*Official* Sri Lanka Tour of South Africa 2019

[Maximas]

So Thirimanne v2.0 doesn’t appear to be any better than the first version.

Thought v1.0 could catch at least, but yeah, doesn't capitalise on starts and doesn't have enough shots to get on top of the bowlers.

His 90 odd at Sydney straight off the plane in 2013 will remain his high point

 

[trundler]

Keep batting like this and hopefully they'll take it into the 4th day for a change.

 

[Maximas]

ahh look at this, just get through a few overs of pace and then touring SA is simple

 

[trundler]

Comical. Redeems himself next ball. All class as I say.

 

[Maximas]

Would be criminal to have gotten out tonight playing a shot like that on debut, mind you from a team POV it's handy runs chasing a small target, better feeling going in tomorrow with some runs to your name too.

 

[trundler]

Great day of cricket today. Over rate could've been better.

 

[Stefan9]

Shocking over rate once again...

Good innings by qdk , got to an ok. Mulder should have played ahead of philander.

 

[trundler]

I hope Olivier makes a case for being dropped soon lol

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

Wen to bed with SA 8 down and was worried about what I'd wake up to.

This is a pleasant surprise. We bowled well, but there was some really shoddy work by Rajitha and Ambuldeniya in between the wickets. Should've kept it more tighter than that tbh. Vishwa looks like there's something to him that can be built on.

All in all, this was a far cry from what I thought would happen on Day 1 of this series.

 

[Daemon]

Omg Fernando’s initials are BOP

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Omg Fernando’s initials are BOP

Not quite as good as BAD Manenti, but not far off

 

[TheJediBrah]

Omg Fernando’s initials are BOP

Will have to wait and see how he goes over long on

 

[jimmy101]

Pleased with SL's bowling on day 1. Big chance for them to snag an unlikely victory.

 

[Daemon]

From Cricinfo

But look closer. Look, for instance, at 27-year-old Vishwa's professional career. He first made it into a Test squad way back in 2014, so Sri Lanka Cricket has long been aware of this bowler's potential. He has been touted by no less than Chaminda Vaas as the best left-armer in the country, so any sane cricket board would feel itself duty-bound to ensure he develops.

But instead, Vishwa came into the Test side in Australia as an injury replacement almost inarguably under-cooked. In six first-class matches for Colombo Cricket Club since late November, he had bowled less than six overs per innings on average, because first-class pitches in Sri Lanka are so abminably dry that quicks are irrelevant for much of the game. In one of those innings he was not required at all. Think about that. Here is one of the finest fast-bowling talents in the country, playing for CCC - one of the biggest clubs - bowling less than six overs an innings, in the longest first-class competition that Sri Lanka host.

Pathetic. No wonder the quicks constantly get injured.

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

From Cricinfo



Pathetic. No wonder the quicks constantly get injured.

Been like that decades. Nothing new tbh. But indeed it has progressively gotten WAY worse.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I suppose it looks good when it helps you convincingly beat overseas teams like Aus and SA with dustbowl pitches at home, but then on the other hand destroys your chances overseas against the likes of Aus and SA (I'm not convinced this Test or series will be close, despite a good first day for SL)

 

[the big bambino]

Same goes for us though when we can’t compete on dustbowls.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Same goes for us though when we can’t compete on dustbowls.

Not really the same though is it. It's not like Aus are playing all their domestic cricket on green tops and not developing spinners as a result.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Not really the same though is it. It's not like Aus are playing all their domestic cricket on green tops and not developing spinners as a result.

Could argue the batsman are complete spuds against any kind of lateral movement because they barely ever face it domestically.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Could argue the batsman are complete spuds against any kind of lateral movement because they barely ever face it domestically.

You could argue a lot of things