***Official**** Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014/2015

[hendrix]

Bracewell is going to be a superstar. He offer's the same natural variation that Wagner provides, but hits the deck harder with more zip. I feel sorry for Milne and Henry.

Nah I feel Milne and Henry will ultimately be better bowlers.

 

[Zinzan]

Just to put Sangakkara's number's into perspective, I see VVS Laxman is still one test innings ahead of Sanga and scored 8781 runs.

 

[Bahnz]

We will win this test match if Sanga is not out at the end of the day

Still feeling confident about this?

 

[biased indian]

Nope

They have a billion sports channels here and couldn't find a way to show it on even one.

ya was searching through them all

 

[biased indian]

nope.Matches in NZ are not telecast unless India is playing(time not suitable for audience)

They surely used to show them...remember seeing lot of non India games live ..for eg the Thorpe/Astle double hundred

 

[Hurricane]

I have always remembered him bowling Clarke and having it recalled as a no ball. I can't stand that aspect to his game.

He has changed his run up slightly since his last incarnation.

I want to have my say about Tim southee. He is bowling 4 good balls each over then gifting a single on to the pads to let the batsman escape his clutches. Not every over but often enough. If he wants to move higher in the world rankings than number 9 then he needs to turn the screws more on the batsmen. Still he knows that as he looked disgusted with himself and slapped his side after one or two deliveries.

Overall this was a strange pitch. Anyone who relaxed too much ( like Taylor or watling) became unglued. And anyone who tried to bat for a long innings or to occupy the crease got a ball with their name on it eventually. This could be a short test match unless the wicket flattens out.

Up close at lunch time it looks green but will brown out.

 

[Bahnz]

Cracking day at the basin. Nearly brought a tear to my eye when everyone at the ground gave Sanga a standing ovation for reaching the 12,000 run mark. From a spectators perspective things were just about perfect for lying on the bank - warm, overcast, still and dry. However, the Basin definitely needs to get better ticketing facilities. I brought my ticket last night, but it was still depressing seeing just 1 ticket stall and a 30 metre long queue nearly half an hour after play had started.

In a weird way, even after blowing away SRL's top order I think we're still in real danger. The pitch is still going to be tough to bat on tomorrow, so even in a best case scenario where we get an 80-100 run lead, there's still a real risk that we'll get shot out in our second innings and leave SRL an attainable 4th innings target on an increasingly good batting track. The trio will need to bat with a lot more responsibility tomorrow if we're to make the game safe.

 

[Zinzan]

Off topic, enjoying listening to the Aussies talking up NZ on their Inside cricket show's review of the year.

 

[Zinzan]

Although Mark Waugh clearly has no idea about our ODI bowlers suggesting they roll in at 130 kms.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

The only times I've seen him get such returns are on greentops. Seems a limited bowler to me, although he obviously did bowl well today.

Well he obviously has a fair way to go. He can swing it, he can get it to jag of a length, he bowls a heavy ball, and can bowl consistently over 140kmh. At the moment is career is following a similar trajectory to Southee, and if he continues to put the work in then there's no reason he can't be. Can seriously wield the willow too, think early Broad.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

He's bowled well. The real test will be when he bowls on a flat deck, with an old ball, to set batsmen. He was woeful in Bangladesh, lets hope he has his plans sorted out.

Lets list the bowlers who are good at that.

Steyn
Johnson
Harris.

All atg quality.

Edit: Forgot Southee missed the tests, so lumped him in with the other pacers.

Boult was woeful in Bangladesh too.

 

[NZTailender]

Although Mark Waugh clearly has no idea about our ODI bowlers suggesting they roll in at 130 kms.

They also said we had 7 Test wins last year and beat the WIndies 3-0.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Although Mark Waugh clearly has no idea about our ODI bowlers suggesting they roll in at 130 kms.

Even in the Tuffey-Mills era we still whooped them a few times. MWaugh WAC.

 

[Jono]

They also said we had 7 Test wins last year and beat the WIndies 3-0.

The show is clueless about anything outside Aus shores unless Blewett or Fleming are talking.

 

[hendrix]

Well he obviously has a fair way to go. He can swing it, he can get it to jag of a length, he bowls a heavy ball, and can bowl consistently over 140kmh. At the moment is career is following a similar trajectory to Southee, and if he continues to put the work in then there's no reason he can't be. Can seriously wield the willow too, think early Broad.

He wasn't bowling above low 130s today.

Lets list the bowlers who are good at that.

Steyn
Johnson
Harris.

All atg quality.

Southee and Boult were better than Bracwell, but not by much.

Southee is gun on a flat deck.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

He wasn't bowling above low 130s today.



Southee is gun on a flat deck.

He always used to be. If he isn't back up there in the next few games then ok yeah you're right.

With an old ball on a flat deck is a different story. He's alright; he'll keep the pressure on, but very few bowlers will be good in such conditions unless the ball is really reversing.

 

[hendrix]

He always used to be. If he isn't back up there in the next few games then ok yeah you're right.

With an old ball on a flat deck is a different story. He's alright; he'll keep the pressure on, but very few bowlers will be good in such conditions unless the ball is really reversing.

Dunno how much you've watched Southee over the last year but starting around the first Windies test at home was when he became awesome at hitting a McGrath-esque length when the ball wasn't doing much.

He's genuinely a complete bowler right now.

 

[viriya]

Just to put Sangakkara's number's into perspective, I see VVS Laxman is still one test innings ahead of Sanga and scored 8781 runs.

That's insane.. a little unfair on VVS though since he was a middle order bat so didn't get to make as many runs as a #3 but still.

 

[viriya]

Still feeling confident about this?

I think he meant tomorrow ><

 

[ohnoitsyou]

I've watched pretty much everything at home in the last year, and missed all our away series this year.

How come it tended to be Anderson or Wagner who took the breakthroughs with the old ball in that WI series then?

Southee still gives away too many singles.