Sri Lanka
The only thing Sri Lanka did right today was win the toss. Currently giving the 90s Eng side a run for their money on orchestrating the “Perfect Collapse”.
Losing half the side before lunch on Day 1 is generally not the accepted way to start a test match. Paranavitana’s last 6 innings against Australia reads 0,11,10,29,0,0. Thirimanne replacing him can’t be too far away.
Dilshan is a man torn between trying to do the right thing, trying to be himself and trying to balance everything. His confidence looks like it’s has been gang raped by a bunch of Mauris.
Jayawadene fell to his age old off stump deficiencies.
Sangakkara got in and out. Again. Looks a shadow of his former greatness. I don’t know if it’s 2020 cricket or if he is thinking about points for an essay on decline of modern pitches but for someone who is considered to be exceptional test batsmen he shows alarmingly inept concentration skills these days.
PJ needs to kidnapped. Put in a dark room, strapped to a chair with his eyelids pinned open and shown every run that Alistair Cook deadbatted himself to in the English summer.
The only ounce of testosterone shown today was by Mathews. Following what we think his career defining innings, he played another back to the walls innings. If SL are to get the best out of him he really needs to be batting at 6 and not 7. People don’t usually enjoy coming in at 70-5 with no one else to bat with.
With no Herath, no Mendis, Sri Lankas bowling looked limp. Everyone kept running in and putting it there rather than actually try anything. A long 2 or even 3 days might be on the cards for them. Sri Lankas only hope now is to pick up a wicket early tomorrow and put the pressure on Marsh and the following new batsmen. But they shouldnt expect Australia fold as easily as them
Australia
Good toss to lose. Kept bowling in the corridor and waited for SL to hang themselves. Harris looks like he is ready to lead the attack as long as he is injury free. Copeland looks so innocuous but is capable of bowling to one spot all day with a bit of nibble. Johnson steady as usual.
Clarke didn’t really need to do anything special today. Just wrung the normal changes and that was too good for Sri Lanka. I am not sure if Hussey coming into the attack was inspired or by luck – but it sure did make Clarke look good.
Watson then made the full size of his massive bat felt. Hughes looks like he meant business from the first ball he creamed through the covers. If they get in again tomorrow there is plenty of merry to be made.
Play of the Day
Mathews – first fighting, then clubbing his way to a 50. He needs to be sent up the order. No questions asked.
Randiv hanging around after he’d hit it straight to Lyon. I know DRS has it’s flaws but that was just embarrassing.
Randhiv did that? I was at work and following proceedings on Cricinfo so had no idea. I did, however, see Paranavithana’s little pause after he had nicked it to the keeper, looking at his captain for the Referral call. That too was idiotic.
I honestly don’t know what these guys are doing. I am willing to bet in the second innings it’ll be once again a Jayawardene show.
PS: No pitch to blame, no groundsman to make a scapegoat – and all of this in SL. Is this the same team that hung on grimly throughout the English season (save for that 2 hours of utter madness)? I am confused. And worried about my health at the rate this team is going.
Yes, I’m sure you will see a highlight at some point. He is starting to aquire a bit of reputation for some dodgy behavior on the field.
It doesn’t matter what MJ does in the 2nd innings. At this point, unless we have some incredible resurgence in our bowling tomorrow we are looking at conceding a massive first innings lead.
You have to wonder how they did well in Eng and are completely inept at handling a bit of a turner and frankly a flat pitch today. It’s comes down to shot selection, brain farts and just complete lack of concentration.
Yeah I simply didn’t get PJ coming ahead of AM specially as AM is playing as a specialist bat. Having said that I liked PJ’s frame of mind. Sadly he got a bit carried away seeing the runs against his name tick after awhile. With the exception of AM (who had no choice) the others seemed to play for time and not runs and when that good ball (or bad shot on most occasions) came along found not many runs against their name! All in all pretty horrid display and disappointing to watch as a SL supporter. The Lions go MEOW again!!
Dilshan’s comments at the end of the day’s play:
“Definitely there is something wrong in the batting,” Dilshan said. “We are talking, discussing, we are doing a lot of hard work in the training and we are discussing a lot of things, but now is the time to deliver.”
Insightful.
Also he has threatened to make a number of changes if things don’t improve. Will he drop himself?
There is something wong with the batting – he said that? Man, he is just asking for some mockery with that.
Dilshan now thinks we need psychiatric help. Are we witnessing first hand a player about to break?
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/09/09/spo03.asp
There is a post on that somewhere, I just need to find 15 mins to write it.
Why am I not surprised that Elmo Rodrigopulle doesn’t know the difference between psychiatrist and psychologist. He’s completely misquoted Dilshan right there; psychologists have been part of sports teams, and cricket teams in particular, since John Buchanan’s time.
You can’t expect much from someone whose name reminds most people of a red puppet living his days with a big yellow bird a homosexual couple and someone who lives in a trash can.