*Official* Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011/12

[Daemon]

Samaraweera's back in the squad.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Thilan Samaraweera.

Good luck to SL, I expect to see some SA domination.

 

[Spikey]

what a piss poor looking squad




once you get to the bowlers anyway

 

[Jono]

I know South Africa don't like actually winning a test series, but I find it hard how they will be able to not win this one.

 

[Spark]

I look forward to seeing Lakmal take 5/40 to trigger an absurd series-levelling collapse.

 

[Shri]

Going to be a slaughter.

 

[Howe_zat]

Good to see Fernando keeps getting picked, he's really earned it.

 

[Corli]

Got tickets for the 4th day of the Newlands Test, I'm just hoping the match lasts at least until day 4. Also going to the Paarl ODI, which should be fun.

 

[Himannv]

I'm feeling sooo confident and positive about this.

 

[Xuhaib]

hopefully Sanga scores big a big series here and his place gets confirmed among the all time leading batsman.

People selling SL short here apart from one crazy session they were by far the best sub continental side to tour England.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Not really, Pakistan was the only one to win a test.

 

[Migara]

This is going to be an ass rape. Will need some monumental effort from Sanga to at least be competitive. But on the positive side, both Mathews and Silva are very good players of pace. If these three cn stick it out for long periods, we might escape with three draws. But my prediction is 2-0 for SAF.

SL fast men are slowly but surely improving. Fernando has been able to string some good performances at least in ODIs. Welegedara is slowly improving. Lakmal is getting better. Losing Prasad, who was mighty impressive on flat tracks and Eranga are a blow. Eranga, Prasad, Lakmal and Mendis would have been the bowling line up for SAF. Now we have to contempt with a slightly inferior Welegedara, Fernando, Lakmal combo. Senanayake has been cleared for his action. Should have walked in as the spinner.

 

[Himannv]

I wonder how badly we'll lose this. Innings defeat every game perhaps?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

hopefully Sanga scores big a big series here and his place gets confirmed among the all time leading batsman.

People selling SL short here apart from one crazy session they were by far the best sub continental side to tour England.

Na, so much rain about the other 2 games were basic non events anyway and they never looked like they would win a game in England.

This could be a gruesome series with SA gaining a long overdue series win.

 

[Lostman]

No pressure Sanga, just need at least one double hundred to secure us a draw.

 

[Lostman]

Good to see Fernando keeps getting picked, he's really earned it.

My most hated SL player of all time.

 

[Howe_zat]

My most hated SL player of all time.

Mubarak?

 

[Lostman]

Mubarak?

Nah Mubarak was done after a year or two. Fernando keeps on coming back every month or so for the last decade like a herpes outbreak.

If I were to make my list in would be something like this

D.Fernando
...
...
H. Tillekeratne
...
...
...
...
Muba/Kapu

 

[Migara]

Criticism on Fernando is little unjustified for me. He gets injured easily, gets back in to the team and produces wicket taking deliveries. But most of the ime the catches are just dropped off his bowling. If all catches were taken propoerly would have been averaging in late 20s in both forms of the game. Basically when they catch two, they drop one off him.

 

[Prince EWS]

Criticism on Fernando is little unjustified for me. He gets injured easily, gets back in to the team and produces wicket taking deliveries. But most of the ime the catches are just dropped off his bowling. If all catches were taken propoerly would have been averaging in late 20s in both forms of the game. Basically when they catch two, they drop one off him.

He bowls at least 60% pies and he doesn't move the ball off the straight. He is purely a pace and bounce bowler and to be successful at that you need to be pretty accurate, which he is not. He is to Harmison what Vaas is to Bedser.

 

[Migara]

He bowls at least 60% pies and he doesn't move the ball off the straight. He is purely a pace and bounce bowler and to be successful at that you need to be pretty accurate, which he is not. He is to Harmison what Vaas is to Bedser.

Agreed, to an extent, but he's a good exponent of reverse swing. The important thing is that he produces wicket taking deliveries out of no where, amidst a plethora of pies, and quite frequently than any other SL bowler (yes, that includes Vaas and Murali too). Even the 60% pies gets covered with the rate of wicket taking deliveries he bowls. Unluckily, even best of fielders put down chances off him. in last ODI series, 3 catches were dropped off him and he took more than five wickets in four matches. Against Windies, when he took two in one match, three catches went down at slip. Mighty unlucky bowler for me.