*Official* Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011/12

[Athlai]

The old Athlai would have found every drop.

But the last person the old Athlai did it for was the cheaters

 

[Lostman]

Lakmal out of SA tour with injury...

Honestly what type of fitness regime are these guys on, every week one of them is breaking down.

 

[Migara]

BTW Lakmal was one of the fitter guys. Vaas looks like superman when it comes to fitness, and Jaya looks like the spiderman.

If fitter guys was like this, cannot think what will happen to Nuwan Pradeeps and other younger guys.

 

[Athlai]

Fitness =/= isn't prone to injuries

Bond was incredibly fit but his body was fragile.

 

[Lostman]

Agreed, to an extent, but he's a good exponent of reverse swing. The important thing is that he produces wicket taking deliveries out of no where, amidst a plethora of pies, and quite frequently than any other SL bowler (yes, that includes Vaas and Murali too). Even the 60% pies gets covered with the rate of wicket taking deliveries he bowls. Unluckily, even best of fielders put down chances off him. in last ODI series, 3 catches were dropped off him and he took more than five wickets in four matches. Against Windies, when he took two in one match, three catches went down at slip. Mighty unlucky bowler for me.

There is no such thing as luck, it all evens out. The dropped catches off his bowling more than balance out by the pies that also bring him wickets.

Besides, I think that certain bowlers seem more unlucky than others in terms of drops just because they bowl so much crap. Fielders are always on the back foot, and are not expecting something good to happen for someone that bowls 60% pies. (How could you be?) These same fielders that were dropping Fernando's catches were taking blinders when Murali/ Vaas were bowling, "luck" is made by what you do.

 

[TT Boy]

Boucher been given the series with the mandate to produce runs. Why wasn’t he told to score runs in the Aus series? He had to get notice when one of the worst bowling units going comes over and there is a good chance that he will be coming in with the score beyond 300 every innings.

Wouldn’t go as a far as Kepler Wessels and put an A team out but they should look beyond Boucher this series, drop Prince and look at other seam options by rotating Steyn and Morkel out. Give Tahir the whole series.

 

[Garson007]

I'd love to see Marchant De Lange come in for Morkel on the third test if we lead 2-0. Same thing with De Kock and Boucher.

 

[Migara]

It was heartening to see Mathews ball and take wickets too. Mathews in full fitness would be a great addition in SAF. Unlike most SL pace bowlers, this guy thinks and bowls.

 

[Migara]

Donald has eye on Sri Lanka

Donald singled out Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews as the danger men for South Africa's bowlers.

He is also wary of Mathews. "He can take a game out of your reach. He is one of the batsmen against whom we'll have to bowl aggressively. We can't afford any loose deliveries against him as he is someone that can get the scoreboard rolling quickly," said Donald.

Donald has got his men right. Sanga and Mathews will be key players, but he's wasting too much time on Jaya. Instead he should study Silva, who is renowned to play pace well. However expect Sanga, Mathews and Silva to do well, and one or two out of the skins innings from Sam.

 

[NUFAN]

Has Prasanna been dropped Migara?

Are you thinking that the spin spot will be Mendis over Herath?

For South Africa, Rudolph, Prince, Boucher and Tahir need to perform well or they'll be dropped.

 

[Migara]

Has Prasanna been dropped Migara?

Are you thinking that the spin spot will be Mendis over Herath?

For South Africa, Rudolph, Prince, Boucher and Tahir need to perform well or they'll be dropped.

PJ is injured or more precisely has a hernia which is complicated. Will be out for 8-12 weeks. Spin spot will go to Mendis, I don't think Herath could trouble them on SAF pitches. And saffies have been practicing against Harris as well.

 

[Lostman]

Spin spot will go to Mendis, I don't think Herath could trouble them on SAF pitches.

Yea agree with this. Herath should be in the side only as the number two spinner.
The bowling attack would likely be

Welegedera
Pradeep
Mendis
Perera/Fernando

 

[Furball]

People who start Tour threads without putting an itinerary in the OP should be infracted.

 

[nexxus]

Has Prasanna been dropped Migara?

Are you thinking that the spin spot will be Mendis over Herath?

For South Africa, Rudolph, Prince, Boucher and Tahir need to perform well or they'll be dropped.

Sri Lanka have spin bowlers, thus Prince is screwed. I reckon his series will look something like 0, 1, 15, 2* & a match winning 185 so he can book his place in the team for another year.

 

[Briony]

Surely this must be a chance for SA to finally start winning series again on home soil. If they had any sense they would replace Boucher and Prince must be on borrowed time.

 

[TT Boy]

I'd love to see Marchant De Lange come in for Morkel on the third test if we lead 2-0. Same thing with De Kock and Boucher.

Yeah, like to see de Lange given a go but no chance with de Kock given his xp. I'll take Thami for the whole series instead though. Virus or Rudolph to bat six instead of Prince. Duminy is just as useless against spin as Ashwell and doesn't deserve to get back into the side so easily.

 

[Nomanculture]

Why was Alviro dropped in the first place? I thought he was doing quite ok.

SL to be spanked in the Tests btw.

 

[Cabinet96]

Even thought it's South Africa, it's hard to see Sri Lanka getting anything form the Test series. South Africa just look so much stronger. Might as well prepare green tops and hope that the Sri Lankan attack still can't take 20 wickets on them.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Surely this must be a chance for SA to finally start winning series again on home soil. If they had any sense they would replace Boucher and Prince must be on borrowed time.

Maybe, just don't play Duminy as he can't play spin at all.

 

[Jono]

Surely this must be a chance for SA to finally start winning series again on home soil. If they had any sense they would replace Boucher and Prince must be on borrowed time.

Yeah, seriously struggling to remember when they beat a decent team at home (I guess even if they beat SL, its not really a decent team anymore but that's another story...).

Surely if SA somehow manage to fail to win this series again Smith as skipper is gone.