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*Official* Australia tour of Sri Lanka 2022

Xuhaib

International Coach
Enjoying the development of this new SL side some exciting prospects in this still far cry from the 96-15 era where they always had a very strong core but its shaping up in to something interesting.
 

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
Enjoying the development of this new SL side some exciting prospects in this still far cry from the 96-15 era where they always had a very strong core but its shaping up in to something interesting.
96-15, our strength was bowling. Yes we did have some good batters, but nothing compared to ones on world stage. Only Sanga and Mathews average 40 with the bat, all others were mid to low 30s batsmen. Our modus operandi was put a moderate score and squeeze the opposition till they suffocate with impeccable middle overs bowling. Then came Malinga and hitting him for 7 - 8 over was not fun. All this changed when 2 balls were employed. Spinners became less potent, and reverse swing becae almost non existent. Sri Lankan batsmen are brough on humangous sized grounds, so we don't have many six hittersm unless it is some one like Jayasuriya or Mathews who are extremely strong guys.

Then our bowling stocks came crashing down. Batsmen are probably as same level a decade ago, but once the unorthodox and relentless bowling attack was disbanded due to retirements, we had no answer.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
96-15, our strength was bowling. Yes we did have some good batters, but nothing compared to ones on world stage. Only Sanga and Mathews average 40 with the bat, all others were mid to low 30s batsmen. Our modus operandi was put a moderate score and squeeze the opposition till they suffocate with impeccable middle overs bowling. Then came Malinga and hitting him for 7 - 8 over was not fun. All this changed when 2 balls were employed. Spinners became less potent, and reverse swing becae almost non existent. Sri Lankan batsmen are brough on humangous sized grounds, so we don't have many six hittersm unless it is some one like Jayasuriya or Mathews who are extremely strong guys.

Then our bowling stocks came crashing down. Batsmen are probably as same level a decade ago, but once the unorthodox and relentless bowling attack was disbanded due to retirements, we had no answer.
96-15 the only atg is Murali and may be Malinga and Vaas are atvgs while there are quite a few atg and atvg batsmen there. How do you say that bowling was the strength?
 

Himannv

International Coach
while there are quite a few atg and atvg batsmen there
Who are these guys? :blink:

I don't know if anyone is really an ATG. Sanath might just about make it into an ATG ODI team, but even that is debatable I think. No one else is even close.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
Who are these guys? :blink:

I don't know if anyone is really an ATG. Sanath might just about make it into an ATG ODI team, but even that is debatable I think. No one else is even close.
Atg in SL context. Comparing SL batsmen to SL bowlers, who are your top 5 / top 10 players? Below is mine from top of my mind with my limited sl knowledge.

1. Murali
2. Sanga
3. Aravinda
4. Jayasuriya
5. Jayawardene
6. Vaas
7. Malinga
8. Matthews
9. Ranatunga
10. Dharmasena

Batsmen just dominate that list.
 

Gob

International Coach
Sri Lanka top six looks very strong for tests. For home games atleast

Karunaratne
Oshada
Mendis
Mathews
DDS
Chandimal
Dick

That's a good lineup. Australia made good strides in Pakistan but this and increasingly helpful spinning wickets will definitely make this a very good contest. Also wonder if the OD drubbing have any effect on the tests to come on the confidence front. Although they would be happier facing conventional offspinners like ambuldenia over likes of Hasaranga and Theekshana. Atleast you know which way its turning
 

Gob

International Coach
Atg in SL context. Comparing SL batsmen to SL bowlers, who are your top 5 / top 10 players? Below is mine from top of my mind with my limited sl knowledge.

1. Murali
2. Sanga
3. Aravinda
4. Jayasuriya
5. Jayawardene
6. Vaas
7. Malinga
8. Matthews
9. Ranatunga
10. Dharmasena

Batsmen just dominate that list.
Are we talking tests or limited over stuff. Assuming it's tests

Murali
Sangakkara
Vaas
Herath
Jayawardena
De Silva
Mathews
Summerweera
Athapattu
Karunaratne

Dilshan being the unlucky one
 

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
96-15 the only atg is Murali and may be Malinga and Vaas are atvgs while there are quite a few atg and atvg batsmen there. How do you say that bowling was the strength?
You just forgot Ajantha Mendis who was unstoppable for few years, then Nuwan kulasekara and Jayasuriya as a bowler. Then here and there bowlers like Fernando comes in and bowls a dream spell. Important thing is SL's six best ODI bowlers (Murali, Vaas, Malinga, Mendis, Jayasuriya and Kulasekara) played together. That has not happened for any other country. Easily one of the best ODI attacks assembled if not the best.
 

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
No SL batsman are ATG in my book just because of their batting. Jayasuriya, Sangakkara and Mathews will get in to lot of teams because of their secondary skills. But Lankan ODI bowlers will walk in to many sides with relative ease.
 

Himannv

International Coach
Atg in SL context. Comparing SL batsmen to SL bowlers, who are your top 5 / top 10 players? Below is mine from top of my mind with my limited sl knowledge.

1. Murali
2. Sanga
3. Aravinda
4. Jayasuriya
5. Jayawardene
6. Vaas
7. Malinga
8. Matthews
9. Ranatunga
10. Dharmasena

Batsmen just dominate that list.
I assume you're talking ODIs. Among the batsmen, only Sanath gets close to the top and even he's not at all consistent. De Silva and Jayawardene are good batsmen but they also have been inconsistent. Sanga is rubbish and a prank batsman in this format. Dilshan, Matthews, and Ranatunga have been ok.

The bowling is a bit better with one genuine ATG in Murali. Malinga is probably one of the best T20 bowlers of all time but I think both him and Vaas are both ATVGs. If you factor in Herath, Mendis, and maybe even Sanath, who all touch that list, it's a fair assumption to make. In fact, a lot of the batsmen are kind of rated higher as overall players because they also do other things and contribute in other ways, particularly with the ball.
 

ashley bach

International Captain
I assume you're talking ODIs. Among the batsmen, only Sanath gets close to the top and even he's not at all consistent. De Silva and Jayawardene are good batsmen but they also have been inconsistent. Sanga is rubbish and a prank batsman in this format. Dilshan, Matthews, and Ranatunga have been ok.

The bowling is a bit better with one genuine ATG in Murali. Malinga is probably one of the best T20 bowlers of all time but I think both him and Vaas are both ATVGs. If you factor in Herath, Mendis, and maybe even Sanath, who all touch that list, it's a fair assumption to make. In fact, a lot of the batsmen are kind of rated higher as overall players because they also do other things and contribute in other ways, particularly with the ball.
What's up with Kumar being rubbish and a prank batsman?
You're talking about ODI's I assume where he scored over 14,000 runs with a solid average and strike rate.
Over all formats combined, without doubt he's the greatest Sri Lankan batsman of all time.
 

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