***Official*** West Indies in Sri Lanka

[Pedro Delgado]

Really? Cricinfo keeps talking about "sharp-turning off breaks" and so on.

Probably just making it up whilst enjoying the local beverage, that's what I'd do if I worked for Cricinfo. In fact my short-lived local Derby column "View From the Pavilion Bar" was exactly that, must revive it one day <hic, burb,baaaaagh..>

 

[Steulen]

Really? Cricinfo keeps talking about "sharp-turning off breaks" and so on.

What I have seen since tea was mainly Murali bowling very loopy, i.e., pitching close to the batsman without too much turn. The other slow bowler on show was Jayasuriya, and he was bowling a bore-them-to-death line outside off with absolutely no turn whatsoever. Didn't see Herath bowl.

 

[luckyeddie]

Probably just making it up whilst enjoying the local beverage, that's what I'd do if I worked for Cricinfo. In fact my short-lived local Derby column "View From the Pavilion Bar" was exactly that, must revive it one day <hic, burb,baaaaagh..>

Peddy?

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Peddy?

arr, don't mind if a' do ta. 'Al tek it ahtside cos suns aht, mind you bit black over Bill's mothers though.

 

[luckyeddie]

arr, don't mind if a' do ta. 'Al tek it ahtside cos suns aht, mind you bit black over Bill's mothers though.

Aye. Umpires'll tek 'em off fer bad light, a reckon. Sun's shinin' on t'roof.

Daft accent, tho. Does t'*** frum Obrook, surry?

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Aye. Umpires'll tek 'em off fer bad light, a reckon. Sun's shinin' on t'roof.

Daft accent, tho. Does t'*** frum Obrook, surry?

Yuv lost me youth. Managra?

'am a Normo lad and praaad of it. Don't live there anymore but. Shacked up with a bird in taan.

You're from that bit of Derbyshire that's in Leicestershire aren't you, better that than Chad I guess.

<runs away and hides>

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Didn't see it live, but I hear Ramdin gave a lovely "goodriddanceCourtney" debut knock. The team, as I expected, is showing more fight than everyone else expected. Still, 2-0 to Sri Lanka is my ultimate expectation.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Didn't see it live, but I hear Ramdin gave a lovely "goodriddanceCourtney" debut knock.

Wait for him to get ten successive single-figure scores when (if) Lara returns...

The team, as I expected, is showing more fight than everyone else expected.

It's a bit similar to the first Test against SA, isn't it?

 

[aussie]

good fighting performance by West Indies earlier today, much better than i expected, that lad Ramadin looked pretty good with the bat. Maybe it true that when Lara isn't playing windies do play better. But that odd

 

[Legglancer]

Spin king Murali hungry for success

Spin king Muttiah Muralitharan said that he was hungry for success after a shoulder injury kept him out of international cricket for almost a year.

The 33-year-old off-spinner returns to Test cricket when he plays in the first Test against the West Indies starting at the SSC grounds today. It has been a frustrating 11 months for Muralitharan who underwent surgery in his right arm, but he is also happy in a way that he got a break away from international cricket.

"I think the near one year break has done a lot to me because I got fitter in other ways. I also needed a rest having played 14 years of continuous cricket.

The rest has given me an opportunity to play cricket for some more years," said the 33 year-old off-spinner who is chasing Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne for the world record. In Muralitharan's absence Warne shot ahead and has 583 Test wickets.

"The break gave me an opportunity of given thought to my family. I got married and everything went right for me. I am very keen to get back," he said.

Muralitharan was thankful to English county Lancashire for giving him the opportunity to play for them while he was recovering from his operation.

"I was able to bowl about 200-odd overs and I got 36 wickets in championship games. It brought my confidence back. The first 2-3 matches was a bit difficult bowling because my arm was sore. But I kept on and got my rhythm back," said Muralitharan. "I started to enjoy myself when the wickets started to come. I am hungry to play more cricket and want to perform for Sri Lanka in the coming years. I am confident that I will do well."

Muralitharan expressed disappointment that West Indies were not playing their best side against Sri Lanka in the two Tests.

"I am disappointed in a way because I need a challenge. I enjoy beating the best sides with the best players," said Muralitharan who is the second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 532 wickets.

"The unfortunate has happened and West Indies have put the best team they could for the test. I hope I get some bowling," said Muralitharan who is returning to international cricket after a long lay-off due to an injured shoulder.

The last occasion West Indies toured Sri Lanka in 2001, the cricketing world saw a fascinating dual between the best batsman in the world Brian Lara and the best bowler Muralitharan. Lara made a mountain of runs - 688 runs (avg. 114.66) with three hundreds and Muralitharan captured 24 wickets at 22.33.

Muralitharan said that he was happy to see his team perform well in his absence by winning a series against South Africa and drawing a series in Pakistan. He said that he was 90 percent fit and that his arm will have to be treated for the next six months. - [S.T.]

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It's a bit similar to the first Test against SA, isn't it?

Not that similar. Chanderpaul performs whether or not the big names are there. In the first Test against South Africa, only one other person really got in (Wavell), with Ryan Hinds also getting a score.

This time 4 players have gotten decent scores in the circumstance and the scorecard is overall better-rounded.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

good fighting performance by West Indies earlier today, much better than i expected, that lad Ramadin looked pretty good with the bat. Maybe it true that when Lara isn't playing windies do play better. But that odd

I don't know how Lara can be blamed for that. It's the mental approach of the other players with Lara in the side that destroys the batting. Lara contributes massively, and if other players would learn that that simply isn't enough to rely on for victory, the team could be outstanding.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I don't know how Lara can be blamed for that. It's the mental approach of the other players with Lara in the side that destroys the batting. Lara contributes massively, and if other players would learn that that simply isn't enough to rely on for victory, the team could be outstanding.

Well the batting could be outstanding, the bowling would still be relatively poor. Still that outstanding batting alone could be enough to make WI into a strong ODI side (since most ODIs are played on near-roads which reduces the impact somewhat of having good bowlers) and an average Test side.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Well the batting could be outstanding, the bowling would still be relatively poor. Still that outstanding batting alone could be enough to make WI into a strong ODI side (since most ODIs are played on near-roads which reduces the impact somewhat of having good bowlers) and an average Test side.

The comment was referring to all the players, not just the batsmen.

 

[Pratters]

Still, 2-0 to Sri Lanka is my ultimate expectation.

Its a pathetic but realistic opinion which reflects the situation aptly when the ultimate expectation of a Windies fan can be the worst scenario > 2-0

 

[Pratters]

and if other players would learn that that simply isn't enough to rely on for victory, the team could be outstanding.

With the chopping and changing, it would be too much to expect the young players to think that maturely. Also, the current team is short on talent plus experience to do much regardless of any out of the blew shows of maturity.

 

[honestbharani]

Let us not forget... batting first on subcontinental wickets isn't all that tough. The real test would be when the Windies bowl at the handy Sri Lankan batting line up and during the second innings, when I expect the ball to grip and turn a lot more.

 

[shaka]

score update: West Indies all out for 285 (not many runs made today)
and Sri Lanka reeling after two early wickets to stand at 14/2 (as im typing this)

 

[JASON]

Windies definitely on top at 3/32 . Jawawardene goes after making just 3 !!

 

[dinu23]

WI right on top now. 51/4