***Official*** South Africa in Sri Lanka 2014

[viriya]

Come to think of it I can't think of any pace bowlers who are very miserly at the death like McG, Ambrose, Akram. Even Chaminda Vaas was very good at the death. What's happened to death bowling in general?

Well Malinga was/is supposed to be the death bowling specialist. I think since the rise of T20 it's hard to say which of the names you brought up would actually do well at the death.. Those days if you bowled 6 yorkers you would probably not get hit ever. Not that I think Akram etc wouldn't have adapted but death bowling these days is much more of a challenge.

 

[smash84]

Didn't McGrath play a season or two of T20? From what I recall he was his usual miserly self. While bowling at the seath may have become more challenging but bad bowling has also increased I feel. Also most of the bowlers are not very good at reverse swing so that makes it tougher still for them to stay economical. Case in point being the pak sa series recently. Junaid Khan bowled good yorkers right in the last over to seal it for pak. That kind of bowling wasn't too rare in the past. I guess 2 new balls from each end makes it even more tough for the bowlers

 

[Migara]

come to think of it i can't think of any pace bowlers who are very miserly at the death like mcg, ambrose, akram. Even chaminda vaas was very good at the death. What's happened to death bowling in general?

two white balls

 

[jan]

Sri Lanka get a small "+" from me for acceptable timing with the match starting at 06:30.
Was hoping to see Abbott and Piedt but there's Tahir, sigh.

*Tahir to bag five in the first inning to prove I know nothing

 

[Bahnz]

Pumped for this test. It's been a long time since I've had a game on during optimal viewing hours, and with no obligations to stop me form watching.

 

[smash84]

Waiting to see Amla's captaincy

 

[hendrix]

Waiting to see Herath bowling to Amla. That will be glorious.

Philander vs Sangakkarra will also be interesting.

Steyn vs Mathews.

God, so many good match ups.

 

[viriya]

I hope SL don't go conservative and pick Dilruwan over Mendis.. would be disappointing..

 

[viriya]

Lost toss and Dilruwan playing.. bad start so far for SL.

 

[karan316]

Woke up to see no Mendis in this match.

 

[Bahnz]

Waiting to see Herath bowling to Amla. That will be glorious.

Philander vs Sangakkarra will also be interesting.

Steyn vs Mathews.

God, so many good match ups.

Looks like it might be a while before we see any of this atm.

 

[viriya]

Woke up to see no Mendis in this match.

To be fair he hasn't done well in Galle, and looking at how things have gone so far it might not matter anyway.. Looks like this should be a draw unless Herath or Tahir do something special in the 4th or 5th days.

Not staying up to watch this.

 

[dermo]

jesus thats tough

 

[Maximas]

Needed that, losing the toss a bit of a bummer

 

[Maximas]

Batting looking rather easy atm

 

[Flem274*]

Faf bats at three now? Amla was at three against Aussie and India wasn't he?

 

[viriya]

Dilruwan did get the wicket so maybe I'll have to eat my words eventually, but I still feel like Mendis would've had more control on the scoring and at the least clean-up the tail quickly.
As it is now SL are looking at a 500+ total easily. Not entirely surprising.

 

[Flem274*]

Mendis sucks.

 

[Maximas]

but I still feel like Mendis would've had more control on the scoring

Lol

 

[viriya]

Mendis sucks.