***Official*** South Africa in Sri Lanka

[Legglancer]

what an amazing test match. Both teams played fantasticly at times but not consistant enough. SA fielding was not as good as SL and was the differance. Sri Lanka should have won easily if they batted sensibaly .... too many of their batsman throw their wickets.

 

[TT Boy]

what an amazing test match. Both teams played fantasticly at times but not consistant enough. SA fielding was not as good as SL and was the differance. Sri Lanka should have won easily if they batted sensibaly .... too many of their batsman throw their wickets.

The South African batsman would know all about that as well...

 

[Perm]

Great effort from Jayawardene and Muralitharan. Outstanding series for Sri Lanka, goes to show they still have alot to offer to test cricket. Let's hope their fine form continues.

For South Africa it was defiantely a poor series, even without their captain and best batsman they were decidedly average. They will have to play much better if they hope to win futures series, plus they should learn how to catch.

 

[Langeveldt]

Great effort from Jaya, still absolutely gutted though but proud of the fight that SA displayed in this test match, bodes well..

 

[marc71178]

Interesting to see who SA's top 2 run scorers were...

 

[vic_orthdox]

Probably not the best time to get out, but still props to Mahela and well done to Sri Lanka!

 

[Langeveldt]

Interesting to see who SA's top 2 run scorers were...

AB de V and Ashwell?

 

[marc71178]

Nope, Boucher was 2nd...

 

[Langeveldt]

Nope, Boucher was 2nd...

Not surprising really, and nothing wrong with playing two keepers if they are both worthy of a batting slot, which England did with Alec Stewart for a period

 

[Legglancer]

The most disapointing event in this test series was to witness how badly Shaun Pollock has deteiorated. He has been reduced to a rediculasly sorry figure unlike his former self. Perhaps he should only play as a batsman.

 

[Lostman]

The most disapointing event in this test series was to witness how badly Shaun Pollock has deteiorated. He has been reduced to a rediculasly sorry figure unlike his former self. Perhaps he should only play as a batsman.

i was just about to say the same thing, his bowling average is getting higher with every series.

 

[Legglancer]

i was just about to say the same thing, his bowling average is getting higher with every series.

Has he been this slow in other previous matchers too ? He was barely touching 70 mph.

Vass has also slowed down but you rearly see batsman taking him for a joke like Pollock in the last match.

 

[Lostman]

in his defense he was comming after a log lay off and he also didnt get a chance to play in any warm up games in SL so he didnt have the time to adjust to SL conditions.

 

[aussie]

Has he been this slow in other previous matchers too ? He was barely touching 70 mph.

Yea since back in Australia you could see that the great man was losing, i heard someone around South African cricket say that he was thinking of dropping his bowling & concentrating more on his batting. It may be his best option because with the emergence of Steyn with Ntini, Nel, Langevelt, Hall around he certainly isn't one of South Africa's top bowlers anymore.

 

[Neil Pickup]

The big question for me now is the Sri Lankan captaincy - will Jayawardene retain it when Marvan's back to 100% fitness?

 

[dinu23]

The big question for me now is the Sri Lankan captaincy - will Jayawardene retain it when Marvan's back to 100% fitness?

definitely. they're retaining mahela as captain for the ODIs even though marven is playing.

 

[Tomm NCCC]

So it wasnt just typical old England, Sri Lanka can actually play test cricket. Only been able to keep track of it via the newspaper for the past week and a half.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

So it wasnt just typical old England, Sri Lanka can actually play test cricket. Only been able to keep track of it via the newspaper for the past week and a half.

Sri Lanka have always been able to play Test cricket...

at home

 

[TT Boy]

Great effort from Jaya, still absolutely gutted though but proud of the fight that SA displayed in this test match, bodes well..

Does it, same old same old if you ask me. Batsman getting starts and than getting out, AB and Gibbs should have ton up big style, bowling attack struggling to get wickets in helpful conditions. Regardless of Ntini’s injury, South Africa have had a real problem getting rid of lower orders. Dropping far too many catches, fantastic ground fielders they maybe but most of them could not catch a cold. Regardless of the players missing, South Africa should have drawn the test series, they were embarrassed in the first and even with the professed heart and metal shown in the second they were still unable to bowl at Sri Lanka in useful conditions.

 

[Langeveldt]

Does it, same old same old if you ask me. Batsman getting starts and than getting out, AB and Gibbs should have ton up big style, bowling attack struggling to get wickets in helpful conditions. Regardless of Ntini’s injury, South Africa have had a real problem getting rid of lower orders. Dropping far too many catches, fantastic ground fielders they maybe but most of them could not catch a cold. Regardless of the players missing, South Africa should have drawn the test series, they were embarrassed in the first and even with the professed heart and metal shown in the second they were still unable to bowl at Sri Lanka in useful conditions.

We came within one wicket of a win in stifling conditions, against the master dacoit and his men, to be honest I wasn't expecting a lot.. Catching can be worked on, thats fairly random anyway as to whether you hold onto them or not.. AB is coming along as is Dale Steyn, don't forget he looked like a lost cause a few months ago..

My only major worry is the fading of Shaun Pollock and the continued lack of a world class spinner, although Boje was succesful in the second test.. I'd have given Tshabalala a game in the second test (if he was in the squad)

I'm hoping for better things in our stronger suit of the game anyway..