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*Official* Cricket Web XI in Sri Lanka Discussion and Results

David

International 12th Man
Stoked. Absolutely stoked to be in contention.

Unfortunate end to the ODI's though. Hoping we can bounce back in the tests with some absolute domination.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

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Cricket Web XI
S Young
PE Young
AJ Blackman
CR Butler
WA Kerr
AP Chaulk (wk)
MW Wilson
DP Richards
DM Kennett
GM Thomas
TJ Demeza

Cricket Web XI vs Sri Lankan Board XI
3-day Tour Match - Galle International Stadium

Despite the heroircs of Ash Chaulk, Cricket Web XI slumped to embarrassing defeat in their lone tour fixture before the first Test against Sri Lanka. Chaulk hit a breezy 65 off 85 balls on the final day, but could not prevent defeat by 54 runs. CW XI were in control of most of the match, until a late second innings revival by Sri Lankan Board XI helped post a target of 281 which was too much for the jetlagged tourists.

The first day was one of mixed fortunes for the Webbers. The bowling of David Kennett, recalled to Test duty, was the highlight as he slipped back into the fine form that he expressed on his last tour of Sri Lanka. His opening spell tested the openers and ultimately accounted for both. Greg Thomas added a third wicket and the home team was reeling at 58-3. A middle order revival came from the usual suspects, Tillekeratne Dilshan (41) and Angelo Mathews (74), but the former was removed by Demeza, and Chamara Silva went without scoring. Another brief recovery helped push the score toward 200, but Kennett and left-arm spinner Dave Richards wrapped the tail in relatively quick time to finish the innings on 205.

CW XI were left with half the day to bat and shot out of the blocks via two well-timed offdrives by Stephen Young (10). The uncapped opener then fell before the first over was through, unable to cope with the pace of Dammika Prasad. There was panic, however, and Pete Young (36) combined with an aggressive Alex Blackman (46) to keep the tourists on top. Dilshan utilized his offspin to good effect to dismiss both before stumps, then Chris Butler and Will Kerr added an unbeaten 47 to carry the score to 149-3 at stumps.

Again CW XI started well on the second morning and looked set for a big total as they closed in on the 200 mark. But 11 short, Butler got a thin edge down the legside and was out for 44. Kerr too fell short of his milestone, bowled by Amerasinghe for a composed 49. The seamer continued to impress with the wicket of Chaulk for 13, and Richards (6) was out shortly before lunch to end an excellent session for the Sri Lankans. Mike Wilson played in his typically rambunctious style to consolidate the CW XI lead to 56 and the score to 261.

The bowlers then continued a confident display by nipping out two Board XI wickets before tea. Again much of the responsibility fell on Dilshan, the skipper, and he responded with some daring strokeplay in an innings of 37. But just as he looked to be into stride, having hit Thomas for a straight six, he picked out the fielder in the gully with a loose cut shot. Thomas had that last laugh with his only wicket of the second innings. It was Wilson who proved more potent with the ball, however. His two quick wickets crucially numbered Gunawardene (56) and the dangerous Mathews (32). There was no killer instinct from the Webbers, however, and instead the Board XI recovered their position once again.

Chamara Silva and Kashual Silva played with remarkable ease throughout their partnership of 120. By the time Kennett got the former for 52, the lead was well past 200. It was another impressive display by Kennett on the third morning that kept CW XI in the match. His spell turned out 4 wickets in total, including two in two balls. His hat-trick was not to be, however, as Amerasinghe pushed a yorker away for a quick single. Kashual Silva tried to up the pace with more attacking strokeplay and was in turn twice dropped whilst pushing on to an unbeaten 83. The Board XI were all out for 336 and left CW XI the better part of the day to chase 281.

Stephen Young started pleasantly again but again perished to Prasad, nicking a length ball outside offstump for 21. After lunch Pete Young (11) joined him in the pavilion for not much, and after a brief revival, Blackman and Butler followed. The middle order struggled to combat the Sri Lankan seamers on a pitch that showed little sign of wear. Next out was Kerr (10), though he experienced some misfortune, given out caught behind when he missed the ball by two inches. The Webbers were then in shambles, on 112-5 and staring at a heavy defeat. The only reasonable tactic seemed counterattack, and Chaulk obliged, batting out of his crease and playing some one-day style shots. He reached 50 off 46 balls and seemed to give license to Wilson to play in similar fashion.

The allrounder reached his fifty from a ball less than Chaulk and with a lofted shot to the cover boundary. While the pair batted it seemed that CW XI would steal a result that they surely did not deserve. Kulasekera then served what seemed like justice, as he dismissed Wilson for 51. Richards kept things ticking along for a bit with 18, then he too was out, failing to commit to a pull shot and caught-and-bowled by Prasad. The killer blow came an over later- Chaulk caught behind for 65. Resistance was never likely from the remaining two wickets, and Kulasekera rounded off a 4-wicket haul with some ease.

CW XI now have a lot of work to do in the build up to the first Test. The inevitable return of Cloete and Mørk to the lineup will add a lot of strength, but there are still concerns about a team still uncertain of its best XI.

Sri Lanka Board XI 1st Innings 205 all out
Mathews 74, Dilshan 41, Kennett 4-49, Demeza 2-45
Cricket Web XI 1st Innings 261 all out
Kerr 49, Blackman 46, Prasad 4-63, Amerasinghe 3-29
Sri Lanka Board XI 2nd Innings 336 all out
Silva J.K. 83*, Gunawardene 56, Kennett 5-72, Wilson 2-39
Cricket Web XI 2nd Innings 226 all out
Chaulk 65, Wilson 51, Kulasekera 4-43, Fernando 2-32
Sri Lanka Board XI won by 54 runs.
 

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Mr Mxyzptlk

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Mathews and Amerasinghe called to duty

Following his impressive performance in the tour match, Ishara Amerasinghe has been recalled for the first Test against Cricket Web XI. The seam bowler is part of a 12-man party that also includes uncapped allrounder Angelo Mathews.

1st Test squad:
BSM Warnapura, KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene (c), HAPW Jayawardene (wk), BAW Mendis, M Muralitharan, TT Samaraweera, WPUJC Vaas, MG Vandort, MKDI Amerasinghe, TM Dilshan, AD Mathews.
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Good to see Kennett back and firing! Otherwise a very very ordinary performance :(

Also, I'm ****.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

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Kennett, Richards and Young back for 1st Test

David Kennett and Dave Richards have been recalled to Cricket Web XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka. Kennett, the Cricket Web Red fast bowler, had an impressive season for club and will now line up in place of tearaway fast men Greg Thomas and Travis Demeza, who have been excluded in light of the expected pitch conditions. Richards adds another spin dimension to the team, serving as a left-arm fingerspin counterpart to captain Neil Pickup's right-arm wristspin.

Pete Young returns from injury and takes his place opening the batting following the retirement of Thamba Mamesh. And Alex Blackman holds his place in the middle order alongside Will Kerr.

Cricket Web XI 1st Test squad:

H Mørk (wk)
PE Young
AP Cloete
CR Butler
WA Kerr
AJ Blackman
MW Wilson
DP Richards
NA Borcich
DM Kennett
NS Pickup

12th Man: AP Chaulk
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

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Game well poised to Jayawardene and Vaas
1st Test - Day 1 - Cricket Web XI vs Sri Lanka - Galle International Stadium

A late fightback by Sri Lanka kept the first Test in the balance at the end of an intriguing opening day. Prasana Jayawardene fell to a tired shot late in the day, and Sri Lanka were reduced to 246-7 after a battling partnership of 117 for the seventh wicket. Cricket Web XI enjoyed most of the day prior, having reduced their opponents to 129-6.

On his return to Test cricket, David Kennett looked nervous in his new ball spell and was pulled out of the attack after a lacklustre 5 overs. At the other end Nick Borcich looked right at home and sent Malinga Warnapura back to the hut for 14. Mike Wilson replaced Kennett and chipped in with the wicket of Michael Vandort (19) soon after. Brilliant fielding by Kerr then accounted for Mahela Jayawardene, stunningly run out without facing a ball, and Sri Lanka were in bother at 47-3.

Kumar Sangakkara played some typically classy shots in his attempts at revival, but he lost the services of Thilan Samaraweera (10) to Neil Pickup, before Dilshan was run out for a promising 21. And without addition, following Dilshan, Sangakkara flashed outside offstump and was caught smartly at slip to present Borcich with a second wicket. The Webbers were right on top and looking to press home their advantage, but were instead met with a stubborn rearguard and proceeded to slip drastically in the field.

Jayawardene survived a chance on 2 when Pete Young dropped the simplest of chances to deny Dave Richards a precious Test scalp. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper then survived an lbw appeal, when he should have been given out on 11. And while Chaminda Vaas stood his ground at the other end, Jayawardene notched up a half-century with 2 runs, tucked behind square. As expected, the Webbers took the new ball at first opportunity and Kennett and Borcich bowled with purpose and heart and attempted to apply some pressure. But while Vaas broke free with a couple of expansive drives, Jayawardene looked less certain until he nicked Kennett through to Mørk.

It was the first wicket for Kennett on his recall, but the celebration was muted due the realization of the larger task at hand. He should have had Muralitharan caught behind 2 balls into his innings, but the Webber gloveman floored a simple chance and sent Sri Lanka to stumps without further loss.

Sri Lanka 1st innings 250-7 (92 overs)
HAPW Jayawardene 69, KC Sangakkara 62, WPUJC Vaas 40*, M Muralitharan 2*
NA Borcich 2-58
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

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Stunning Blackman keeps CW XI afloat
1st Test - Day 2 - Cricket Web XI vs Sri Lanka - Galle International Stadium

Cricket Web XI wasted no time in wrapping up the Sri Lankan tail on the second morning, but inspired bowling by Ishara Amerasinghe kept the home side on top at day's end. The fast bowler took a Test best 6 wickets and decimated the Webber top order, and Alex Blackman was called to play the innings of his life to keep Cricket Web XI afloat.

In the morning David Kennett and Nick Borcich finished with 3 wickets apiece and Sri Lanka were all out for 261. But after the energetic start by the bowlers, the touring batsmen were shellshocked by the swinging new ball. Things started well enough with two boundaries for Mørk in the first over, but 4 overs later Pete Young was trapped in front of middle stump by Chaminda Vaas for 3. Mørk did not get much further before he attempted to drive Amerasinghe on the up, and was caught smartly by Muralitharan at midoff. Amerasinghe then chimed in twice more before lunch with the massive wickets of Chris Butler (11) and Andrew Cloete (14).

At 50-4 the tourists were in serious trouble, but the cool heads of Will Kerr and Alex Blackman looked to be getting things back on track. The former lasted only as long as Amerasinghe stayed out of the attack, and as soon as the seamer returned, he got him lbw for 22. Two balls later he brought the ball back through the gate and mangled Mike Wilson's offstump- 89 for 6. Much relied on the predominantly Cricket Web Black tail, headed by marginal allrounder Dave Richards. His support of Blackman only last 12 balls, however, before he was outfoxed by Ajantha Mendis and chipped a low catch to midwicket.

Blackman realized that he would have add whatever impetus to the CW XI innings, so he took on the Sri Lankan spinners with some attacking shots en route to his first Test half-century. His partner Borcich was not to be outdone, and the fast bowler lashed three boundaries in a knock of 27. Borcich was finally dismissed by Amerasinghe and left Blackman with slimmer pickings for company. The big man picked up his pace dramatically and gave chase a stunning maiden ton. Included in his attack was an over by Amerasinghe in which Blackman scored 3 fours and a six.

He rocked back to cut Muralitharan past cover and celebrated his hundred. Even as he was caught behind off Mendis 2 runs later, Blackman walked off to a standing ovation for his magnificent effort in the face of extreme adversity. At stumps CW XI were 228-9, trailing by only 33, having been 94-7 when Richards was out.

Sri Lanka 1st innings 261 ao (100.4 overs)
HAPW Jayawardene 69, KC Sangakkara 62, WPUJC Vaas 46
NA Borcich 3-61, DM Kennett 3-66

Cricket Web XI 1st innings 228-9 (86 overs)
AJ Blackman 103, NA Borcich 27, DM Kennett 9*, NS Pickup 4*
MKDI Amerasinghe 6-59, BAW Mendis 2-33

Cricket Web XI trail by 33 runs with 1 first innings wicket in hand.
 

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