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

[hendrix]

If Latham keeps Vettori and NcCullum will both play, but that would be pointless because we won't actually play 5 specialist bowlers in a WC game.

I think maybe Latham will keep and they'll just get Ronchi to play as a specialist 7.

 

[cnerd123]

If Latham keeps Vettori and NcCullum will both play, but that would be pointless because we won't actually play 5 specialist bowlers in a WC game.

I think maybe Latham will keep and they'll just get Ronchi to play as a specialist 7.

But isn't Ronchi better with the gloves and Latham better in the field? 0.o

 

[jonbrooks]

When will Matt Henry get another go?

 

[Prince EWS]

But isn't Ronchi better with the gloves and Latham better in the field? 0.o

Yeah but this is WC practice much more than it is a proper series.

 

[cnerd123]

Just testing out Latham's keeping then huh. Makes sense.

 

[jonbrooks]

I just noticed there are still 5 games to go before the WC. 1 against SL tomorrow, then 2 against Pakistan and finally 2 warm up games against Zim and SA. I hope we don't get burnt out by the time the first WC game comes around.

 

[Mike5181]

He has 10 career wickets in Aus/NZ/England/RSA combined ffs. His record looks as good as it does because he has 45 career wickets against ZimBang/associates, with the Zimbabwe wickets coming at <10 apiece.

110 of his 148 career wickets were taken in Asia for crying out loud. He averages >50 in Australia (tiny sample size) and has never played in New Zealand. Combine the stats with, y'know, actually watching him bowl, and it becomes painfully obvious that he isn't in Sri Lanka's top 2 spin options for a Aus/NZ World Cup.

There's literally no place for him in the squad. He's an overrated hack. Not even a spud -- he's a genuine hack.

Sri Lanka plays both Herath and Senanayake in the first XI, so a place in the "squad" doesn't require a player to be better than either of them. In my opinion, Jeevan Mendis is unnecessary when you have those two and Dilshan playing in the same team. I'd rather have a specialist batsman in the XI, say Kaushal Silva, and keep a reserve spot for Ajantha covering both Herath/Senanayake. It doesn't matter to me whether or not he's a hack or a spud, his bowling just has to be a better option than Jeevan's. For all the stats you've used to discredit Ajantha - there's far more damning evidence to suggest Jeevan's not the greatest player around, particularly in these conditions where he's failed in basically every game he's played.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I thought hacks could still be effective ODI cricketers? Spud fits the bill far better.

 

[viriya]

110 of his 148 career wickets were taken in Asia for crying out loud. He averages >50 in Australia (tiny sample size) and has never played in New Zealand. Combine the stats with, y'know, actually watching him bowl, and it becomes painfully obvious that he isn't in Sri Lanka's top 2 spin options for a Aus/NZ World Cup.

There's literally no place for him in the squad.

No one was arguing that he was better than the other 2 options. He's way better than Jeevan and the obvious replacement for the top 2 options if needed, but since he's not in the squad, SL is **** out of luck.

You'll find that most of Sena and Herath's wickets are in Asia as well.. It doesn't say anything - SL just play more ODIs in Asia and rarely if ever play in Aus/NZ. Meaningless to bring that up.

Sena averages 53 @ 5.3 econ over 8 games in Aus/NZ ffs - and Mendis having comparable numbers over 2 ODIs is enough to cast him aside?

I love Sena but to not have Ajantha in the squad and have players like Jeevan instead is just a royal ****-up. Comparable to WI not picking Ravi Rampaul.

 

[Prince EWS]

No one was arguing that he was better than the other 2 options. He's way better than Jeevan and the obvious replacement for the top 2 options if needed, but since he's not in the squad, SL is **** out of luck.

You'll find that most of Sena and Herath's wickets are in Asia as well.. It doesn't say anything - SL just play more ODIs in Asia and rarely if ever play in Aus/NZ. Meaningless to bring that up.

Sena averages 53 @ 5.3 econ over 8 games in Aus/NZ ffs - and Mendis having comparable numbers over 2 ODIs is enough to cast him aside?

I love Sena but to not have Ajantha in the squad and have players like Jeevan instead is just a royal ****-up. Comparable to WI not picking Ravi Rampaul.

Dan wasn't arguing that Ajantha's numbers in Oceania should rule him out; merely that given his numbers are pretty irrelevant overall when you take them into context. "He shouldn't be selected on the strength of the numbers because of the conditions" and "he should be excluded on the weaknesses of his numbers in these conditions" are not the same argument.

If Herath or Senanayake were injured I would definitely not play Ajantha in Australia or New Zealand anyway; I'd pick Prasad. The backup plan if one of the spinners is injured should not be to play another one.

 

[Mike5181]

Dan wasn't arguing that Ajantha's numbers in Oceania should rule him out; merely that given his numbers are pretty irrelevant overall when you take them into context. "He shouldn't be selected on the strength of the numbers because of the conditions" and "he should be excluded on the weaknesses of his numbers in these conditions" are not the same argument.

If Herath or Senanayake were injured I would definitely not play Ajantha in Australia or New Zealand anyway; I'd pick Prasad. The backup plan if one of the spinners is injured should be to play another one.

That's fair, Prasad goes all right. However, I do think it's a bit nonsensical to completely dismiss all wickets not taken in the conditions over here. There's still transferable skills, tactics etc that have been used to take wickets.

 

[Prince EWS]

However, I do think it's a bit nonsensical to completely dismiss all wickets not taken in the conditions over here. There's still transferable skills, tactics etc that have been used to take wickets.

This is obviously true in nearly all cases. I think it's pretty clear watching Mendis bowl that his skills and methods wouldn't really translate to these conditions though.

A lot has been said about Jeevan but I think he was more competing with Chaturanga and Prasanna. His performances against NZ have shown early indications of it possibly being the wrong call to pick him over those two, but I don't think that really has anything to do with Ajantha. Another specialist bowler in the squad would've been overkill given Mathews exists IMO.

 

[viriya]

This is obviously true in nearly all cases. I think it's pretty clear watching Mendis bowl that his skills and methods wouldn't really translate to these conditions though.

A lot has been said about Jeevan but I think he was more competing with Chaturanga and Prasanna. His performances against NZ have shown early indications of it possibly being the wrong call to pick him over those two, but I don't think really has anything to do with Ajantha. Another specialist bowler in the squad would've been overkill given Mathews exists IMO.

Except he forgets to bowl himself more than 5 overs.. Thisara can't be relied to bowl a steady 5 overs, Dilshan is most likely going to be ineffective/bowl a bad bowl an over. Malinga coming back from injury, Sena not doing so well in Aus/NZ so far, who's going to bowl the 50 overs reliably?
Prasad/Lakmal/etc are all new to ODI cricket, but SL will have to take the gamble. Don't see how they will restrict any decent batting line-up to anything below 275 though.

 

[viriya]

If Herath or Senanayake were injured I would definitely not play Ajantha in Australia or New Zealand anyway; I'd pick Prasad. The backup plan if one of the spinners is injured should be to play another one.

Assuming you mean shouldn't here. SL should stick to their strengths, and that's having the best spin attack in ODIs.

 

[Greenlite]

If Latham keeps Vettori and NcCullum will both play, but that would be pointless because we won't actually play 5 specialist bowlers in a WC game.

I think maybe Latham will keep and they'll just get Ronchi to play as a specialist 7.

When will Matt Henry get another go?

Problem solved!

Tom to open+keep, BMac and Ronchi rest, Henry gets another go =D

 

[Flem274*]

Combined ODI side anyone for a World Cup?

Dilshan
McCullum
Sangakkara
Williamson
Jayawardene/Taylor
Mathews
Ronchi
Herath
Southee
Henry
Malinga

You could easily put in the loser of Jayawardene/Taylor, Elliott, Anderson, Senanayake, Kulasekara, McClenaghan or Mills in the team too.

 

[Blakey]

Not too sure where to put this, but here's a comment on the "You Wouldn't Want To Play New Zealand" article from cricinfo.

It made me a laugh.

"NZ may look OK at this juncture and even on paper. But I cannot see them winning the world cup because of late they have become too arrogant and this is see from the body language of most players barring Taylor. They will progress but like in West Indies may not go beyond semi-final if at all. time will tell."

 

[Blakey]

Combined ODI side anyone for a World Cup?

Dilshan
McCullum
Sangakkara
Williamson
Jayawardene/Taylor
Mathews
Ronchi
Herath
Southee
Henry
Malinga

You could easily put in the loser of Jayawardene/Taylor, Elliott, Anderson, Senanayake, Kulasekara, McClenaghan or Mills in the team too.

Is Henry still an option for the World Cup?

 

[Flem274*]

Being hyped up is weird. It's been ages since our last backhanded compliment.

I'm sure our tour to England will restore the natural order of commentary about New Zealand.

 

[Greenlite]

Not too sure where to put this, but here's a comment on the "You Wouldn't Want To Play New Zealand" article from cricinfo.

It made me a laugh.

"NZ may look OK at this juncture and even on paper. But I cannot see them winning the world cup because of late they have become too arrogant and this is see from the body language of most players barring Taylor. They will progress but like in West Indies may not go beyond semi-final if at all. time will tell."

Lol Easy to say against a team that has never won the WC, ingenious prediction.