***Official** Sri Lanka in New Zealand

[Dravid]

Bond just owned the SL batting. Pathetic performance by them.

Murli coming on just a little bit before stumps. I'm going to love this.

 

[Dravid]

I haven't been following NZ Cricket much. Is there a reason Kyle Mills isn't playing?

 

[_Ed_]

Injury, can't remember what the injury is but apparently he's likely to be fit for the second test.

 

[NZTailender]

Just got back from town. Great effort by our seamers there. Chamara getting the top score for Sri lanka=neat but not in this case for SL

How out cheaply I hope he can get a better score in the second innings. Cumming and Sinclair have combined now for a decent partnership.

Cumming may look like a good mid-term solution for us. He's about 32? If he can make scores opening I say we keep him for about 4 years. Better than throwing in middle order players or inexperienced, young openers IMO.

 

[silentstriker]

Bit of both. New Zealand doesn't have too many big name players, and test matches at home rarely attract more than a couple of thousand people.

Sad to hear that. IMO they should make 3 tests in a series the minimum. And decrease the ODI's from three to one.

 

[NZTailender]

Sinclair out. Fleming to get a hundred (I hope).


Any online audio?

 

[Perm]

Good to see Craig Cumming getting a start, hopefully he can go on with it tomorrow and make a score to cement his place. Matthew Sinclair was understandably disappointed after being dismissed, he had looked in very good touch during the day. How should be able to keep his place in the side even if he does have a low score in the 2nd innings but if Cumming can cement his spot then Jamie How will come under pressure from guys like McIntosh.

 

[MoxPearl]

Does anyone find it hilarious that they are drinking tea while discussing cricket while displaying like four 'Dilmah' tea boxes prominently faced toward the camera.

Absolutely classic. Tony Greig and bunch..please tell me someone is watching. I can't pay attention to what they're saying with all those tea boxes.

Since its called the "Dilmah tea party" no.

 

[shortpitched713]

154 all out. Wow. So much for the SL batsmen improving their record overseas.

 

[NZTailender]

Solid day from NZ. Considering Sri Lanka's score, the pitch and it's end of day 1, I'd say NZ will make close to 280 all out in session 3 tomorrow.

 

[JASON]

Pathetic batting by SL , while the Captain of the year as picked by the ICC bungles after winning the Toss and gifts a nice early Christmas Present to Bracewell and Fleming .

Although this Test may look already in NZ's bag, already Murali troubling the batsman quite a bit. Fleming definitely looked uncomfortable.

Besides a little bit if cloud cover tomorrow morning and NZ could be all out before Lunch.
(I am praying for it )
So those who are writing premature obituaries, beware .

I predict another 10 wicket haul for Murali even if SL end up losing .

 

[chaminda_00]

That was pathetic, i hate our selectors and i hate our batsmen. If your going to drop Dilhara way not play 7 batsmen, instead of Prasana, the guy can't bat. As shown today our batting isn't strong enough to only play six batsmen and tail that starts from 7.

Atleast Malinga looked tops and Kappa looked ok until he got give a pretty average decision. Wasn't playing a shot, but it look like it was missing the stumps and by a far bit. Only saw one reply though.

 

[JASON]

Picking Prasanna J as specialist wicket keeper was another stupid decision.

The SL selectors keep undermining Sangakkara's Wicket keeping abilities as well as undermining the balance of the Team.

Pretty stupid decision .

 

[Perm]

None of the batsman looked comfortable other than Cumming and Sinclair to be perfectly honest, while Tharanga and Kapugedara both got vital 30's they played and missed a heap of times. Very silly decision from Jayawardene really, Ian Smith made the comment about Tom Moody being an Australian and 9 times out of 10 the Australian decision was to bat first, while the other time you thought about it and then batted anyway.

 

[TT Boy]

Only watched the first session last night but Bond was awesome, excellent delivery to dismiss Kumar, squared him up beautifully. Sri Lanka did not have a clue against him, also Martin and Franklin were very unlucky don’t know how many times they beat the bat of Tharanga and Kapugedera. Poor stuff from Sri Lanka sure the pitch was ridiculously green but its not like they don’t know the conditions by now, been in New Zealand a lot of times in the last few years.

Just a shame about the crowd I guess or what crowd to be more precise.

 

[Poker Boy]

I just wonder if SL are so obssesed with Murali in the 4th innings that they bat first regardless of conditions (they did the same at Edgbaston in May and Murali got the 4th innings - and bowled well - shame England only needed 78!) This Test might be similar. NZ's top order is vulnerable - four opening partnerships in four Tests - and SL should have trusted Vass and Malinga to do the damage. As an outsider I can't fathom out SL's team - Attpatu not even in the country, no Dilshan, Sangakarra not 'keeping - they are making D Fketcher look like a selectorial genius (OK maybe not!)

 

[PhoenixFire]

It's about time these soft batsmen of today had a taste of real cricket, a nice green pitch with a few 90mph bouncers warming up there chins

 

[superkingdave]

Injury, can't remember what the injury is but apparently he's likely to be fit for the second test.

yeah he's playing the current round of domestic games isnt' he? who would he come in for, Martin?

 

[Natman20]

Any online audio?

Radio Sport provide online audio

 

[Dick Rockett]

Yea, I am not sure why they play so little cricket. Is it that they find it hard to find people to play against, or are they just not interested?

I'm not 100% on the timing, but I think India and Bangladesh were both originally supposed to be touring here this season. I'm not sure why the Banglas didn't come, but India piked out because of the proximity to the World Cup.

So, we could have had a decent season with a few more tests.