***Official*** Sri Lanka in Australia

[JASON]

Agreed. He may get another wicket tomorrow but I think it unlikely. The Aussie bats are so damn good.

Its been a tough tour for him alright, but it certainly would be sweeter to take the record in SL.

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

 

[LongHopCassidy]

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

This was very much a case of cleaning up when the damage was done, in fairness to the Aussies.

 

[JASON]

This was very much a case of cleaning up when the damage was done, in fairness to the Aussies.

Given SL were on par on first innings with the Aussies in all 3 tests , I fail to see your point re cleaning up...

 

[JBH001]

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

No, thats not necessarily true. I dont have the stats at the moment but iirc his last home series against India was a very successful one (2000 - 2002 or thereabouts I think) and one in which he recorded his best innings figures against India (8 for something) as well as a considerable series haul (cant remember the total but round about 20 wkts maybe?).

And Aus did play him very well in SL - he simply picked up wickets for good bowling as he has not done this time around (as I said earlier, of all the spells I have seem him bowl this series I would only consider the second day at Hobart as poor bowling in terms of Murali's usual standards) and certainly had much greater assistance from the surfaces in SL.

 

[JBH001]

This was very much a case of cleaning up when the damage was done, in fairness to the Aussies.

Cleaning up? Thats a strange way to put it...and I would most certainly have to disagree.

 

[Ikki]

Ricky Ponting doesn't agree having a real whinge. But as the commentators said if the fielder isn't 100% positive how can the umpire be?

Brett Lee bowling really well however, could be changing a lot of peoples view of his ability. Certainly changed mine over the last year or so never thought he could be this consistent.

Unfortunately for Lee, he has been bowling very well in a lot of test matches without reaping much reward. Hopefully, this continues and he gains a bit more respect.

 

[JBH001]

Unfortunately for Lee, he has been bowling very well in a lot of test matches without reaping much reward. Hopefully, this continues and he gains a bit more respect.

Agreed. I did not really rate him all that highly. But that has started to change in a big way.

But his efforts in the recent past and especially in this series (which I have watched a good deal) on unhelpful surfaces have been phenomenal. His spell of bowling this morning was lovely to watch, absorbing and thrilling. I hope he keeps it up.

Seems a nice bloke too - congratulating and commiserating with Mahela after he dismissed him for example.

 

[Ikki]

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

Well, we've been through this before and I even showed you the stats...

Suffice to say that Murali did well but Australian's also played him very well.

 

[JASON]

He certainly wasn't cleaning out when he took 6/59 in the first innings at Galle when Australia were all out for 220 (including the wickets of Hayden, Lehman, Gilchrist, Symonds) or 4/48 in the first innings at Kandy as Australia were all out for 120, nor was he cleaning out when he took 5/123 including Gilchrist , Lehmann, Katich in the first innings of the 3rd Test ....A point to note Sri Lanka lead in the first innings in all three Tests...when another bowler may have been cleaning out.... after Gillespie and Kaspar...

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Given SL were on par on first innings with the Aussies in all 3 tests , I fail to see your point re cleaning up...

There's a case to be made in the second innings, when the match was actually decided in all three Tests, here and here. In Kandy, he got both the century-makers after the damage was done and finished with 5-173. Also, in Colombo, he took his first wicket when the score was 244.

But I'm clutching at straws, so I'll concede now.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

I don't think cricket players put as much thought into their careers as we do. It's probably how he's feeling now.

 

[Laurrz]

I am surprised he said in his interview that Australia as a country have played him better....That's only partly True...Australia in Australia have played him well...Australia in Sri Lanka ended up giving him 28 wickets in a 3 Test series last time around ...and I think India have been the better Team to play him in Sri Lanka...someone can dig the stats up...

overall in Lanka and Aus/Ind

Murali vs India
67 wickets at 32

Murali vs Aus
57 wickets at 33

so pretty close.. but that doesnt include this match

 

[Laurrz]

I don't think cricket players put as much thought into their careers as we do. It's probably how he's feeling now.

yea true... it's just a natural feeling i suppose that he has...

 

[LongHopCassidy]

yea true... it's just a natural feeling i suppose that he has...

 

[howardj]

Christ this is a lame series.

Boys versus men.

I've been watching the two hour highlight packages rather than the game itself.

Even when the Test was in Brisbane, I ended up going two days - originally planned to go four.

It's just not cricket, as they say.

 

[howardj]

Having said all that, well done to Jayawardene today on his century.

Also, am absolutely chuffed for Binga - the figures that he's landed this summer.

I reckon he'd be one of the kindest blokes in world sport - a top bloke.

 

[Nate]

Yeah, top knock from Mahela. Loved Lee's yorker to Vandort.

MacGill - averageeee. Hated Jayasuriya's sweep.

 

[cameeel]

Yeah, top knock from Mahela. Loved Lee's yorker to Vandort.

MacGill - averageeee. Hated Jayasuriya's sweep.

And yet baggygreen's headline is "Stuart MacGill got in amongst the wickets"; he got two wickets from moronic shots that wouldn't have landed him wickets in junior cricket.

 

[Pratters]

Murali, what a champ (H).

Can't believe Mark Nicholas is 50 btw.

 

[Athlai]

SL ftw.