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

[Kippax]

Well, it'd be a pleasant surprise to me to see a West Indian or Asian attack come to Uni Oval and keep McCullum out of form. One feels he could almost hoist this picture of a cow up a flagpole and find a few Asian Test attacks who'd quickly salute it.

 

[Bahnz]

Matthews at $4.50 is very generous. Would have him at $3 tops.

 

[Daemon]

Watling $13 is very good

 

[Prince EWS]

Watling $13 is very good

Watling's often good value but I reckon one of the top six will fill his boots against the Sri Lankan attack tbh.

 

[Hurricane]

Watling's often good value but I reckon one of the top six will fill his boots against the Sri Lankan attack tbh.

This

Or maybe not if the groundsman prepares a greentop and we bat first. Wait for pitch conditions before betting on BJ is the go.

 

[Kippax]

Is Headingley the only one he's won in his career?

The 'get some, get gone' tindering of the NZ engine room makes it too difficult. It relied on a sedate McCullum fifty to be compiled, that Headingley one.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, BJ always a decent bet for top 3 run scorers, but you can count the number of times he's come out first on one hand. Headingly and that 60 in South Africa when the rest of the batting got blown away like match sticks are the only cases that come to mind.

 

[Hurricane]

The 'get some, get gone' tindering of the NZ engine room makes it too difficult..

Very good.

 

[Hurricane]

When do they announce the New Zealand eleven. Right before the toss or the night before?

 

[BackFootPunch]

I wonder who in New Zealand is teaching them all this trick of bending their front arm into a right angle and using it a bit like crosshairs.

Dipak Patel, I'd think. Was the age group spin expert for a number of years, including when Johnston was going through the system.

 

[Hurricane]

Dipak Patel, I'd think. Was the age group spin expert for a number of years, including when Johnston was going through the system.

I would listen to anything Dipak had to say about batting as I think technically he was very good (it was his temperament that let him down) but I don't know why we rate his bowling so highly as to put him into a critical coaching role.

Likeable chap. Good depth player.

 

[Hurricane]

Very good.

Maybe that is their new name or some derivation of it. Batsman 8-11 are the "Tinder tail".

 

[Kippax]

 

[Hurricane]

Team tinder? Any merit?

Going to bed now

Good night

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I thought it was something to do with Tinder. Although maybe it should be Grindr.

 

[Kippax]

Heh, indeed.

 

[YorksLanka]

Oh cool you are here.
Would you be able to as a Sri Lankan fan make a post with a probable starting line up and what are the keys for your team doing well?

Yeah, sorry, been mad busy recently so not been able to get on here as much as I would have liked..
my starting line up would have to be: Silva, Dimuth , Jayasundera , Chandimal+ , Mathews , Siriwardena , Mendis , Herath , Pradeep , Chameera, Fernando . This way we have batting up to 8 , 3 quicks,(assuming that Mathews will continue to not bowl too much), a couple of different spinners.

In terms of what we need to do well..Deal with the early swinging ball by playing later than we are used to, field well and bowl accurately and miserly(important that our youngsters don't get carried away on seeing a pitch with assistance for the quicks and bowl too short)...
Make no bones about it, it is a huge uphill task for us, facing a very strong team like NZ at home but as long as we give our best, then what more can I ask for as a fan, win or lose?

 

[Gnske]

Heh, indeed.

 

[duffer]

Is this on TV in India? Can't find anything in my guide.

 

[Smudge]

Saw Southee, Watling, Williamson and Boult (and Dimitri) out for dinner last night. They showed impeccable taste by turning up at Yuki Izakaya (we were on to our second bottle of soju when they arrived), and equally impeccable taste by ordering the spicy chicken which - to not put too fine a word on to it - is magnificent.