***Official*** India in Sri Lanka

[JBH001]

I think Murali and Vaas, with somewhat defensive fields, are the best bet at the moment.

Hmmm, I fear that is what Mahela will do. However, I think that is a mistake against Sehwag. You want him to get more and more expansive and get himself out. Defensive fields may work for a while, but eventually he will get through, or simply accumulate (if his head is functioning) and explode later. Merely postponing the inevitable.

 

[Dissector]

Murali was bowling rubbish his first couple of overs and then settled down a bit. Of course bowling to well-set openers ,who play spin well, on this kind of track on the first morning is really difficult for a spinner. An early breakthrough from someone like Malinga would have come in really handy.

 

[Dissector]

Hmmm, I fear that is what Mahela will do. However, I think that is a mistake against Sehwag. You want him to get more and more expansive and get himself out. Defensive fields may work for a while, but eventually he will get through, or simply accumulate (if his head is functioning) and explode later. Merely postponing the inevitable.

See I reckon that Sehwag will go for his shots anyway so even with a somewhat defensive field there will be opportunities to get him out, perhaps caught in the deep. Plus keeping him quiet may be the best way to induce a really bad shot.

 

[JBH001]

Yes. Should be a good contest in the afternoon session.

But the flatness of the wicket is another of the reasons I dont think going defensive will help in these circumstances, although there is, admittedly, a lot of sense in trying to frustrate Viru into losing even more of what is left of his hair, and then his wicket. But as I said, I think this unlikely in these specific circumstances.

(Although it does depend if Sehwag plays like the more mature batsman he seemed to have become in Australia)

Anycase, I still hope to see Murali and Mendis trundling away for most of the afternoon. Mendis may cop a few, but then it was always going to happen sooner or later. Cricket, the great leveller, may strike again in this test where Mendis is concerned.

 

[JBH001]

Almost home time for me.

Will be checking the scores tomorrow morning and hoping that it does not go too far in the direction currently indicated.

Good luck and good chatting, to all you gents.

 

[sanga1337]

come on rain, piss off...

 

[Stapel]

Murali was bowling rubbish his first couple of overs and then settled down a bit. Of course bowling to well-set openers ,who play spin well, on this kind of track on the first morning is really difficult for a spinner. An early breakthrough from someone like Malinga would have come in really handy.

I'm quite short on news from the subcontinent, so maybe my question has an obvious answer.

Where is Malinga anyway?

 

[Dissector]

Malinga's injured though I am not up on the details myself.

 

[Uppercut]

Ah, i love watching Sehwag bat.

Looking at the opening partnership, i felt that two such positive batsmen at the top was a mistake in tests. But they seem to bat well as a partnership so i may just be wrong.

 

[Jono]

Yeeeeeeeeeeehaw

Go Viru.

Pitch is flat as a pancake I imagine though?

 

[Manee]

Ah, i love watching Sehwag bat.

Looking at the opening partnership, i felt that two such positive batsmen at the top was a mistake in tests. But they seem to bat well as a partnership so i may just be wrong.

Gambhir's Test strike rate is 58.76, which is high enough to be positive and yet low enough to play foil to Sehwag so I think it can work well.

 

[Uppercut]

Gambhir's Test strike rate is 58.76, which is high enough to be positive and yet low enough to play foil to Sehwag so I think it can work well.

Hmm, or you could say, it's too high to be sure of seeing off the new ball for the middle order men, but too low to put the opposition bowlers+captain under pressure, which is what Sehwag does.

That said, he deserves to play because he's a lot better than Jaffer. I just felt it might not be ideal.

 

[Salamuddin]

That said, he deserves to play because he's a lot better than Jaffer. I just felt it might not be ideal.

I agree with that. Gambhir has the tools iMO to be a fairly decent opener for India.
He has improved on a couple of technical aspects of his game and I think that has resulted in his vast improvement in ODI's.

Time will tell whether he can translate that to meaningful success at test level but I have more faith in him than I ever did in Wasim Jaffer.

 

[James90]

30.2 Vaas to Sehwag, SIX, What a guy!

WAG indeed.

 

[duffer]

Mendis gets Dravid again. Gah, not picking him at all. Great catch mind.

 

[Jakester1288]

Mendis owning again. Mendis to Tendulkar will be interesting, and good to watch.

 

[duffer]

Gorgeous drive by Sachin to get off the mark, these two need to score big if we're to win this match.

 

[duffer]

Sehwag and those bloody swipes

 

[Dissector]

Vaas gets Sachin !! Brilliant come-back by Sri Lanka and especially Mendis.

 

[duffer]

Doomed