**Official** Australia in Sri Lanka

[mavric41]

A bit hard for him to do considering he left for Sri Lanka on Friday as part of the One Day squad. And if you look at the Cricinfo live scorecard for Qld v W.A. you wil find that Martyn isn't in the team.

No, just the brown nosed gnome.

 

[marc71178]

mate your eyes are screwing you. hes over in sri lanka mate. and the only way that sri lanka is even going to have a chance against australia is by cheating. ie bowling that chucker. if ausralia can overcome the sri lankas cheating ways there schould be no problem

And please tell me how exactly Sri Lanka are cheating , seeing as Perera isn't playing?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Ignorance, bigotry or both?

 

[Salamuddin]

I wonder if Australia are tempted to play five bowlers? I dont knowi if they will, but the temptation might be there as McGrath doesnt look like going there.

That's a risky move. Gilchrist is clearly less comfortable against spin than pace so playing 5 bowlers does weaken the batting lineup.
In any case, why play Stuart Macgill ?

 

[age_master]

Australia are likley to play 4 bowlers for mine, Gillespie, Lee, Warne and either Kaspa or Macgill - Katich and Lehmann (or symonds should he get picked instead) will also do some bowling

 

[Craig]

Apprantly I read in the paper today that Lehmann wil still have to impress the electors before he gets picked in the Test squad.

If he doesnt, I would imagine Love and Clarke/Symonds would probably be in.

 

[Linda]

Did Damien Martyn get dropped because I seen him playing for WA against QLD in the Pura Cup today......

:rolleyes:

Have just looked at the scorecard for the warm-up match and Gilly and Hayden were going on 10 per over again. Surprise surprise. Then Hayden got out... :P

 

[age_master]

interesting batting order

Hayden, Gilchrist, ponting, martyn, symonds, BA Williams, IJ Harvey, MJ Clarke, GB Hogg, MS Kasprowicz, SM Katich, B Lee, JN Gillespie.

 

[Jono]

mate your eyes are screwing you. hes over in sri lanka mate. and the only way that sri lanka is even going to have a chance against australia is by cheating. ie bowling that chucker. if ausralia can overcome the sri lankas cheating ways there schould be no problem

It's people like you that make Australian cricket fans look like idiots. You and fans like you are a disgrace.

Murali spent 4 years developing his leg spinner, which has the potential to be the most deceiving ball in cricket.

 

[SquidAU]

An easy win for the Aussies.....and that Sri Lankan team had some names in it too!

 

[Neil Pickup]

Long names, yes, real talent, not really

Several fringe players, International failures, youngsters and Russell Arnold.

 

[ReallyCrazy]

Come on Sri Lanka!!! I am rooting for ya!! You can do it

 

[ReallyCrazy]

Murali spent 4 years developing his leg spinner, which has the potential to be the most deceiving ball in cricket.

Murali has a leg spinner? Is that the mystery ball ppl were talkin about?

 

[Tim]

I almost fell off my chair when I saw that Jehan Mubarak had scored a 50!

 

[Neil Pickup]

Murali has a leg spinner? Is that the mystery ball ppl were talkin about?

Yes - and a big one as well.

 

[Craig]

interesting batting order

Hayden, Gilchrist, ponting, martyn, symonds, BA Williams, IJ Harvey, MJ Clarke, GB Hogg, MS Kasprowicz, SM Katich, B Lee, JN Gillespie.

Williams at 5?

 

[age_master]

thats the order they had listed on cricinfo

 

[Linda]

Not the order they batted at, however.
As far as I can recall, I think they batted at their usual positions with Gilchrist and Hayden out, Ponting, Marto and Symonds retiring, and Katich and Clarke finishing it off.

 

[Legglancer]

The present Australian team are unimpressive' - Arjuna
Ranatunga
Wisden Cricinfo staff
February 19, 2004

Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lankan captain
and serial Warne-baiter, has labeled Shane Warne
as a potential liability for the forthcoming Test
series against Sri Lanka and described Australia's
current team as "unimpressive."
In an interview with Australia newspapers,
Ranatunga, now a politician, believes Sri Lanka's
batsmen have little to fear if, as expected, Warne
is named in Australia's Test squad on Friday for the
first time since a one-year drugs ban.
"I feel that they will struggle, especially under
these conditions," Ranatunga is quoted as saying.
"The present Australian team are unimpressive,
when you look at the teams they used to have with
the Waughs and Glenn McGrath."
"Sri Lankan sides are quite good with spin ... and
Warne might have an issue here. Warne has been
out a long time and he might struggle to get
through the Sri Lankan batting line-up." Ranatunga
added, "The Australian spin attack is not
impressive at all when you see that we have Murali
and others on our side."
Ranatunga had made a pastime out of baiting Warne ever since, on the eve of the 1999
World Cup, Warne suggested that the Sri Lankan team would be better off without
Ranatunga.
Ranatunga urged Sri Lanka's current team to stand up to Australia in the field. "I don't
know about this team but we used to feel when we gave it [verbally] back to the Australians
they would crumble. I was one person who was always against sledging but that was how it
seemed. I'm not sure what this [Sri Lankan] team will do."

 

[bennyr]

I don't think Ranatunga's too far from the truth in that the Test team is not as impressive as a team including two Waughs and a fully fit Warne & McGrath.

That said, in terms of international cricket, it is not an unimpressive team. Mr Ranatunga was always excellent at the gamesmanship involved with his captaincy, and it's good to see that nothing has changed.

That said, I still hope that Australia will beat Sri Lanka well in this series.