***Official*** England in Sri Lanka 2014

[weldone]

I think Mendis is just too straight for Australian wickets; his little variations will be almost inconsequential. Bowling finger spin in Australia is all about bounce, accuracy and control of flight, which Mendis has none of. I think you could make a case for Mendis being as good or even better than Herath as a one day bowler but in Australia and New Zealand I think he's just nerfed too much for the case to exist anymore.

Herath hasn't done particularly well in those places either. Moreover, he isn't a risk-taker in ODIs. I think Mendis deserves more chances, and more love from selectors and captain in ODIs.

I don't think SL's chances of reaching WC semifinals are particularly bright; and I think they need to take calculated risks. They can't expect their batsmen to win all the matches for them. Using Mendis' 10 in the middle overs with an attacking field against sides like England, WI is something they should try. That's something an innovative captain like Ranatunga or even Jayawardene would do. Matthews is using Mendis in the end overs; that's a bad idea imo.

 

[Migara]

If bounce and turn is the way to success in Australia then cannot imagine how Randiv should be overlooked.

 

[cnerd123]

Randiv is a good bowler in general, don't understand how he has been out of the side for so long. He had some form and rhythm issues but I've always rated him and expected him to make a comeback sooner rather than later.

 

[Maximas]

Mendis will be like James Tredwell in Australia - cannon fodder, anyone who's faced him a few times will have no issues against him and he isn't even particularly accurate compared to most top class finger-spinners, it's not like he can bat or field either, why even go down that path. Absolutely no point picking a specialist bowler who is simply a passenger riding on the middle overs train in order to preserve their figures, he really doesn't offer a lot.

Randiv is a good bowler, his bounce and flight could be very handy if utilized correctly, he attacks too, would be a much better option, especially because he is a brilliant fielder as well, one of the best in Sri Lanka.

 

[anil1405]

Mendis is someone who can make decent contributions to the team imo and can end up being a good squad player. Yes might not be suitable for conditions in Australia but I would still have him in the squad.

Edit: Never mind...i thought you were talking about Jeevan.

 

[Maximas]

Yeah Jeevan has his uses, however I think the side is well enough balanced without him, I suspect we'll want two specialist spinners and two frontline pacers with Matthews, Thisara and Dilshan picking up the rest of the slack so Jeevan doesn't really find a place in my first XI

 

[anil1405]

Yup considering that the WC is in Australia, Jeevan might be a part of plan B for Lanka....but on slow pitches he has more chances of being in the playing 11. Looks an upgraded version of Upul Chandana with better batting abilities.

 

[Migara]

Chandana was a better player in all aspects than mendis. It's unlucky his career overlapped with Murali.

 

[anil1405]

Murali's presence affected Chandana??? I beg to disagree

SL in most games had a spot for two spinners in the team. While Murali was the obvious choice for one spot the other slot was contested between Chandana and Dharmasena. Both these players played almost same number of ODIs which kinda says that they had similar abilities and none was really superior to the other. So its tough to say that Chandana was the 2nd best spinner in ODIs for SL during Murali era.

When it comes to batting, Mendis surely has a better ability to score runs compared to Chandana and its only after Mendis plays a significant number of ODIs can we really start comparing who was/is a better batsman.

 

[Migara]

Chandana was the sort of bloke who would have led the attack. Very charismatic, dependable with the ball, real impact batsman when he got going,better player of pace than other bits and pieces cricketers we had during his time and foul mouthed too. Murali was the lead spinner and Jayasuriya was thth 2nd spinner. Not playing enough affected hi m more than Dharmasena (who was a finished product and punched miles above his weight in performance) and we would have had a leggie who would have been the best in the world if played today. Sri lankan selectors got away being shown up as fools those days because Murali performed with godly consistency. Chandana was a victim of not playing enough. Was good and fit enough for 300 ODIs

 

[anil1405]

But don't you think his inconsistency cost him a regular place in the team? I mean the fact that Dharmasena was preferred ahead of Chandana half (or more) the time says something about Chandana's consistency at the top level.

 

[grecian]

As I get older. I find myself oddly less conservative about selection. I would just gut this one-day side unceremoniously after the World Cup when we fail miserably. I wanted it done with the Test team too, and I kind of got my way and the new faces were the best thing about the Summer.

Also been the same about various football teams I support, and that is happening too, for better results. Scorched earth is good.

So, I feel this is a bit of a no-lose for me, if we carry on with these under-performing blokes and they do well, it'll be a nice surprise for me. If we do as badly as expected then surely that will mean the end of Cook, Bell even Morgan, and bring in new faces.

I find myself pretty blasé, Can't be arsed about thinking of sides for this World Cup, rather talk about the next one.

Oh but bring back Trott obviously was always our best bat in this form, and we miss him.

 

[sledger]

The thing is, calls for the ODI side to be unceremoniously dismantled have been knocking around forever. I remember similar things being said by people in high places after the last 2 World Cups were total failures. But yet, here we are, gearing up (and with good reason, I concede) for us to go through this cycle once again.

I agree that the whole ODI team needs a good shake up, but I would have said the same thing had you asked me this at any point over the last decade or so. I've rather given up hope of it ever happening.

 

[grecian]

The thing is, calls for the ODI side to be unceremoniously dismantled have been knocking around forever. I remember similar things being said by people in high places after the last 2 World Cups were total failures. But yet, here we are, gearing up (and with good reason, I concede) for us to go through this cycle once again.

I agree that the whole ODI team needs a good shake up, but I would have said the same thing had you asked me this at any point over the last decade or so. I've rather given up hope of it ever happening.

Possibly, but they oft change the captain, and there's age to factor in for a lot of them too. Just don't see Bell and Cook being there, which aids things massively.

Plus there just look to be better players around challenging, with Hales, Vince, Taylor and Billings.

Bowling still looks ghastly whatever we do though.

 

[Migara]

Perhaps England should be demoted to minnow status in ODIs.

 

[cnerd123]

Upul Chandana was a beast. Unlucky to play in the same era as Murali; agreed.

 

[Antihippy]

What is with non-SC teams being so afraid of playing the extra spinner in SC conditions? First SOK, now tredwell.

I give new zealand credit for going the opposite direction and it won them the test.

 

[viriya]

SL need Mendis in the ODI team - he's the only consistent wicket taker.. since 2011 the only match where he didn't get a wicket was the one where Rohit went ape****. He just needs to be bowled out pre-40 though. IMO SL should play both Mendis and Herath in the WC unless the pitch cries out for another pacer.. Honestly don't see SL winning with Thisara bowling his 10 for 60+ consistently.. but happy to be proven wrong.

On another note it looks like Mathews is looking to replace Kula by bowling early himself.. could work if he figures out how to bowl at the death and doesn't underbowl himself as he has been doing.. Malinga is past his best so SL will struggle to keep good opposition below 300 in the WC - there's no one to really bowl an impact 10 overs anymore.

 

[viriya]

Kusal really doesn't warrant the opener spot.. you can't have someone averaging <25 opening anymore.. the 90s are long gone and 25 avg with 85 sr does not make you special.. I think Sanath just feels like he's still playing when Kusal bats so refuses to listen to Mahela's pleas.. sad to see.

 

[cnerd123]

If Mahela opens you are faced with a situation where Dilshan and him retire within a year and you are stuck with two inexperienced openers. So it makes sense not doing it now.

Have they totally ruled out the possibility that it can be done as a stop-gap solution just for the WC?