• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Who will be the next side to win a test series against the top 4?

NasserFan207

International Vice-Captain
Sri Lanka/England is a toss up really, I think both would beat each other at home. There's nothing really seperating them (outside of the test rankings, but I usually take them with a pinch of salt. Trust your own feelings)
 

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Sri Lanka/England is a toss up really, I think both would beat each other at home. There's nothing really seperating them (outside of the test rankings, but I usually take them with a pinch of salt. Trust your own feelings)
I'm about the same on Eng vs. SL atm. Although both would likely win at home, England would be more likely to win in SL than SL in Eng, hence England marginally ahead in my book. That said, certainly not by the distant margin the thread owner's making out.
 

Dissector

International Debutant
I'm predicting a Sri Lanka Test Series win against the 'Big 4' before Murali retires mate.
Isn't Murali going to retire after his next test series against the West Indies? After that I can't see them beating a top 4 side even at home especially now that England has finally got a decent spinner.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
Isn't Murali going to retire after his next test series against the West Indies? After that I can't see them beating a top 4 side even at home especially now that England has finally got a decent spinner.
Unless I am severely mistaken, SL is a top 4 side, England is a fair distance away from them in the rankings.
 

WindieWeathers

International Regular
I'm about the same on Eng vs. SL atm. Although both would likely win at home, England would be more likely to win in SL than SL in Eng, hence England marginally ahead in my book. That said, certainly not by the distant margin the thread owner's making out.
I never said there was a "distant margin" between the two sides, i merely said England are in the top four right now and when you consider the recent records of both sides i'd say that notion is justified, it's all good speculating on "who would win" and stuff but the fact is WI already done what you are claiming SL "can do", which is why i think it's ridiculous to claim WI have "no chance" of beating the top four again in the near future.
 

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
I never said there was a "distant margin" between the two sides, i merely said England are in the top four right now and when you consider the recent records of both sides i'd say that notion is justified, it's all good speculating on "who would win" and stuff but the fact is WI already done what you are claiming SL "can do", which is why i think it's ridiculous to claim WI have "no chance" of beating the top four again in the near future.
Just to clarify where you stand, are you denying that the gap between Eng & SL is a smaller one than the gap between SL & the WI?
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Isn't Murali going to retire after his next test series against the West Indies? After that I can't see them beating a top 4 side even at home especially now that England has finally got a decent spinner.
Ah is he? Oh well Harath and Mendis will step up. Maybe..
 

WindieWeathers

International Regular
Just to clarify where you stand, are you denying that the gap between Eng & SL is a smaller one than the gap between SL & the WI?
I think there's the top four, SL and us, then the rest, Pakistan would be included in the middle group if they could sort themselves out, at the end of the day however much you wanna big up Sri Lanka the fact remains that they haven't beaten a top side for over two years, until they do claiming they are so much better than a side who has (WI) is a little blinkered imo.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
I think there's the top four, SL and us, then the rest, Pakistan would be included in the middle group if they could sort themselves out, at the end of the day however much you wanna big up Sri Lanka the fact remains that they haven't beaten a top side for over two years, until they do claiming they are so much better than a side who has (WI) is a little blinkered imo.
IMHO, There's a wide wide gap between SL and WI

I think there's the top 3, then there's SL and England, then there's NZ-WI
 

WindieWeathers

International Regular
IMHO, There's a wide wide gap between SL and WI

I think there's the top 3, then there's SL and England, then there's NZ-WI
SL haven't beaten a top side for two years so there's nothing to justify them being on England's level and "way above" WI, recent results simply doesn't back up that notion.
 

Himannv

Hall of Fame Member
SL haven't beaten a top side for two years so there's nothing to justify them being on England's level and "way above" WI, recent results simply doesn't back up that notion.
Beat India in 2008. Check through the list of series I've posted here. Other than India, we haven't played any of the so called top sides in the last 2 years. Its all fine and dandy to say we haven't beaten any of the top sides when we haven't even played them. You've said it over three times now, play another record.

Last 13 test series:
Won against England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan.
Drawn against England(beat them 5-0 in the ODI series though), New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies
Lost against: Australia, India

Not the shabbiest by my reckoning.

Code:
Sri Lanka in England Test Series	2006		drawn	1-1 (3)
South Africa in Sri Lanka Test Series	2006		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in New Zealand Test Series	2006/07		drawn	1-1 (2)
Bangladesh in Sri Lanka Test Series	2007		Sri Lanka	3-0 (3)
Warne-Muralitharan Trophy (Sri Lanka in Australia)	2007/08		Australia	2-0 (2)
England in Sri Lanka Test Series	2007/08		Sri Lanka	1-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in West Indies Test Series	2007/08		drawn	1-1 (2)
India in Sri Lanka Test Series	2008		Sri Lanka	2-1 (3)
Sri Lanka in Bangladesh Test Series	2008/09		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in Pakistan Test Series	2008/09		drawn	0-0 (2)
Pakistan in Sri Lanka Test Series	2009		Sri Lanka	2-0 (3)
New Zealand in Sri Lanka Test Series	2009		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in India Test Series	2009/10		India	2-0 (3)
 
Last edited:

NasserFan207

International Vice-Captain
Beat India in 2008. Check through the list of series I've posted here. Other than India, we haven't played any of the so called top sides in the last 2 years. Its all fine and dandy to say we haven't beaten any of the top sides when we haven't even played them. You've said it over three times now, play another record.

Last 13 test series:
Won against England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan.
Drawn against England(beat them 5-0 in the ODI series though), New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies
Lost against: Australia, India

Not the shabbiest by my reckoning.

Code:
Sri Lanka in England Test Series	2006		drawn	1-1 (3)
South Africa in Sri Lanka Test Series	2006		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in New Zealand Test Series	2006/07		drawn	1-1 (2)
Bangladesh in Sri Lanka Test Series	2007		Sri Lanka	3-0 (3)
Warne-Muralitharan Trophy (Sri Lanka in Australia)	2007/08		Australia	2-0 (2)
England in Sri Lanka Test Series	2007/08		Sri Lanka	1-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in West Indies Test Series	2007/08		drawn	1-1 (2)
India in Sri Lanka Test Series	2008		Sri Lanka	2-1 (3)
Sri Lanka in Bangladesh Test Series	2008/09		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in Pakistan Test Series	2008/09		drawn	0-0 (2)
Pakistan in Sri Lanka Test Series	2009		Sri Lanka	2-0 (3)
New Zealand in Sri Lanka Test Series	2009		Sri Lanka	2-0 (2)
Sri Lanka in India Test Series	2009/10		India	2-0 (3)
Yeah, they've been very impressive in recent times, but i have a feeling they may have a slight decline soon.
 

Himannv

Hall of Fame Member
Its possible. But some of the youngsters they've tried out have been quite promising so its more or less far too early to predict. May not have the Murali standard world beaters but certainly there are a few who look like they can get the job done. No complaints in the shorter versions of the game though.
 

Migara

International Coach
So who out of West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Bangladesh are likely to make the breakthrough? without sounding biased i'd probably lean towards WI because of the talent we've currently got in the side and coming through the ranks, and once Gibson is fully settled into the job i think we'll be buzzing, especially at home, Sri Lanka are more than capable of doing it themselves though.
SL in fact is in top 4. They are better than ENG at the moment.
 

Migara

International Coach
This isn't about "rankings" because surely one must take into account who has been playing who over the last year or so? 8-) so while England have beaten Australia in the Ashes and got a draw in South Africa Sri Lanka just got spanked by India, i mean really who in their right mind would say England wasn't one of the top four sides RIGHT NOW!!? the very fact that it's taken you six posts to come up with your "stats" suggest even you don't believe it, furthermore don't you think WI's rankings were effected by the players strike by any chance? had our best side have played against Bangladesh i'm sure we'd have been better off, but you can ignore those points if it suits your argument.
Last time India and SAF played in SL was spanked too.
 

Top