a day. Australia truly wrap him in cotton wool when it comes to managing his workload during a physically testing series.

He's so good he only needs that long tbh...

 

[Julian87]

Far out their off spinner has a terrible action.

 

[Prince EWS]

Far out their off spinner has a terrible action.

Haha yeah AWTA. He does get turn and bounce though.. somehow.

 

[Ruckus]

I'd be pretty surprised if he was never a successful Test batsman but whether the time is now or not is pretty debatable IMO, especially with all the unsuccessful tinkering he made to his technique last season. I'd much rather have Katich there obviously but I think he deserves his spot more than Khawaja if you're looking at purely from a "six most credentialed batsmen in Australia" perspective, even if Khawaja is closer to being the finished product and more suited to batting #6. I'd definitely be annoyed to see him dropped for Marsh, Finch or someone of that ilk that any time soon.

Yeah Katich would definately be the safer bet at this stage. The thing is though, I feel the time sort of has to be now for Hughes. He has basically just come through a lengthy and confusing phase of being told conflicting things about his game, changing his technique or not changing it etc. etc. He mentioned he feels he knows what he has to do now, is comfortable with his game, and has been in top form of late so if he doesn't start getting runs soon I just feel his chances of becoming a really successful test batsmen might begin to slowly fade.

Will still be in the team come this home summer, regardless of how he does in SL. He's seen as a long-term prospect (and rightly so IMO), and now that Katich is gone, there's no one out there that can replace him that isn't too old or inexperienced.

I could quite easily see Marsh replacing him though, or even Warner being fast-tracked into the side.