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*Official* Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2014
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Maximas
Cricketer Of The Year
SL marks out of 10:
Tharanga: 6 - problems remain with his temperament and technique however he was decent this series, disappointing at Galle but topscored in the first innings at the SSC and then made a solid start in the second innings, must sort out his head position and try to knuckle down more if he wants to be a decent opener, particularly abroad.
Silva: 6.5 - A somewhat disappointing home summer for Silva, was able to get starts on every occasion but failed to make a big score, was particularly troubled by Ajmal but never really looked comfortable at the crease, got us off to handy starts though, fielding was excellent as usual.
Sanga: 9 - A massive double century was his most telling contribution but his runs in the second dig at SSC were also of high importance, great series once again.
Mahela: 7 - A couple off good half centuries including a really good one in the second dig at SSC and got us off to a good start in the Galle chase but the final big score eluded him, solid contribution though.
Matthews: 8 - Another very good series with the bat, but struggled for impact with the ball and could have been more assertive with his fields at times, hope his captaincy retains an aggressive streak when Mahela is gone.
Thirimanne: 2.5 - Made two starts but was all at sea against Ajmal and looked down on confidence, is really struggling, can't keep this up if he wants a future at this level.
Vithanage: 4 - was perhaps a little unlucky to be dropped after coming in when lots of runs were already on the board at Galle and then finished the chase beautifully under pressure.
Dickwella: 5 - Struggled with the bat but kept well, is worth some investment, but hasn't kept Prasanna J out of the reckoning.
Perera: 4.5 - Showed nothing with the bat and bowled rather poorly throughout, was good in the second innings at Galle but struggled when the game was taken to him and bowled a poor line, disappointing after the SA series where it appeared he had matured some as a test bowler.
Herath: 10 - Won us both matches, genius bowling
Prasad: 8 - Was very impressive, made early breakthroughs throughout the series and bowled with good pace and aggression despite never being able to pull in a big haul, showed some spine with the bat to and helped us build a lead in Galle and helped give us something to defend at SSC hanging around with Matthews.
Eranga: 3 - picked up a key wicket at Galle but largely struggled to remain potent, will be key in NZ though if he can remain injury free
Welegedara: 6 - batted well and was able to do a job with the ball, perhaps unlucky not to have a wicket in the first dig at SSC and then he bowled a very good spell in the second dig while Herath took wickets from the other end, however he didn't really swing the ball or do anything other than be fairly consistent and push the ball across the right handers, good to see if our options are limited by injury he can come in and do a job but he hasn't shown that he's any better than the injured guys, should move back down the pecking order once they are fit again.
Tharanga: 6 - problems remain with his temperament and technique however he was decent this series, disappointing at Galle but topscored in the first innings at the SSC and then made a solid start in the second innings, must sort out his head position and try to knuckle down more if he wants to be a decent opener, particularly abroad.
Silva: 6.5 - A somewhat disappointing home summer for Silva, was able to get starts on every occasion but failed to make a big score, was particularly troubled by Ajmal but never really looked comfortable at the crease, got us off to handy starts though, fielding was excellent as usual.
Sanga: 9 - A massive double century was his most telling contribution but his runs in the second dig at SSC were also of high importance, great series once again.
Mahela: 7 - A couple off good half centuries including a really good one in the second dig at SSC and got us off to a good start in the Galle chase but the final big score eluded him, solid contribution though.
Matthews: 8 - Another very good series with the bat, but struggled for impact with the ball and could have been more assertive with his fields at times, hope his captaincy retains an aggressive streak when Mahela is gone.
Thirimanne: 2.5 - Made two starts but was all at sea against Ajmal and looked down on confidence, is really struggling, can't keep this up if he wants a future at this level.
Vithanage: 4 - was perhaps a little unlucky to be dropped after coming in when lots of runs were already on the board at Galle and then finished the chase beautifully under pressure.
Dickwella: 5 - Struggled with the bat but kept well, is worth some investment, but hasn't kept Prasanna J out of the reckoning.
Perera: 4.5 - Showed nothing with the bat and bowled rather poorly throughout, was good in the second innings at Galle but struggled when the game was taken to him and bowled a poor line, disappointing after the SA series where it appeared he had matured some as a test bowler.
Herath: 10 - Won us both matches, genius bowling
Prasad: 8 - Was very impressive, made early breakthroughs throughout the series and bowled with good pace and aggression despite never being able to pull in a big haul, showed some spine with the bat to and helped us build a lead in Galle and helped give us something to defend at SSC hanging around with Matthews.
Eranga: 3 - picked up a key wicket at Galle but largely struggled to remain potent, will be key in NZ though if he can remain injury free
Welegedara: 6 - batted well and was able to do a job with the ball, perhaps unlucky not to have a wicket in the first dig at SSC and then he bowled a very good spell in the second dig while Herath took wickets from the other end, however he didn't really swing the ball or do anything other than be fairly consistent and push the ball across the right handers, good to see if our options are limited by injury he can come in and do a job but he hasn't shown that he's any better than the injured guys, should move back down the pecking order once they are fit again.
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smash84
The Tiger King
sorry I might be confusing it with an interview that he had given.
viriya
International Captain
Last time he was wicketless in an ODI was Aug 2011. He has not been ineffective - far from it, just look at his ODI record. In Tests he has been poor and his record since his debut series shows that too. But unfair to drop him when he has done well in ODIs imo.
19.30 average at a 4.9 econ in the last 2 years with 2+ wkts/mat.. what else does he need to do??
Compared to other SL players:
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...al1=span;team=8;template=results;type=bowling
If anything, with Sena's ban, Ajantha's place in the squad should be more secure..
19.30 average at a 4.9 econ in the last 2 years with 2+ wkts/mat.. what else does he need to do??
Compared to other SL players:
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...al1=span;team=8;template=results;type=bowling
If anything, with Sena's ban, Ajantha's place in the squad should be more secure..
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viriya
International Captain
I've watched most of the matches.. He might get wickets later on but since he doesn't bowl at the death its not useless wickets.. Also his econ is decent enough either way.. I think it's a case of "he doesn't get wickets batsmen give them away" here... Can't it just be that he is more effective in limited overs matches like a Narine?
viriya
International Captain
This is just not true. Since 2013, he gets his first wicket on average on his 5th over and the 28th of the match. He's only gotten a wicket on his last over once in the last 2 years.
I think this is a classic case of focusing on the fact that he seems innocuous and ignoring the actual results.. if Mendis bowled like Ajmal with the same results people would be up in arms. Fact is, he has been effective in the last 2 years, much more than before (at least after his debut). He doesn't deserved to get dropped with how he has performed in ODIs.
Maximas
Cricketer Of The Year
Look he's not the worst but particularly in Aus/NZ life will be made tough for him and he's given the selectors little reason to think he'll be super effective under WC pressure in those conditions. As Dan pointed out the selectors are using this time to try the alternatives who've been performing well at domestic and 'A' team level whose styles will be somewhat more suited to the challenge of Aus/NZ pitches, Randiv in particular
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It's one series ffs.
Somehow I don't think Ajantha Mendis is going to be crying himself to sleep over missing 5 random ODIs building up to a World Cup because he averages X in ODIs in the past 12 months while Randiv averages X+Y.
If Randiv sucks, he can prove beyond doubt that he sucks over 5 matches, so SL selectors can well-and-truly discard him from their World Cup plans. If he doesn't make it until the end of the series, they can try a different non-Herath/Mendis spinner to see how they travel in ODI cricket.
It's hard to imagine that either Herath or Mendis would be left out of the World Cup squad, and I suspect SL will want to carry 3 spinners in the 15. Sachi makes it if he can bowl well with a straighter arm, otherwise they have to find out who is better out of Randiv, Seekuage or whoever else is floating around the SL domestix but isn't proven at ODI level yet.
And the easiest way to directly compare two spinners you want to trial, unsurprisingly, is to play them in the same match and see how they go. Ergo, no room for Mendis in this series.
You make it sound as if they've denied Mendis a World Cup spot out-of-hand, torn up his contract and killed his entire family. Almost every team around the world is picking inferior XIs to their strongest one at the moment, with an eye on working out who takes spots 12-15 in the World Cup squad.
Somehow I don't think Ajantha Mendis is going to be crying himself to sleep over missing 5 random ODIs building up to a World Cup because he averages X in ODIs in the past 12 months while Randiv averages X+Y.
If Randiv sucks, he can prove beyond doubt that he sucks over 5 matches, so SL selectors can well-and-truly discard him from their World Cup plans. If he doesn't make it until the end of the series, they can try a different non-Herath/Mendis spinner to see how they travel in ODI cricket.
It's hard to imagine that either Herath or Mendis would be left out of the World Cup squad, and I suspect SL will want to carry 3 spinners in the 15. Sachi makes it if he can bowl well with a straighter arm, otherwise they have to find out who is better out of Randiv, Seekuage or whoever else is floating around the SL domestix but isn't proven at ODI level yet.
And the easiest way to directly compare two spinners you want to trial, unsurprisingly, is to play them in the same match and see how they go. Ergo, no room for Mendis in this series.
You make it sound as if they've denied Mendis a World Cup spot out-of-hand, torn up his contract and killed his entire family. Almost every team around the world is picking inferior XIs to their strongest one at the moment, with an eye on working out who takes spots 12-15 in the World Cup squad.
YorksLanka
International Debutant
Tbh mate I saw it the other way in that Mendis has proven his worth, so as everyone else says,this series is an experiment to unearth other possibilities..I do agree with others that mendis will find the wickets in aus &NZ tough to pick wickets up on due to the ball skidding through like a slow medium from him.
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Maximas
Cricketer Of The Year
In Australia/NZ you want your spinner to be a really good one who can be turned to under pressure and can swing the match for you with a couple of wickets against set batsmen or and some tight overs. The Herath/Sachi combination was able to do that and in recent times (since the Ireland ODI) Mendis simply couldn't, he'd generally take wickets late in the piece, he couldn't contain the run-rate effectively and anyone who could pick him was able to milk him pretty easily.
Also, Randiv and Seekkuge have other things going for them, Randiv can contribute a little better with the bat, he flights the ball well and can get extra bounce with his overspin and height which will be useful in Australia, plus he's one of the best fielders in SL. Seekkuge is pretty much an all-rounder who puts more revs on the ball and can provide some big hitting at the end of an innings. Given that Herath (or a revived and hopefully effective Sachi) will come ahead of Mendis in the spin ranks given we are playing a WC in Aus/NZ you'd want a more seamer oriented attack with 2 spinners at the most, the second spinner is probably going to have to provide some batting or even fielding to justify selection even with guys like Thisara and Matthews providing balance. For me that ultimately means Mendis pretty much needs to be the no 1 ODI spinner in SL to justify selection during the WC, he's not, and won't ever be, so it only makes sense to keep looking for guys to partner Herath and possibly Sachi
Also, Randiv and Seekkuge have other things going for them, Randiv can contribute a little better with the bat, he flights the ball well and can get extra bounce with his overspin and height which will be useful in Australia, plus he's one of the best fielders in SL. Seekkuge is pretty much an all-rounder who puts more revs on the ball and can provide some big hitting at the end of an innings. Given that Herath (or a revived and hopefully effective Sachi) will come ahead of Mendis in the spin ranks given we are playing a WC in Aus/NZ you'd want a more seamer oriented attack with 2 spinners at the most, the second spinner is probably going to have to provide some batting or even fielding to justify selection even with guys like Thisara and Matthews providing balance. For me that ultimately means Mendis pretty much needs to be the no 1 ODI spinner in SL to justify selection during the WC, he's not, and won't ever be, so it only makes sense to keep looking for guys to partner Herath and possibly Sachi
Maximas
Cricketer Of The Year
Speaking of Sachi...
Sri Lanka Cricket News: Sachithra Senanayake returns after remedial work | ESPN Cricinfo
Remidial work has been done and apparently he's under the limit now, hopefully he can get this new action ingrained and get cleared by November, hasn't lost any of his variations. Interesting reading that article, the report from the bio-mechanics guys seemed to suggest that bowling in the powerplays and at the death contributed a lot to the deterioration of his action.
Sri Lanka Cricket News: Sachithra Senanayake returns after remedial work | ESPN Cricinfo
Remidial work has been done and apparently he's under the limit now, hopefully he can get this new action ingrained and get cleared by November, hasn't lost any of his variations. Interesting reading that article, the report from the bio-mechanics guys seemed to suggest that bowling in the powerplays and at the death contributed a lot to the deterioration of his action.