***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[Noble One]

Awesome selection. Warner is destined to play Test cricket someday.

 

[Spark]

yep.
srilanka have basically no chance of winning on roads...

Yeah agreed. They probably overdid it on this deck but their bowlers really need that assistance to become useful. Our weakness remains our batting and they need the best opportunity to exploit it. Otherwise Herath becomes a flighty straightbreaker once again, Randiv becomes OK but nothing that Clarke/Hussey et al couldn't face (and dismantle) with ease and the less said about their seamers the better.

 

[Spikey]

Warner called up as Standby to Ponting. Interesting....

boy are the australian fans who don't follow anything to do with FC cricket gonna be mad.

Puzzling call up admittedly, given he's an opener and all, but hey.

 

[Migara]

Hats off to Aussies for grinding it out. No one threw their wickets away. SL top order played like sissies except Mahela and Mathews.

Randiv needs a bit of soul searching, or more importantly bit of coaching and strategical input on how to take wickets with bounce. Fields to him were as for Murali was bowling. SL should look at how India set fields to Harbhajan during his early years. And Randiv needs a arm ball that sneaks in in additional to the over spinner he bowls.

Expect to see same sides play in Pallekele.But knowing selecturds, they'll drop Randiv for the next match for Mendis.

 

[Spark]

Migara, any predictions on what the Pallekele surface will be like? Especially since the dustbowl has seen SL fairly convincingly beaten.

 

[Migara]

Pallekele was slow and low last time. But it may swing. Swing + low bounce is a recipe for a plathora of LBWs. Sadly Vaas is the only missing ingredient.

 

[Spark]

So, big 1st innings with a sudden flurry of activity on Day 4/5?

 

[OMM!]

Sri Lanka's attack is just abysmal at this level. All their bowlers averaging high 30's or 40+!

Just not up to it against world class batsmen. No way England will lose in Sri Lanka, just whether they can take 20 wickets.

Harris is the key to this Aussie attack. He is their 1 world class performer. But given his action and build, he is an accident waiting to happen. Doubt he'll make 2013 sadly!

 

[stephen]

Can't believe there's the implication that Copeland may not get selected for the next test. Sure he's only taken one wicket in his debut test, but he's provided a very vital part of the Aussie attack. A new ball bowler. The *only* bowler who I would even consider replacing him with at the moment is Bollinger, who isn't with the squad.

Fact is that you'd take 1/24 (12) any day of the week from a seamer on a bunsen. The pressure he puts on batsmen takes wickets at the other end. I have no doubt that he'll occasionally take a bag (don't forget he managed to run through pretty much the same batting lineup as the one he faced in this test around a week ago). He'll not be a Glenn McGrath, but if he were to consistently average under 33 after a few tests and was able to keep up the pressure I see no reason to drop him unless someone like Cummins is beating the door down.

The fact is that in this test Australia have found a bowling combination that feels right. That's the first time I can say that in years. Now we just need Harris to stay fit.

 

[OMM!]

Copeland is basically doing what Andrew McDonald did for them a few years back. About the time they were beating South Africa in South Africa.

Except McDonald could bat too.

 

[NUFAN]

boy are the australian fans who don't follow anything to do with FC cricket gonna be mad.

Puzzling call up admittedly, given he's an opener and all, but hey.

Warner, Hughes or Watson could easily bat at 3. I'm happy Warner has made the squad, it sends the right message that runs on A tours are important. Also having Warner as 12th man can only be a positive.

Hats off to Aussies for grinding it out. No one threw their wickets away. SL top order played like sissies except Mahela and Mathews.

Randiv needs a bit of soul searching, or more importantly bit of coaching and strategical input on how to take wickets with bounce. Fields to him were as for Murali was bowling. SL should look at how India set fields to Harbhajan during his early years. And Randiv needs a arm ball that sneaks in in additional to the over spinner he bowls.

Expect to see same sides play in Pallekele.But knowing selecturds, they'll drop Randiv for the next match for Mendis.

No one threw their wickets away, how about Ponting? I think you are right re: Randiv. Mendis will probably come in, but it really makes SL's batting from 8 to 11 so weak. Matthews should move up to 6, PJ at 7.

 

[Top_Cat]

Dispute a bit that Ponting threw his wicket away. He was hitting them well, had landed Herath over the fence in the same spot he was aiming for and was looking to impose himself. It didn't come off and Herath was just a bit too good, that's the stuff good spinners are looking to get a batsman to do.

In short, far from awesome batting but was a good bit of bowling too.

 

[adub]

Dispute a bit that Ponting threw his wicket away. He was hitting them well, had landed Herath over the fence in the same spot he was aiming for and was looking to impose himself. It didn't come off and Herath was just a bit too good, that's the stuff good spinners are looking to get a batsman to do.

In short, far from awesome batting but was a good bit of bowling too.

Yeah it was a long way short of putting a full toss straight down midwicket's throat. Beaten by a good piece of bowling. 2nd innings effort was a pretty dire shot though. The guy just needs to give the hooks and pulls away.

 

[Julian87]

Putting it out there that while Mahela's was one of the best innings I've seen in recent years; Mathews was all ass and no class. Extremely lucky innings full of rash, immature and unconvincing cricket shots. He's got some talent but while he's not bowling I wouldn't have him in the test side.

(awaits criticism)

 

[Spark]

He was very lucky but he still made 95 in very tough conditions. It's not like Clarke didn't have heavy doses of luck in his knock too and that was one of the best I've seen him play.

 

[robelinda]

Warner called up? I guess its good that the A tour serves as a stepping stone, but just feels wrong. Obviously he won't play anyway unless Marsh breaks his leg, but you never know i guess.....

 

[Ruckus]

Warner called up? I guess its good that the A tour serves as a stepping stone, but just feels wrong. Obviously he won't play anyway unless Marsh breaks his leg, but you never know i guess.....

Is that code for your going to go break his leg?

 

[robelinda]

I'd much rather Marsh to play, but really its just the best of two *****.

 

[smash84]

well done Australia. They looked very good in this test (relatively speaking of course)

 

[Burgey]

Copeland is basically doing what Andrew McDonald did for them a few years back. About the time they were beating South Africa in South Africa.

Except McDonald could bat too.

You didn't see Copes take the bowling apart both digs?