***Official*** Sri Lanka in South Africa 2016/2017

[vcs]

The only two tests we've ever won in SA were on greentops.

And lost on slower, lower tracks like Cape Town 2007 and Durban 2013. It's weirdly counter-intuitive.

 

[SeamUp]

Cook and Duminy fail so it's Bavuma's time to step up

That is how it has been going.

AB for who is still going to be a mystery.

 

[vcs]

Backfires on every side. Just drops the gap between the two sides bowling attacks too much.

Yeah, I know. But it seems to happen to SA more than usual. England do a reasonable job dominating opponents in their home conditions when it swings a lot. Asian sides rarely lose to non-Asian ones on complete dustbowls (Mumbai 2012 a rare exception). SA seem to struggle to get the balance right when getting the most out of home advantage.

Saying that, 200 could be a good score on this pitch, or SA might still get a decent score here, so it's too early to judge at this point.

 

[SeamUp]

And lost on slower, lower tracks like Cape Town 2007 and Durban 2013. It's weirdly counter-intuitive.

Really odd isn't it thinking back.

I think a fine balance probably needs to be found.

On this and PE sort pitches , the first innings does tend to look close but in truth 80 runs was massive on the pitch and then the difference between the teams seemed to happen in the 2nd innings and that was without the Herath effect.

 

[anil1405]

I was looking at the Lankan team earlier and wondering who is this guy who had replaced Chameera, went to his profile and realized he had just played 5 FC games and this made me wonder they could've stuck with Chameera as he was coming back from injury and needs time to adapt. But this guy Kumara has had a nice impact on the game early on. All eyes on him now to maintain his momentum.

Who are the players who played minimal FC cricket but ended up succeeding in test cricket?

 

[Prince EWS]

I was looking at the Lankan team earlier and wondering who is this guy who had replaced Chameera, went to his profile and realized he had just played 5 FC games

Two of those five FC games were Tests as well, and two of them were games for Sri Lanka A. He's only played one domestic FC game and he hadn't played one at all when he made his Test debut; they've just chucked him straight in.

 

[SeamUp]

I was looking at the Lankan team earlier and wondering who is this guy who had replaced Chameera, went to his profile and realized he had just played 5 FC games and this made me wonder they could've stuck with Chameera as he was coming back from injury and needs time to adapt. But this guy Kumara has had a nice impact on the game early on. All eyes on him now to maintain his momentum.

Who are the players who played minimal FC cricket but ended up succeeding in test cricket?

It looks like he was the best seamer in the game v the SA Inv XI and supposedly was red-hot v England u19s a few months back when they beat England.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/engine/match/947543.html

 

[Gnske]

Childhood is hating on Watson for not fulfilling his all-rounder potential

Adulthood is realizing hating Duminy's guts makes more sense.

 

[YorksLanka]

haven't seen kumara before but am impressed with the way he has bowled this morning( maybe a little short at first but probably fair to put that down to inexperience and nerves)..Hope he stays fit.Brilliant catch from Mendis behind the sticks...keep going boys

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Two of those five FC games were Tests as well, and two of them were games for Sri Lanka A. He's only played one domestic FC game and he hadn't played one at all when he made his Test debut; they've just chucked him straight in.

No offence to some of those they have stuck with he can't be as bad as them. May as well give him a run in the side and see how he develops. Not like they have loads of quality options.

 

[Dan]

Have they explained why Mendis has the gloves?

 

[YorksLanka]

Have they explained why Mendis has the gloves?

apparently chandimal has a fever and so they didn't feel he could play if he took the gloves also..

 

[anil1405]

Have they explained why Mendis has the gloves?

Commentators were talking about some injury concern and in the end he was passed fit to play as a batsman.

 

[Flametree]

Seriously, how many Sri Lankan batsmen have also been capable keepers / how many keepers ended up just as batsmen...

Chandimal, Perera, Mendis, Silva can play as either in the current squad. Before that, Sangakkara obviously, Dilshan, Tillakaratne... Any others? (I want to say Gurusinha, but I know he could bowl a bit of useful medium pace, so maybe not...)

 

[OverratedSanity]

All of them can keep. All of them.

 

[NUFAN]

Seriously, how many Sri Lankan batsmen have also been capable keepers / how many keepers ended up just as batsmen...

Chandimal, Perera, Mendis, Silva can play as either in the current squad. Before that, Sangakkara obviously, Dilshan, Tillakaratne... Any others? (I want to say Gurusinha, but I know he could bowl a bit of useful medium pace, so maybe not...)

Kuruppu from way back in the day. It is a weird quirk though, hopefully it does not impact Mendis negatively with the bat.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah it seems all of Sri Lanka's batsmen can either keep or bowl. And sometimes both (Dilshan)

 

[TT Boy]

Does Matthews think he is a better bowler than he is, or does he not rate the other quicks? Can’t understand why he is bowling first change and so many overs with the newish ball. Might as well give the ball to Herath and rotate the proper quicks.

 

[TT Boy]

Deserved wicket for Herath. Been excellent today. Big innings for Bavuma here, has looked pretty ordinary against spin of late, and that on wickets which haven’t done too much.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Fatty!