Angelo Mathews-Selfish?

[Spikey]

But if he's that good, why was he batting at 7 in the previous series, below Prasanna Jayawardene?

tbf we were asking the same question. very odd considering he was their best, bar that horrible sweep shot v lyon

 

[Migara]

his innings made sense till 7th wicket fell after that he kept exposing the tail to Saeed Ajmal without any attempt to up the run rate.

What do you expect him to do? He doesn't pick Ajmal himself, and generally is known to be quite weak against spinning ball. He's batting his heart out in this and alst series. If he does the same thing in AUS, SAF or NZ facing fast bowlers (which he likes playing) then I'll agree with you.

 

[NasserFan207]

Selfish or not SL have bigger concerns.

Not sure he should be batting so low down though

 

[Howe_zat]

Selfish? Nah. Just not that great at what is a difficult job.

 

[Flem274*]

Mathews not batting at six astonishes me.

 

[Migara]

He actually bats at #6 in this series. Why he's not #5 is the question, or, better the opener.

 

[Flem274*]

Mathews is likely to see just as much spin at five tbf. Top three would be his place if he has the technique for it.

 

[Migara]

The other wasted player would be Kaushal Silva, in every ounce is a top order batsman. Dilshan is the ideal man at #7, but too hot headed to get that low. Chandimal is also there, but will need a lot of experience batting with tails

 

[smash84]

What do you expect him to do? He doesn't pick Ajmal himself, and generally is known to be quite weak against spinning ball. He's batting his heart out in this and alst series. If he does the same thing in AUS, SAF or NZ facing fast bowlers (which he likes playing) then I'll agree with you.

I thought he played Ajmal decently

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Mathews is likely to see just as much spin at five tbf. Top three would be his place if he has the technique for it.

Well you wouldn't move Sanga. Not sure he can open but if Dilshan can then Mathews probably could.

 

[_Ed_]

First there was that Chandimal century farce

I'd say turning down the opportunity to score runs yourself so that your partner can get to 100 is the opposite of selfishness.

 

[Migara]

I thought he played Ajmal decently

He can play decently because he's an able batsmen who could play spinners off the pitch. He's not a good sweeper as well and that is a huge chink in his technique,. But when you are left with tail you need to hammer the spinners out of the park. If they don't bowl pies, spinners has to be picked off the hand. If Mathews has picked Ajmal, I can assure you that few would have been sent in to the stands.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

He can play decently because he's an able batsmen who could play spinners off the pitch. He's not a good sweeper as well and that is a huge chink in his technique,. But when you are left with tail you need to hammer the spinners out of the park. If they don't bowl pies, spinners has to be picked off the hand. If Mathews has picked Ajmal, I can assure you that few would have been sent in to the stands.

Fine assessment that. Life's always difficult for a batsman who's looking to play off the pitch. Good spinners on tracks that offer sharp turn could expose him badly.

This is one chink in Matthews' game that he'd do well to improve. A very fine player otherwise and should go places.

 

[Migara]

Fine assessment that. Life's always difficult for a batsman who's looking to play off the pitch. Good spinners on tracks that offer sharp turn could expose him badly.

This is one chink in Matthews' game that he'd do well to improve. A very fine player otherwise and should go places.

That would ave been the case f Mathews was a non-SC batsman. He plays his game on spinning paradises, so will learn how to survive a good spin assault. Just like Sanga who was clueless against finger spin, now developed in to a decent to good player of spin Mathews will develop. But he'd never be a Ranatunga, Jayawardane, Samaraweera or a Tillekaratne, who were / are able to shift gears at will against spinners of any quality.

 

[Woodster]

He did try to farm the strike but did not go after the boundaries. He preferred to block the 5 deliveries and then take a single.

With all due respect, this happened only once, where he blocked an over out, but at least managed to get the one off the last ball. Much of the time he either couldn't manage to get the one, or he didn't try and look for it, or he took off the second and third ball of an over, far too early in the over for the tail-ender to survive if this happens on a few occasions.

It wasn't the fact he couldn't manage to execute a game-plan, for me he didn't seem to have one. He didn't wait for the field to come in and go for a boundary, nor did he try and scamper a single off the fifth of sixth delivery.

However, he is still learning, he is talented, and I'm sure will continue to improve both his thinking when he's out there in the middle, and technically.

 

[smash84]

woodster scathing on matthews

 

[Scaly piscine]

He may not pick Ajmal but he doesn't bowl from both ends. Doesn't stop him doing a Twatto either.

Fact is he's been far too negative with the tail. He's not put any pressure on the bowling side whatsoever.

 

[Woodster]

woodster scathing on matthews

Yes it is coming across a bit like that. I am very excited by his talent with the bat, and when fitness allows, his bowling. But I was watching this latest innings play out, and was a little bewildered by his lack of any real intention when the innings was coming to an end.

He is only 24 and has less than 50 first-class matches to his name, it would please me hugely if he shows a marked improvement in this area going forward.

I do agree with an earlier post in that SL having bigger things to worry about than Mathews match awareness in these situations, but this is what the thread is about.

 

[smash84]

He may not pick Ajmal but he doesn't bowl from both ends. Doesn't stop him doing a Twatto either.

Fact is he's been far too negative with the tail. He's not put any pressure on the bowling side whatsoever.

twatto>>> anybody else

 

[cricfan077]

I'd say turning down the opportunity to score runs yourself so that your partner can get to 100 is the opposite of selfishness.

Exactly This