*Official* Sri Lanka Tour of South Africa 2019

[Rasimione]

Something has to be done with our batting. We can't go on like this. Also having Philander at 7 is just plain madness even though I understand the reasons we having him there.

 

[harsh.ag]

One mistake I will point to is that SA should have had very close-in fielders during the #11 batting. Could have aided in him taking risks + increased the chances of a run out.

 

[Heboric]

I always been wondering if this oke is Firdose Moonda's protoge

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Proteas/faf-we-dont-have-a-problem-with-pressure-20190217

This style of journalism reminds a bit of this clip, especially the sales lady at the door:

 

[StephenZA]

You going to get an overaction from the media.... SA batting is weak, nothing that has not been said since Smith and Kallis retired. de Villiers early retirement and Amlas decline has just exacerbated the problem. We just lucky enough to have a great bowling attack to keep us out of trouble most of the time.

 

[Tom Flint]

One plus in your batting order from this match was de kock being successful at 6

 

[artvandalay]

I think it's fair to say in hindsight that Philander was missed on the last day. Also those few extra runs that might have come from not having such a long tail probably proved to be the difference in the end.

 

[S.Kennedy]

It is a Jon Lewis inspired batting masterclass.

 

[trundler]

5 frontline bowlers is generally a bad idea. Let's not gloss over that.

 

[Tom Flint]

Am just catching up with the highlights, that ball from Steyn towards the end was an absolute jaffa just missing off stump. Full, pitching on middle and leg then swinging away

 

[Borges]

I still can't really comprehend it. SA did most things right, except for choking at the end of course.

I wouldn't call it a choke at all. They got it wrong right at the outset with a curious team selection.

 

[StephenZA]

I wouldn't call it a choke at all. They got it wrong right at the outset with a curious team selection.

Wasn't curious was just bad... they did not want to make a choice between Olivier and Steyn.

 

[Slifer]

It really sucks that this is only a 2 test series. Would be an anticlimax for me if rsa wins the next test; no decider to follow.

 

[Top_Cat]

Your team is down after a disastrous Aussie tour where you managed to balls-up so badly you got lidded on the best batting deck of the series. You’ve got a bloke for support at the other end with a batting average that can be measured in microns. 13 runs to get and the new pill around the corner, one of the best bowlers in history is at the top of his mark and has the smell of blood. Do you;

A) Look to play it around a bit because it’s Dale ****ing Steyn and maybe go after one of the other absolutely world-class bowlers in the line-up
B) Cry and whip it out
C) Nandro time!
D) Nah ****, gonna pimp-hand this **** over mid-wicket and be a ****ing hero

****ing audacious.

 

[Woodster]

Unbelievable knock from Perera, watched the highlights this morning, some outrageous strokes, especially off Steyn.

Did not see that kind of spirited effort with that level of skill, would have set a three-Test series up perfectly, typically great planning from the ICC, still at least there’ll be a few more pointless T20 games shoehorned in somewhere.

What is being highlighted for SA more so now after that disappointment is their troubles with the bat. On paper it should be a strong top six, but no one is really leading the way for them in this last 12 months, but there is a lot of quality there. Philander at seven....just no, not when as a side you are struggling to put the runs on the board.

 

[Bahnz]

Unbelievable knock from Perera, watched the highlights this morning, some outrageous strokes, especially off Steyn.

Did not see that kind of spirited effort with that level of skill, would have set a three-Test series up perfectly, typically great planning from the ICC, still at least there’ll be a few more pointless T20 games shoehorned in somewhere.

What is being highlighted for SA more so now after that disappointment is their troubles with the bat. On paper it should be a strong top six, but no one is really leading the way for them in this last 12 months, but there is a lot of quality there. Philander at seven....just no, not when as a side you are struggling to put the runs on the board.

You would've thought that South Africa would've learned their lesson after they dropped a home test against India playing more-or-less this XI. But here we are again. The fact that anybody could think they need 5 specialist bowlers when they have Steyn, Rabada and Philander on their roster is ridiculous. Philander is not a test match #7's arsehole. If they're worried about the bowlers getting too heavy a workload, then find a good batsman in domestix that can role his arm over and pick him (besides, can't Bavuma bowl some reasonable medium pace?). Olivier's had a brilliant start to his career, but he's totally surplus to requirements.

Well done Sri Lanka, and holy **** Mendis. Brilliant stuff.

 

[Dendarii]

If they're worried about the bowlers getting too heavy a workload, then find a good batsman in domestix that can role his arm over and pick him

They have found someone. Wiaan Mulder can do more than just roll his arm over and recently made his highest first-class score of 146. He ticks all the right boxes but despite him being in the squad they didn't pick him because they didn't want to make the call as to which bowler to leave out.

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

Well done Sri Lanka, and holy **** Mendis. Brilliant stuff.

I wouldn't call 12 and 0 brilliant. But that could just be me.

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

It is a Jon Lewis inspired batting masterclass.

They spoke to Lewis after the game he said

"I'm not going to take responsibility for Vishwa's technique just yet".

Not sure if he's had a chance to do any actual work with these guys just yet. He's only been with them for a month or so.

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

I agree that the Philander injury was probably crucial. As good as Steyn was bowling to Fernando, I felt that he was just a little too short at times.

Philander woulda definitely kept it fuller, which would've been too good for Fernando. And tbh, if our no 11 was half decent he would've nicked about 8/10 of those deliveries. Sometimes it pays to be shite.

 

[the big bambino]

Not sure about the 5 bowler policy. I think it could have won SA the game if Philander stayed fit on the last day. So SA effectively only had 4 bowlers on the last day and they lost. Not hard to imagine Philander picking up the stray wicket that eluded SA. Then again an extra bat may have given them an extra 30 odd runs so its difficult to conclude if the selection of 5 bowlers was an error, imo.

I like the idea of 5 bowlers though I think the circumstances you'd pick them would be rare. Given that you can't tell someone like Perera is going to pull an innings out of God's arse or even reliably predict Philander's fitness before hand I'd set the following parameters to justify selecting 5 bowlers. Is your batting from 1-6 strong enough to carry them? Is the opposition's batting so strong to warrant them? Are the conditions so flat that it justifies them?

Looking at SA you'd have to say their batting is too unstable to weaken with an additional bowler. With all respects to SL you'd have to say their batting is not fearsome. I don't know of many pitches in SA that are so flat you'd need 5 bowlers. So going into the match all the pointers would have suggested SA drop Olivier and play 6 batsmen. And I'm sure that will be the case next test too.