***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[Jono]

This is a farce. To have to bat out 2 overs is ****ing stupid.

Hate how rigid our game is.

 

[uvelocity]

This is a farce. To have to bat out 2 overs is ****ing stupid.

Hate how rigid our game is.

what if we get them 12/0. oh wait.

 

[pup11]

Can someone explain to me why SL have been celebrating the wickets so hard? Seems a bit jarring.

Don't know what's up with Lankan cricket off-late, guys like Mahela claiming dubious catches/not taking fielder's word, Sanga sledging, likes of Matthews and Chandimal being openly selfish about personal milestones and to top it all of they have a bloke like Dilshan leading them.

 

[morgieb]

Can't fathom where all this MC love comes from. Most Aussie fans I know don't rate him highly in the great gallery of Aussie batsmen or like him much as a bloke.

We actually follow cricket....

 

[Spark]

Don't know what's up with Lankan cricket off-late, guys like Mahela claiming dubious catches/not taking fielder's word, Sanga sledging, likes of Matthews and Chandimal being openly selfish about personal milestones and to top it all of they have a bloke like Dilshan leading them.

Sanga's very fond of sledging.

 

[Spark]

We actually follow cricket....

Not to mention I don't think anyone anywhere has claimed Clarke is or should be an ATG batsman.

 

[Himannv]

Should have opened with Dilshan so that we can pretend to go for the win.

 

[pup11]

Can't fathom where all this MC love comes from. Most Aussie fans I know don't rate him highly in the great gallery of Aussie batsmen or like him much as a bloke.

There's a big difference in criticising someone based on merits rather than continuously brining them down based upon your personal dislike for that bloke.

 

[Spikey]

Most Aussie people are ****s ftr

 

[Spark]

So that was an interesting series. Some good signs but there are still some question marks over the batting wrt patience.

 

[uvelocity]

well done aussies, won the odi's won the tests, with a new skip, some new players, the argus review, on the back of a poor summer, bowed out pretty early in the world cup. very good turn around, happy days.

 

[pup11]

So that was an interesting series. Some good signs but there are still some question marks over the batting wrt patience.

Batting has some way to go but still bowling remains the bigger concern, we have bowled a team out only in two tests out of the last ten that we have played and that for me is a pretty telling stat.

 

[Spark]

Batting has some way to go but still bowling remains the bigger concern, we have bowled a team out only in two tests out of the last ten that we have played and that for me its a pretty telling stat.

I'm still more concerned about the batting tbh. Really, the bowlers have done all they could have and with the arguable exception of periods Day 3 here and Day 4 in the second Test, they've filled and often exceeded their brief. I'm more concerned about the way in which batsmen constantly contrived to throw away good starts to idiotic shots - Watson, Ponting and Clarke (before today) being the main culprits. We can't afford to do that vs. Steyn and Morkel.

 

[MW1304]

You've also been bowled out for **** all on flat pitches, so batting is equally if not more of a worry.

 

[Spark]

Deeply concerned about SL cricket though. Not so much the players themselves but the attitudes on show.

Mussey getting snowed under by oversized cheques aws

 

[Furball]

Batting has some way to go but still bowling remains the bigger concern, we have bowled a team out only in two tests out of the last ten that we have played and that for me is a pretty telling stat.

You obviously haven't been watching much Australian cricket over the last 2 years if your concern is the bowling.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Ended in bit of a stalemate but was a very fine series for this new look Australian side.

The batting hasn't looked the most assured in this series, but it's a young side and a tour of subcontinent early in their careers would do a lot of these guys some good. Marsh's game was refreshing while the superb quality of Hussey's batsmanship has been the highlight of the series.

Provided Harris regains his health and strength and that Siddle, Copes et. al. can support him well, I think it's a more than useful bowling attack. The batsmen should fancy themselves more with the ball coming onto the bat and Hughes' coming to the party late in the day must be a very welcome sight for Aussie eyes!

 

[Burgey]

Batting has some way to go but still bowling remains the bigger concern, we have bowled a team out only in two tests out of the last ten that we have played and that for me is a pretty telling stat.

Think it's the reverse actually. The bowling unit was more disciplined this series than at any time since SA 09. But for rain we'd have won 2-0. They bowled great in the conditions. The batting still gives me tremors though.

Push comes to shove, so much still rests on the hope of some kind of Ponting resurgence. It isn't like there are toms of young top order blokes belting the door down.

Interesting times.

 

[Burgey]

Ended in bit of a stalemate but was a very fine series for this new look Australian side.

The batting hasn't looked the most assured in this series, but it's a young side and a tour of subcontinent early in their careers would do a lot of these guys some good. Marsh's game was refreshing while the superb quality of Hussey's batsmanship has been the highlight of the series.

Provided Harris regains his health and strength and that Siddle, Copes et. al. can support him well, I think it's a more than useful bowling attack. The batsmen should fancy themselves more with the ball coming onto the bat and Hughes' coming to the party late in the day must be a very welcome sight for Aussie eyes!

Watson, Ponting, Clarke, Haddin are all 30+ though. We're all excited about Khawaja, but I don't think he's passed 50 yet has he?

Bowling definitely on the up though, with Copeland and Lyon promising, and Harris gunning it when he's fit.

Dougeh for Mitch though.

Dougeh!

Dougeh.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Sri Lanka have more questions than answers at this stage, IMHO. The ignominy of being toothless in a home series is really starting to bite them and you begin to appreciate how monumental the Murali and Vaas factor was.

The skipper's technique and temperament was disappointing for me and it's good that he bats down the order for a while. Just doesn't look the part against the moving new ball. Angelo Mathews' batting has been a very welcome sign but I don't think many people are quite appreciative of his attitude towards the game. One would expect him to learn that sooner rather than later, for the sake of his team and nation. On pure quality of batting, I'd say the guy looks pretty good.

Bowling attack is a real concern. Wele seems to more of an old ball customer and reverses it very well, but wickets upfront with the new ball are so important. Often they make or break your chances in a test series. I hope Eranga can come good for he looks to be a promising seamer and seems to have the basics right. It's important to persist with this attack of Lakmal-Wele-Eranga-Herath for a while and the skipper (and the board) must give them enough confidence to go flat out in the pursuit of picking 20 wickets.