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

[Xuhaib]

From Cricinfo

I've seen him [Murali] crumble under pressure. I've seen batsmen taking him on going for like 80 in ten overs and they take him off." Ab de Villiers seems to have seen what nobody else has even imagined.

Brave boy A.B.

 

[silentstriker]

From Cricinfo

I've seen him [Murali] crumble under pressure. I've seen batsmen taking him on going for like 80 in ten overs and they take him off.

LOL. I was going to root for SL, but that comment is so great...now I'm rooting for SA. It takes guts to say that to a spinner who pretty much single handedly won against England, and is arguably the greatest in the history of the game.

/Go AB!

 

[Jono]

LOL! You wouldn't think he'd say something like that when you look at AB's face. However from what all the SA commentators say, the guys is unbelievably competitive.

 

[silentstriker]

LOL! You wouldn't think he'd say something like that when you look at AB's face. However from what all the SA commentators say, the guys is unbelievably competitive.

Thats like saying to Jeff Thompson that his bowling is harmless, right before a test match. Unbelivably stupid, perhaps but you know its going to be exciting nevertheless.

 

[JASON]

Likely First Test Lineup -

Tharanga
Van Dort
Jayasuriya ( ? batting position ? 1 , 3, 5 )
Jayawardene
Sangakkara
Dilshan
Kapugedera
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

 

[Xuhaib]

Thats like saying to Jeff Thompson that his bowling is harmless, right before a test match. Unbelivably stupid, perhaps but you know its going to be exciting nevertheless.

Exciting it will be but i am quite sure the results will be quite one-sided in this duel.

 

[Xuhaib]

Likely First Test Lineup -

Tharanga
Van Dort
Jayasuriya ( ? batting position ? 1 , 3, 5 )
Jayawardene
Sangakkara
Dilshan
Kapugedera
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

Thats an extreamly strong lineup in Srilankan conditions.

 

[dinu23]

Likely First Test Lineup -

Tharanga
Van Dort
Jayasuriya ( ? batting position ? 1 , 3, 5 )
Jayawardene
Sangakkara
Dilshan
Kapugedera
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

hmm..just two frontline spinners? i'd find a place for herath in that lineup.

 

[alternative]

hmm..just two frontline spinners? i'd find a place for herath in that lineup.

I think that is more than enough, with Jaysuriya and Dilshan in the team who can always roll their arm over..

 

[dinu23]

Sanaths ok but I wouldn't count on dilshan to take wickets.

 

[dinu23]

Sanaths ok but I wouldn't count on dilshan to take wickets.

 

[TT Boy]

Chaminda Vaas out...

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/slvrsa/content/current/story/254614.html

Should be an interesting test match (and series) and I feel not as one sided as many people feel.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Likely First Test Lineup -

Tharanga
Van Dort
Jayasuriya ( ? batting position ? 1 , 3, 5 )
Jayawardene
Sangakkara
Dilshan
Kapugedera
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

Except BBC reported today that Vaas is out with a hamstring niggle. They said the bowling attack would be Maharoof, Malinga, Fernando and Murali (but I guess they're working on the English assumption that you need at least three seamers )

Edit: bummer. beaten by seconds.

 

[Steulen]

Except BBC reported today that Vaas is out with a hamstring niggle. They said the bowling attack would be Maharoof, Malinga, Fernando and Murali (but I guess they're working on the English assumption that you need at least three seamers )

Edit: bummer. beaten by seconds.

Well, they have gone in with three seamers and one of them has even bowled the two openers <shock horror>.

Interesting choice to relieve Sangakkara of keeping duties and playing the second Jayawardene.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Interesting choice to relieve Sangakkara of keeping duties and playing the second Jayawardene.

They're just making sure he makes 10 so they can drop him again.

Advantage Sri Lanka, you'd think. I reckon they should be disappointed if they can't make it 2-0 against this SA team.

 

[Steulen]

AB showing his lack of confidence in the batting line-up...maintaining a 100.0 SR. If this partnership doesn't click, SA won't get to 200 probably.

 

[Steulen]

Boucher gone. The end is nigh.

 

[JASON]

SA certainly not out of this Test yet . At 9/165 SL has a modest advantage, but SSC as has been mentioned before definitely helps seamers on first 2 days at least and this has been evident by the success of Fernando and Maharoof .

Now if Maharoof can get wickets , I would not put it past Nel, Ntini getting SL out without a significant lead to either side on the first innings .

SL batting IMO somewahat weakened by having Prasanna J as keeper.

 

[Goughy]

Only to be expected when you play only 4 specialist batsmen.

I don't know how many times I can say this, but SA will never compete at the level they are capable of when they insist on playing 2 keepers in the same line-up. Weakens the batting far to much.

 

[Jono]

At least AB scored, but Murali did end up getting him