*Official* Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2014

[Maximas]

I hope this Lakmal injury forces the selectors/Mathews to realise that you need at least 2 front-line seamers every game and you also need Matthews bowling more earlier in the innings. You can't expect someone like Lakmal to remain injury free when he gets bowled into the ground in 35 degree heat like that

 

[Jassy]

probably a stretch to say that Aus and SA would take him in hindsight, but NZ would definitely take him over Wagner and England would take him over any of their 3rd or 4th seamers.

Very much doubt NZ would take him over Wagner tbh. Junaid's career is literally Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka. He's played 9/16 matches vs them and picked 40/56 vs them. Credit to him for doing well vs SL but he's got to play other teams more(and perform) to be rated higher. Wager's not exactly set the world on fire but he's played a variety of teams in different conditions so at least there's an indication as to how his career will shape up. With Junaid it is still all rather unknown. For the same reason I don't think England would take him over Finn or Plunkett either.

 

[viriya]

Yeah that's why I never regarded him as a great spinner, boosting his career stats by playing Sri-Lanka every now and then

I would agree except that his vs SL record is nothing to write home about. 32 avg with no 10 wkt haul after 12 tests. If anything he could complain that he doesn't get to play Eng/NZ/WI/Zim/Ban more. Although his record is definitely helped by never having played India.

 

[Maximas]

Playing much of your career against SL in the Sanga/Mahela/Samaraweera days as spinner couldn't have been easy as far as Ajmal is concerned

 

[viriya]

Playing much of your career against SL in the Sanga/Mahela/Samaraweera days as spinner couldn't have been easy as far as Ajmal is concerned

Yes, it could be argued to be worse than bowling to India (especially since the retirement of the big three and Sehwag).

 

[smash84]

so Pakistan bat first in overcast conditions

 

[auditor]

ahhahahhaha wicket

 

[smash84]

Ahmed shahzad, Face palm

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Those two made Rudds and Fulton look good.

 

[viriya]

This phase makes you question why Prasad was ever left out in the first place.. 5-10ks faster than Eranga/Lakmal and looks like his control is much better too.

Those eyes too..

 

[smash84]

Our batting is so ****

 

[viriya]

Mathews has something in the pitch to work with, hopefully keeps bowling..

 

[smash84]

Can see pak getting a sub 250 score here

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Cheer up smali. Ali is looking good, Younis will make runs and Misbah is still to come.
All out 340.

 

[Maximas]

his control is much better too.

No, but he is a wicket-taker, and he fits well into this attack with two spinners and Matthews bowling a little bit too, we've actually picked a well balanced team of players who deserve to be there, wait, no, Tharanga is playing, almost though.

Nuwan Pradeep has been holding Prasad back I'd say, was particularly unfair in England when Pradeep got the nod over him despite what happened in that warm-up game

 

[Maximas]

geez I worry about Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the post MJ/Sanga and Misbah/Younis years

 

[smash84]

Cheer up smali. Ali is looking good, Younis will make runs and Misbah is still to come.
All out 340.

Thanks for the jinx

 

[Maximas]

This partnership is the deal-breaker though, could take the game away from SL if they bat well, could fall apart completely and just about concede the test if they don't

 

[Flem274*]

Told you Lakmal being injured automatically improved the attack.

 

[smash84]

This partnership is the deal-breaker though, could take the game away from SL if they bat well, could fall apart completely and just about concede the test if they don't

Pak look extremely rusty. Coming back to test cricket after 7 months with no warm ups wasn't a great idea