*Official* Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011/12

[Garson007]

Nice to see the inclusion of Marchant in the squad. Still hoping he'll get a go in Cape Town if we lead 2-0. Still require a back-up keeper though.

 

[TT Boy]

Is that a good side?

No, not really. Looks short in bowling and devoid of pace. Few exciting batsman in there though (3 guys from the Free State - Reeza, Rossouw, Elgar) and Wiese is Albie Morkel lite, more than likely to be carted but also a good chance he will hit a run-a-ball hundred.

 

[Prince EWS]

South African Invitation XI for the tour match:

Thami Tsolekile (c/wk), Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Dean Elgar, Paul Harris, Reeza Hendricks, Pumelela Matshikwe, Rilee Rossouw, Stiaan van Zyl, Hardus Viljoen, David Wiese.

De Lange should be playing in this match instead of carrying the drinks with the top squad.

 

[Corli]

De Lange should be playing in this match instead of carrying the drinks with the top squad.

De Lange wasn't selected for the Invitational XI because of a thumb injury, so I guess they thought carrying drinks for the national team was the next best thing.

 

[TT Boy]

De Lange should be playing in this match instead of carrying the drinks with the top squad.

Edit - See above.

 

[Prince EWS]

De Lange wasn't selected for the Invitational XI because of a thumb injury, so I guess they thought carrying drinks for the national team was the next best thing.

Haha, so they picked him in the Test squad despite the fact that he's not even fit to play? That's taking "getting experience just being around the team" to a whole new level.

 

[Lostman]

Haha, so they picked him in the Test squad despite the fact that he's not even fit to play? That's taking "getting experience just being around the team" to a whole new level.

Carrying water bottles onto the field is technically international experience

 

[smash84]

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12: Dilshan backs Sri Lanka batting | Cricket News | South Africa v Sri Lanka | ESPN Cricinfo

lol @ Dilshan

 

[Howe_zat]

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12: Dilshan backs Sri Lanka batting | Cricket News | South Africa v Sri Lanka | ESPN Cricinfo

lol @ Dilshan

Why? What is he supposed to say?

As far as the typical pre-tour positivity goes, this seems completely sensible.

 

[Himannv]

Yeah exactly. You've got another thing coming if you expect him to say "Our bowling attack sucks and does not have a hope in hell of taking 20 wickets. Our batting has a tendency of collapsing and will have absolutely no hope against the likes of Steyn and Morkel on these sorts of wickets. The best possible outcome of this series is that we may avoid a whitewash if we're lucky".

Would be true but will probably get himself fired for saying something like that.

 

[Howe_zat]

Fwiw I think everything he says is correct, if a little obvious. There's enough ifs and cans in there to cover everything that could possibly go wrong without drawing attention to it.

 

[DingDong]

Sri Lanka in South Africa 2011-12: Dilshan backs Sri Lanka batting | Cricket News | South Africa v Sri Lanka | ESPN Cricinfo

lol @ Dilshan

-1

sl just need to go out there and give it their best shot that;s all u can ask for really

 

[smash84]

Yeah exactly. You've got another thing coming if you expect him to say "Our bowling attack sucks and does not have a hope in hell of taking 20 wickets. Our batting has a tendency of collapsing and will have absolutely no hope against the likes of Steyn and Morkel on these sorts of wickets. The best possible outcome of this series is that we may avoid a whitewash if we're lucky".

Would be true but will probably get himself fired for saying something like that.

haha.....now that I think about it you do have a point.

I think it also has something to do with the fact that its difficult to take Dilshan seriously given his own performance since he has become captain

 

[Himannv]

haha.....now that I think about it you do have a point.

I think it also has something to do with the fact that its difficult to take Dilshan seriously given his own performance since he has become captain

Yep, barring that 190 odd in England he's been very poor with the bat.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Why? What is he supposed to say?

As far as the typical pre-tour positivity goes, this seems completely sensible.

What about a sense of realism though? These comments could rub of on the batsman, in that they under-estimate SA's attack and are not aware of their recent struggles with the bat.

 

[MrPrez]

SA fan here, Would be disappointed with anything other than a whitewash on home soil. Whether it will happen is another thing :/

 

[Himannv]

What about a sense of realism though? These comments could rub of on the batsman, in that they under-estimate SA's attack and are not aware of their recent struggles with the bat.

Unlikely. There is a chance that they may overrate their own feeble abilities but its unlikely that they aren't aware of the strengths of the SA pace attack.

SA fan here, Would be disappointed with anything other than a whitewash on home soil. Whether it will happen is another thing :/

You're a familiar looking bloke.

 

[Nomanculture]

I'd like to see Petersen open again for SA. He seemed a decent bat. Maybe, as they say, Rudolph can move down to no.6, but will dropping Prince lead to a quota problem, if there is such a thing?

 

[Corli]

I'd like to see Petersen open again for SA. He seemed a decent bat. Maybe, as they say, Rudolph can move down to no.6, but will dropping Prince lead to a quota problem, if there is such a thing?

I don't know exactly to what extent the quotas are being enforced at the moment, but Petersen and Prince are both coloured, so it won't be a problem. I'd like to see Petersen get another shot as well, but am happy with Rudolph getting a longer run first.

 

[sudhindra9]

Let Rudolph open. He impressed against Aus with shots if not numbers