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***Official**** Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014/2015

Flem274*

123/5
I groaned last summer when NZC were chest beating about green tops for India because all they do is ruin our advantage - we can bowl better than they can. It sounds like we've pulled the same stunt and all we've done is brought Lakmal, Pradeep and Prasad closer to Southee, Boult, Bracewell and exacerbated the gap between Taylor and Sangakkara. An ATG on this pitch is much much more valuable than an ATG on a deck where a Rutherford or a Hafeez can ton up.

It's just so stupid, and what makes it even worse is usually these green tops end up being troll pitches that road it up after the first day. It better not bloody happen here until we've bowled them out.

It took an ATG innings to save us last time and because we lost the toss, if this pitch flattens out today then there is very little chance of escape and we're very fortunate to already have 5 wickets including Mathews. Still though, if New Zealand lose then Sri Lanka get a well earned victory overseas and the New Zealand brains trust might finally get it.

I also saw some talk about stacking the batting for a draw. That's ***** talk. Teams that play for draws before a ball has been bowled should lose test status. Draws happen due to crap conditions or gutsy hard nosed 4th innings batting, not because a team cbf.
But conversely, he was outstanding on debut in Zimbabwe when no one else could buy one, and similarly good in Dunedin v SA. When he's rhythmical and hitting the crease hard, he hits back of a length as well as anyone - and that's obviously a key component in bowling well on flat ones.
Yeah we would have lost that test without Doug's efforts.
 

viriya

International Captain
Yea if he tons up it will be the innings of his life.. Would make SL's future batting prospects look decent with Karunaratne showing his class in the last test.
 

Zinzan

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Only saw the first couple of overs this morning. Has the pitch flattened out or have these two just played out of their skins?
 

Zinzan

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Southee's ratio of beating the bat vs. edges actually taken seems insane compared to the other NZ bowlers :p
 

viriya

International Captain
Only saw the first couple of overs this morning. Has the pitch flattened out or have these two just played out of their skins?
I'd say Chandimal has played much better than expected.. if he tons up it will be the innings of his life imo. Sanga well.. is Sanga.
 

Zinzan

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I'd say Chandimal has played much better than expected.. if he tons up it will be the innings of his life imo. Sanga well.. is Sanga.
Well, they're an outside chance of batting the day now, which would be a phenomenal effort on a greenish wicket.

Appears to one of those days where the balls are going to beat the bat and chances are going to evade the fielders.

Lovely on-drive from Sanga..
 

viriya

International Captain
All of a sudden SL being bowled out for <300 with the new ball coming up remains a possibility. Good knock from Chandimal, best I've seen him play.
 

Zinzan

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He was about to edge one eventually, I only saw about 15 deliveries of Chandimal to be fair & of those he seemed to play and miss 5 times.
 

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