***Official** Sri Lanka in New Zealand

[Perm]

Who is likely to replace him in the test's Jason? Do you think young Chamara Kapugedara will be given another chance or will the selectors go back to Russel Arnold?

 

[chaminda_00]

Who is likely to replace him in the test's Jason? Do you think young Chamara Kapugedara will be given another chance or will the selectors go back to Russel Arnold?

Kapugedara is the incumbent, but its between him, Samarawerra and maybe Warnapura. Tharanga and Jayasuriya will open the batting.

Kaushal Silva will also be pushing for a spot as a keeper batsmen, if they want to play Sangakarra as specialist batsmen. Been in some impressive form for Sri Lanka with the bat.

 

[chaminda_00]

I hope Nuwan Zoysa is selected and gets a run in NZ at least in ODIs , because I feel he might serve SL better than Dilhara Fernando . The Grunter (Dilhara) has time and again been a poor performer leaking too many runs and ruining pretty good starts from Vaas and Malinga.

I also hope SL selectors consider Dilhara Lokuhettige and Kaushalya Weeraratne for ODI leg of the NZ tour . These are 2 guys who can bat a bit and in the West Indies they may come in handy .

Considering both Lokuhettige and Weeraratne both got dropped from the A side, i can't see it happening. With Vass, Maharoof, Bandara and hopefully Zoysa you got four guys that can hold a bat, with Vaas and Maharoof a lot better batsmen then those two.

Dilhara does need to be dropped ASAP, hopefully for Kapugedara in the starting XI. I would rather Dishan bowl 10 overs then Dilhara.

 

[chaminda_00]

True. But isn't this the 3rd summer in a row we've had Sri Lanka here? I'm getting a bit tired of seeing them play here to be honest. Shows where the ICC's interest are, and we're hardly generating the crouds and hence revenue.

Im over playing you Kiwis and im over 2 test match series, the ICC is *something* joke.

 

[Perm]

I agree, most of our cricket has been against Sri Lanka recently which is a bit of a joke. No offence to your team but we both should be given opportunities to play against better sides, I mean the last time India and New Zealand played in a series was a long time ago.

 

[JASON]

Who is likely to replace him in the test's Jason? Do you think young Chamara Kapugedara will be given another chance or will the selectors go back to Russel Arnold?

I agree with Chami, it will be Chamara Kapugedera and perhaps TT Sam for Tests.

Warnapura must the son of SL's first ever Test Captain IIRC ? . So the selectors may pitch for him, particularly as he seems to be in some good form in India against the Zone Teams with SL 'A' team.

If anything Arnold will really have to do extremely well to get his spot back in the ODI Team - I feel his International career is probably over, unless the selectors sympathetically pick him for NZ ODIs .

 

[Perm]

What do you think of Chamara Kapugedara? I remember watching him in the VB series where the commentators were saying that he could have been still playing Under 19's, so he obviously is a talented guy but I must confess I haven't seen much of him and it's probably been a mistake pushing him into the national team at such a young age.

 

[FRAZ]

I hope Nuwan Zoysa is selected and gets a run in NZ at least in ODIs .

A valid point there my friend! I always want to see him bowl at the kiwi wickets and he might prove himself worth it . He has that certain kick and a smooth rhythm and he might extract some swing ...... He has been under-performing with comparison to his talent . The reason I guess is that he has lost a considerable amount of speed..

 

[Perm]

Also on another note Scott Styris has been ruled out of the 1st Test because of a recurrance of the back problem that troubled him during the Champions Trophy. Gives Marshall another chance really if Bracewell doesn't want to blood someone like Jesse Ryder who is a very similar played to Styris.

 

[chaminda_00]

What do you think of Chamara Kapugedara? I remember watching him in the VB series where the commentators were saying that he could have been still playing Under 19's, so he obviously is a talented guy but I must confess I haven't seen much of him and it's probably been a mistake pushing him into the national team at such a young age.

I think he is probably the best batsmen to come out of Sri Lanka since Jayawardene and Sangakkara, probably better then both. I don't think we really threw him in too early, if your good enough your old enough. IMO we have done the later, we tired to protect him too much, by not picking him in the starting XI enough.

For me his already the 5th best batsmen in the team, behind Jayasuriya, Tharanga, Sangakkara and Jayawardene. He should be picked in ever side even if they want to play an extra bowler or specialist keeper. Atapattu or Dishan should make way instead of him.

The reason i say this is in ODIs especially his match winner with his late order hitting. I don't Sri Lanka has ever had a middle order batsmen, with the hitting power of Kapugedara. In past even in the mid 90s we used to fall away from some games, cus we had no one down the order who could smack some 6s and 4s on regular basic, well as soon as they got in.

Kapugedara has this type of game, but he can also play a defensive role if we have collaspe, which our batting order to prone to from time to time, especially when the big 4 don't fire. In Test his only played a couple good innings, but then again he hasn't played that many games.

For me if we picks him at 6 or 7 in both forms, for everygame, we will see some major benefits in years to come. When he is ready to bat in the top order.

 

[The Baconator]

Sri Lanka name squads

 

[Perm]

Good to see young Ganegama coming over to New Zealand, he looked reasonably good in the Duleep Trophy.

 

[dinu23]

ganegama and dilhara shouldn't have made it IMO.

probable test XI
1.sanath
2.tharanga
3.sanga
4.mahela
5.dilshan
6.prasanna
7.maharoof
8.vaas
9.malinga
10.dilhara
11.murali

 

[Nishant]

Dilhara is a liability for sri lanka....but u never know with cricket!

 

[chaminda_00]

ganegama and dilhara shouldn't have made it IMO.

probable test XI
1.sanath
2.tharanga
3.sanga
4.mahela
5.dilshan
6.prasanna
7.maharoof
8.vaas
9.malinga
10.dilhara
11.murali

A tail that starts from No.6 can never be any good. Kapugudera is a near certainity to make it at Number 6. Really the last seamers spot is anyones, but im hoping they go for extra batsmen, even if it only Chamara Silva.

 

[dinu23]

yeah, Kappa could make it at 6, but four pacies is a certainty IMO.

 

[chaminda_00]

yeah, Kappa could make it at 6, but four pacies is a certainty IMO.

Yeah it will be, but i can't see the point in wasting a spot on someone that can't bowl. I rather Jayasuriya and Dishan bowl 15 overs each per day. Also i think Kappa would be more effective with his seamers then Dilhara, well atleast he'll get them on the pitch and wont bowl 100 odd no balls.

 

[NZTailender]

Hoping Kapugudera does make the side. Said it before but I'll say it again...one of the most exciting talents I've seen in a while.

What's happening with Vandort?


Looking forward to a good pace battle with between Vaas, Bond, Maharoof, Franklin.

 

[chaminda_00]

What's happening with Vandort?

Got dropped from the NT for Atapattu, then got dropped from the A Team for Avishka Gunawardene. I really don't understand the selectors, they pick Chamara Silva over Samarawerra and Malinda Warnapura beacause his a couple years younger. Then they drop Vandort from the A Team for some old fart like Gunawardene.

 

[NZTailender]

That's pretty stupid considering he's got an average of over 50...