***Official*** VB Series 2006

[dinu23]

ok, here's what I think what SL should do tomorrow.
If attapatu wins the toss he should bat first.
then open with Tharanga and Sanga.
Mubarak at three.
Atapattu
mahela
sanath
dilshan
vaas
perera
kulasekara
murali

SS:bandara

if atapattu loses the toss the ponting will chose to bat(i hope)
then open with tharanga and atapattu
same line up

 

[Nate]

Not picking Rudolph is just laughable, maybe a fall-out?

 

[luckyeddie]

Lee chucking! that can't be! I mean he's Australian! how can he be chucking!

I know you're only joking, but let's not have anyone else chipping in who doesn't understand that. One thread's already been suspended within the last 24 hours because things got a little heated.

 

[marc71178]

It doesn't take a genius. He was bowling rubbish, got taken out of the game and the sub bowled the rest of his overs and did a much better job.

I guess you missed the tongue in cheek element to that post.

 

[marc71178]

i just hope he gets injured before November.

He was bowling like this before the Ashes though.

He always has been this good in ODIs...

 

[marc71178]

jason... is it worth keeping murali in my fantasy cricket side... you're the sri lankan man around here... do you think he'll come good?

IMO he's one that you cannot afford to not have in your team.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

He was bowling like this before the Ashes though.

He always has been this good in ODIs...

Missed his home summer, did you?

 

[Nate]

He was bowling like this before the Ashes though.

He always has been this good in ODIs...

Nothing incorrect in that post at all.

...buuut, Lee has been gun in the Tests this summer, actually bowling L&L when he said he would. He`s bowled many balls hitting the top of off or thereabouts.

 

[marc71178]

Yes, so he took 18 @ 20.94 against WI.

Then followed it up with 13 @ 32.38 against a decent batting line-up.

Just like in the Ashes, he bowled well at times, but there's no escaping final figures of 20 @ 41.10.

Indeed, of his last 11 he's had 2 sub-30 series averages, both against the WI.

The others have been 4 in the 30-40, 4 in the 40-50 and one at 59.50.

Not including the "super" Test that is.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

13 @ 32 against a good batting lineup in a high scoring series is good. Have a look at the stats for the other Australian seamers, if you like.

Simply put, he was absolutely superb all summer, and while he didn't quite get the results he deserved against South Africa, he certainly wasn't far off, and he didn't have costly lapses like he did in England, which is the key element of his improvement.

 

[howardj]

13 @ 32 against a good batting lineup in a high scoring series is good. Have a look at the stats for the other Australian seamers, if you like.

Simply put, he was absolutely superb all summer, and while he didn't quite get the results he deserved against South Africa, he certainly wasn't far off, and he didn't have costly lapses like he did in England, which is the key element of his improvement.

Yeah, I think the best evidence of his improvement in Tests this summer (because I mostly disregard anything against the West Indies) is how well he bowled to South Africa's best batsman (and an absolute world-class performer) Jacques Kallis. He was all over Kallis, even when he scored a century in Sydney. He didn't lose patience, rather he maintained a great line and length (top of off-stump) and used his bouncer and yorker sparingly; as surprise weapons (as distinct from stock balls).

Moreoever, as stated above, there were no disasterous spells this summer (like the post-lunch spell to Pietersen at the Oval) which tend to inflate his average. There were less extremes in his bowling this summer. However, I still think his biggest test will come next summer when he is under attack from the likes of Vaughan, Pietersen and Flintoff. Hopefully Lee will maintain his discipline and remember that bowling quick and bowling good lines and lengths are not mutually exclusive- as he shows so often in ODI cricket.

 

[aussie]

13 @ 32 against a good batting lineup in a high scoring series is good. Have a look at the stats for the other Australian seamers, if you like.

Simply put, he was absolutely superb all summer, and while he didn't quite get the results he deserved against South Africa, he certainly wasn't far off, and he didn't have costly lapses like he did in England, which is the key element of his improvement.

yea thats very true unlike england he didn't bowl any loose spells a la edgbagston ist innings or the last day at the oval he was very good in all his spells. IMO he was unlucky not to have had more wickets in the SA series.

 

[aussie]

So fans dont want Warne to return for the world cup, interesting foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17891801-23212,00.html

 

[luckyeddie]

So fans dont want Warne to return for the world cup, interesting foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17891801-23212,00.html

What happened to the wonderful chemistry that used to exist around Warne?

 

[Blaze]

I have watched pretty much the whole Australian summer and Brett Lee is a complete different bowler in tests now. He has been the spearhead and has been more dangerous than McGrath comfortably.

If he keeps this form up for the rest of the year he will be the best fast bowler in the world.

 

[luckyeddie]

I have watched pretty much the whole Australian summer and Brett Lee is a complete different bowler in tests now. He has been the spearhead and has been more dangerous than McGrath comfortably.

If he keeps this form up for the rest of the year he will be the best fast bowler in the world.

I think he's been an absolute revelation.He had some great moments in the Ashes and now he's kicked on a bit.

 

[Slats4ever]

what are people's thoughts on Lee's longevity.
There are a few possible ways it could go..

1) he could bowl the same way he is now well into say his mid 30's. The guys looks like a very supreme and strong athlete and age will have minimal effects on him. Remembering so far in his career he's had few really bad injuries and his action is very sound.

2) he may be forced to slow it down over the next couple of years due to age and stress and focus more on line and length. So far however he looks over the past year to have successfully made this transition so he'll be able to slow down and keep taking wickets well into his 30's.

3) Lee will lose the pace and the venom that he has now created. As with all ageing cricketers they lose their strength, and Lee doesn't look like he has the artillery to make it as a 130-145 km bowler.

In my opinion I think 1 will be the most likely. I think Lee is a very strong man, who hasn't been shouldering much work at all over the last few years... It is only in the past 6 months that he's turned into Australia's main strike bowler, so he isn't even close to being burnt out. I think he's also very strong and fit (and eats weet-bix) so this can only aid in him lasting those extra few years. Also I think modern science and strength building exercises will help.

 

[Blaze]

I just hope he keeps bowling fast.

Bond vs. Lee could be a great battle if Bond stays fit.

 

[JASON]

So fans dont want Warne to return for the world cup, interesting foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17891801-23212,00.html

There has been suggestions that Murali should do the same and restrict himself to Tests .

But SL need Murali in ODIs and will struggle without him unlike the Aussies who have a good ODI spinner in Hogg.

If Bandara or Chandana can take up this role for SL , Murali should follow Warne's lead and play Tests only, IMO.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

There's a number of players I'd like to see retire from one day cricket, but it won't happen with a World Cup around the corner. In some ways, the impending World Cup is a bane.