***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[Jono]

First test pitch > Third test pitch

 

[Top_Cat]

Good knock by Clarke and all and will be interesting see how he goes against less friendly bowling attacks. Doubt he'll get so many on his pads against SA...

 

[Furball]

First test pitch > Third test pitch

Haha AWTA.

 

[Burgey]

wonder what Kumar said to Clarke to piss him off so much.might be something about Bungle!

You would hope not.

 

[benchmark00]

First test pitch > Third test pitch

Both unfit for test cricket.

 

[howardj]

All told, a disappointing series really in terms of the contest I expected.

Glad we have take the first steps in a long, long journey back to Test credibility.

Let's not get too ****y though.

The team thought they were going great guns before the Ashes, after despatching Pakistan and the Windies at home.

 

[robelinda]

All told, a disappointing series really in terms of the contest I expected.

Glad we have take the first steps in a long, long journey back to Test credibility.

Let's not get too ****y though.

The team thought they were going great guns before the Ashes, after despatching Pakistan and the Windies at home.

Dunno about ring great guns, we had just lost to India 2-0 and lost to SL in that one day series the same month! Hopeful we were.....

 

[Jono]

Both unfit for test cricket.

No one is saying a thing about this one though. Not the captains, not cricket journalists, and even not many people on this board.

 

[benchmark00]

All told, a disappointing series really in terms of the contest I expected.

Glad we have take the first steps in a long, long journey back to Test credibility.

Let's not get too ****y though.

The team thought they were going great guns before the Ashes, after despatching Pakistan and the Windies at home.

Australia played a much better style of cricket though. A grittier, tighter brand of cricket.

Even though we flogged Pakistan & WI before the Ashes, we didn't do so in a grinding style like Australia did against SL.

 

[benchmark00]

No one is saying a thing about this one though. Not the captains, not cricket journalists, and even not many people on this board.

Would say more people on this board are calling this pitch bad compared to how many called the first test bad tbbh.

 

[benchmark00]

In fact, I bet you'll find way more people that call the first pitch good than what call this pitch good, when both pitches were bad for test cricket.

 

[Furball]

That's because there was nothing wrong with the Galle pitch.

 

[robelinda]

Sri Lanka themselves were the problem with their negative play, rather than the pitch. Sure wasn't 600/3 plays 600/3, Herath got 7 few so wasnt the usual dead road that we've seen over the years. Not saying it was full of life like the 1st test though.

 

[benchmark00]

That's because there was nothing wrong with the Galle pitch.

Point proven.

 

[Jono]

In fact, I bet you'll find way more people that call the first pitch good than what call this pitch good, when both pitches were bad for test cricket.

Maybe a few on CW, but there is no criticism of this pitch at all from anyone outside of CW. And I guarantee you the ICC will not do anything.

You're wrong about this. Some on CW may want overly friendly bowling tracks compared to what you think is good for test cricket, but that is such a minority compared to those who don't complain about tracks like we just saw.

 

[Spark]

Jim Maxwell wasn't too fond on air tbf.

 

[howardj]

Dunno about ring great guns, we had just lost to India 2-0 and lost to SL in that one day series the same month! Hopeful we were.....

That was immediately before the Ashes, yes.

I was more talking about before that against WI and PAK There are so many weak Test nations now that it's easy to get a false idea of how you're actually travelling.

Anyway, best parts about this series were:

(a) Harris and Copeland - at last we have some control, a base or floor under our attack. Even if these guys don't take wickets, the game doesn't get away from us when these guys are bowling. Simply put, they build pressure.

(b) Our patient batting.

(c) Lack of reliance on Pootang's blade

(d) Not needing Johnson to take a hatful for us to win a Test

 

[Jono]

Jim Maxwell wasn't too fond on air tbf.

Now only if Clarke, Ponting and Dilshan would join in.

 

[Jono]

Sri Lanka themselves were the problem with their negative play, rather than the pitch. Sure wasn't 600/3 plays 600/3, Herath got 7 few so wasnt the usual dead road that we've seen over the years. Not saying it was full of life like the 1st test though.

When you have to get batsmen out caught at two short midwickets or short covers etc. there's an issue though.

I agree SL just exacerbated it though.

 

[benchmark00]

Maybe a few on CW, but there is no criticism of this pitch at all from anyone outside of CW. And I guarantee you the ICC will not do anything.

You're wrong about this. Some on CW may want overly friendly bowling tracks compared to what you think is good for test cricket, but that is such a minority compared to those who don't complain about tracks like we just saw.

Pull your head out of your arse Jono. Seriously. You sit there and read journalists columns and players opinions and think that it must be the status quo. What a load of horse **** that is. Pretty much every single person I have spoken to about the issue of pitches have been nothing but scathing in their assessment of pitches which are roads.

Maybe your opinion here would be correct if we were in the 1980's, not know. You're so far off it.