*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka Thread

[anzac]

back on thread.....

NZ 226/7 with 30ish overs remaining in the 3rd day. At this rate I can't see anyone winning this one unless something very dramatic happens - a drawn series with NZ retaining 3rd place.

I think the over riding decision at the toss for Fleming was not to bat last on these pitches, and that this over shadowed any consideration as to how much early moisture was in the pitch.

well done to Richardson, Styris & Oram for their fight back from 3/11. Congrads to Oram on his maiden test half century.

Sinclair may well have played his last representative match for NZ unless he does some drastic work on his batting technique - and in particular his footwork.

Styris would appear to have cemented his place in the middle order even ahead of McMillan, while it is hoped that Oram will now have some confidence with the bat to start to match his domestic form. If he can then perhaps we may only see Cairns in ODI matches.

 

[Tim]

305 all out..it could have continued had Vettori not collided with Attapattu and been run out.

Good work from the middle order & tail to recover from 11/3.
Oram played a good knock & may have tightened his grip on the #6 spot. Vettori hit a 50 and boosted NZ over the 300 mark which should be at least enough for NZ to earn a draw now.

Fleming said he wanted to bowl last on the pitch so it will be interesting to see how the pitch goes over the final days.

 

[Tim]

Well both Vettori & Attapattu have gone to hospital..I hope they are both alright. The last thing Vettori needs is another injury set back.

 

[Tim]

Jayasuriya & Sangakkara showing no mercy after 6 overs, NZ need to becareful that things don't get too out of control here.

 

[marc71178]

So Marc you're basically saying NZ would lose to Australia on the basis of their performance to a totally different country with different pitches, different bowling & batting lineup. We're talking about NZ v Aus not Aus v S.L or NZ v S.L.

No I'm disputing the fact that you think NZ could go the distance over 5 Tests with Aus - citing their current and recent performances as examples that they are not actually any better than the majority of sides in the middle band of International Cricket.

 

[anzac]

NZ may not have the credentials & resources of the other nations (only Zimbabwe has fewer national cricketing resources), but they do have one of the best attacking captains, a couple of class players in key areas, a great fielding unit, a non defeatist attitude (they have a recent habit of rescueing series as well as winning them - so they are a bit difficult to actually defeat in a series & not because they play defensively) and they play well together as a team.

This makes the difference between NZ & the likes of ENG, IND, & SL who are all around the same mark currently.

 

[anzac]

back on topic....

NZ 305, SL 5/189 - both teams down to 10 men following collision between Attapatu & Vettori.

Definately can not see NZ bowling SL out twice in the time remaining so it will end in another draw.

well done to Vettori for his 55 - been a while since he scored with the bat. Especially good to see some other contributions apart from Richardson, Fleming & Styris.

A couple of good 1st innings totals from the NZ batting lineup this series on SL slow turning pitches.

 

[Tim]

Sri Lanka 298 all out, so technically NZ get 1st innings points..I think with a day & 1/4 left if NZ wanted to they could score quickly & make Sri Lanka chase 200 if they were desperate for a result..it will be interesting to see what happens considering Fleming is supposed to be in favour of attacking test cricket.

 

[Tim]

NZ 65/1..Horne out for 27 so thats pretty much 3 failures in 4 innings. His only credible score 46 in the 2nd innings of the 1st test.

Richardson is again batting superbly...I know he's not a flashy opener but surely he's one of the better openers in the World Cricket at the moment...an average of 50 after 25 odd tests is a very good record its just a shame his conversion rate is poor.
If only the selectors would wake up & select a decent opener to help the poor guy out.

 

[Tim]

One good thing to come out of this series I guess for NZ is that Paul Wiseman has done reasonably well coming off a very poor domestic season.

I'd say he'll be a definate inclusion for the Indian Tour in October now.

I've already talked about Matt Horne & I don't understand why the selectors can't see what all the spectators can see, which is that he can't bat at international level.
Matt Sinclair is apparently heading back to Darwin to play local club cricket because in seasons gone by its given him some form heading into international matches for NZ, I still don't think NZ should pick him on the basis of club cricket in Darwin & hoping that he'll pull through in India.

I really think the selectors missed a step in not picking some youth players for this tour, because the likelyhood of them going to India is now zip. NZ have been playing quite well against Sri Lanka, but I feel if they got rid of the pretenders in the team & introduced some better players like Jones, Cumming, McIntosh, Nicol etc they might have done better against Sri Lanka in the 1st test.

I think there is one space in the squad left open for the ODI series & im guessing that it will be taken by either Richardson or Butler. Im presuming Wiseman is already in that ODI team otherwise he'd probably be the 1st choice.
Right now I'd rather see Richardson open the batting in the ODI's rather than Horne.

 

[Tim]

Richardson again falls after scoring a half century, this time he's out for 55...thats 2 hundreds & 15 half centuries now. He's starting to turn out like Fleming now although at least he's consistently getting mid-range scores so its not as bad.

 

[Tim]

MS Sinclair st Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 0 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Well here it is in black & white...Sinclair just cannot go to India, we just can't afford to hope that Sinclair comes right after playing a season of club cricket in Darwin.

He complains all the time about how he's in & out of the side, but when he is in the side he never converts his opportunities so the selectors have made a mess of this.

They've ended up gambling on Horne & Sinclair who haven't paid off, Richard Jones is yet to play a test so he has no idea of what to possibly expect in India still & Lou Vincent got a free trip to Sri Lanka..what a waste of time.

 

[Kiwi]

MS Sinclair st Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 0 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Now that really does deserve reselection:P
It probably does in the selectors minds

 

[Tim]

I was just thinking that do you ever hear Mark Richardson complain that he only plays tests?

In the couple of months, Richardson has played 4 tests for NZ & thats it so he's hardly had any chance to gain form in ODI's or play against good opposition. Yet he still goes to Sri Lanka & scores runs.

And then theres Matthew Sinclair who is constantly complaining that he doesn't get opportunities & that people should just leave his technique alone.

I think someone needs to pull Sinclair in line & tell him that these days you don't get a year to find form, you've got to find it every series & if he's not willing to make changes to the way he bats then he'll just be left out to dry.
But I doubt that'll happen, I'm pretty sure the selectors will keep him for the Indian tour because they've blown their chance on selecting better players on this tour.

 

[Top_Cat]

Having played against Matt Sinclair, I can confirm that he was always a winer but one heck of a good player!

 

[Tim]

Well the problem is, is that Sinclair does have skill..infact he does have the potential to be a top 5 international batsman.

But he has no patience & is not willing to change his technique so he'll be forever a player who will occassionally show his class & then the other times be very ordinary.

 

[Tim]

NZ are 138/5 with a lead of 145...

I'd think for NZ to be safe they need to get to at least 220 & then hope that Sri Lanka go all out to get the win & lose wickets.

 

[Eclipse]

Richardson again falls after scoring a half century, this time he's out for 55...thats 2 hundreds & 15 half centuries now. He's starting to turn out like Fleming now although at least he's consistently getting mid-range scores so its not as bad.

IMO thats just because he is so deffensive witch really suites him I am not trying to say he should change but when you take up as many balls as he does to score the chances are eventualy you will get out. I think the 100 mark is along way away for Richardson when he is batting the effort reqired is very high were as somone like Lara can see it once he gets to about 25.

 

[anzac]

Well the problem is, is that Sinclair does have skill..infact he does have the potential to be a top 5 international batsman.

But he has no patience & is not willing to change his technique so he'll be forever a player who will occassionally show his class & then the other times be very ordinary.

and the irony is that he has basically lost his place to a player who was primarily a ODI bowler, who went away and thought & worked hard on his batting technique and esp his patience when at the crease!!!!!!

 

[Tim]

NZ all out for 183..so Sri Lanka need 190 in the final session to win.

A tense couple of hours coming up then. It took some very good rearguard action by Hart & Wiseman to push NZ up to a decent score after NZ lost their way badly.

I reckon Sri Lanka would be stupid not to have a crack at this total, its 190 off 38 overs and they've got Jayasuriya in the team who appears to be gaining some form.

Whether NZ planned to finish the game like this is another story but anything could happen if they take some quick wickets.