**Official** Australia in Sri Lanka Jan - Feb 2025

[Kraken]

Potentially a hot take, but I reckon Kez has the best cover drive in world cricket atm

 

[Darwin Award]

Lengths people would go to discredit great achievements of teams/players they dislike is very interesting. Australia were 30 for 2 or some **** when Smith walked in and it was certainly turning then

Also England lost a home test to Sri Lanka

... 2 for 30 or around 2-60/100 is the perfect situation that Smith enjoys entering the fray.

When Marnus went on that run surge some years back they frequently cut to the dressing room of a padded up Smith jittery waiting for the next wicket to get out there... He then starting regressing at that stage.

 

[Darwin Award]

... Smith at this stage getting close to being involved in consecutive 250+ partnerships in a row.

I wonder when the last time that happened.

 

[Molehill]

If it were English batsmen they would be ATG knocks on a crumbling dustbowl in stifling heat against an unrelenting attack

Not really, England won 2-0 there last time as well and SL were poor then too. Root did what Smith's doing now and they batted feebly against spinners not remotely as good as Lyon.

 

[Spark]

Not really, England won 2-0 there last time as well and SL were poor then too. Root did what Smith's doing now and they batted feebly against spinners not remotely as good as Lyon.

They've improved since then tbf, or at least they had until this series.

Which isn't saying much, because that batting performance against Bess in particular still gives me the shivers. Genuinely hard to imagine a team batting worse than that at this level.

 

[Burgey]

Genuinely hard to imagine a team batting worse than that at this level.

England in next years ashes.

 

[Gob]

Not really, England won 2-0 there last time as well and SL were poor then too. Root did what Smith's doing now and they batted feebly against spinners not remotely as good as Lyon.

Sri Lanka improved a lot since regardless of how this series went. They beat a NZ team which will go on to beat India and also its not far fetched to think they almost won a test series in England all in the last 12 months

 

[Burgey]

Well this is a pizzling

 

[Molehill]

They've improved since then tbf, or at least they had until this series.

Which isn't saying much, because that batting performance against Bess in particular still gives me the shivers. Genuinely hard to imagine a team batting worse than that at this level.

Yeah, I'm really not having a pop at the Aussies here (sorry if it sounds like it). I'm just genuinely disappointed/surprised by how poor SL have been.

Although, having a quick look back at the Test they won in England, they may have been flattered by the team England put out. But it seemed like they played ok in that series.

 

[Starfighter]

Dominant day despite despite a shaky start to the innings. The aim to tomorrow should be to pile on the pain and ensure we only have to bat once. Though SL will get to take the new ball in the morning which could make things a bit tricky to begin.

 

[Gob]

Dominant day despite despite a shaky start to the innings. The aim to tomorrow should be to pile on the pain and ensure we only have to bat once. Though SL will get to take the new ball in the morning which could make things a bit tricky to begin.

Tomorrow is a slogging day

 

[Starfighter]

Which isn't saying much, because that batting performance against Bess in particular still gives me the shivers. Genuinely hard to imagine a team batting worse than that at this level.

How many wickets did he take off full tosses in the match? It was more than the usual number.

 

[Gob]

Shame we have to wait till the wtc final to see TPC over taking root on tons

 

[social]

Yeah, I'm really not having a pop at the Aussies here (sorry if it sounds like it). I'm just genuinely disappointed/surprised by how poor SL have been.

Although, having a quick look back at the Test they won in England, they may have been flattered by the team England put out. But it seemed like they played ok in that series.

Yeah, they’ve shown some encouraging signs prior to this series

Still maintain that they’ve done themselves no favours with these pitches as their spinners aren’t great

 

[the big bambino]

Anyone have a guess at Kumara's weight? I tried googling it and one search came back 69k! Maybe they meant 96.

 

[govinda indian fan]

Absolute shitty bowling from sri Lanka. Good day for Australia. Seems they will win by innings margin

 

[Starfighter]

Tomorrow is a slogging day

What? They've been going at four an over without much risk. Better to keep going in the same vein and add 220 more by tea.

 

[halba]

Been a while since they had any greats

~10 years still. 2015 retirement of Sanga.

 

[halba]

Smith in peak Smith robot mode. hes invisible, nibbling the runs, still there over 100 but all the spotlight taken by the aggressive Alex Carey.

 

[Starfighter]

Anyone have a guess at Kumara's weight? I tried googling it and one search came back 69k! Maybe they meant 96.

More than optimal I'm sure. I read elsewhere that one of the commentators said he's chosen to focus on accuracy over pace in tests. I'm not convinced simply that he's fit enough. He was still bowling quick enough in SA though.

The whole point of picking a bowler like him is to use that extra yard of pace. If he's going to bowl like this they should have selected someone else.