*Official* South Africa in Sri Lanka Thread

[nookie_lk]

South africa after along rest comes to Sri Lanka for 2 tests and 5 ODI's starting on Wednesday 4th of August. Will the Sri lankans maintain their good record in Sri lanka or will SA do what the ausies did to SL. I think Sri lanka look like they are the favourites !!!....What do u think ???

 

[Mr. P]

This is a very interesting series as I see it. A true revealer of where each cricket nation stands among others.

 

[Richard]

Sri Lanka have to be favourites, we all know what they can do at home.
South Africa aren't as good as they were last time they toured here but they are more settled domestically.
I really think they might struggle to bowl-out Sri Lanka cheaply.
For the ODIs, if they underperform as terribly as most of them did in New Zealand, they haven't got a prayer.

 

[Arjun]

The South Africans can rely on Pollock and Ntini to bowl the Lankans out cheaply, but the other bowlers have to support them. Kallis cannot do much wrong as a support bowler.

The SA batting may make things tough for SL's medium-pacers, since nobody has really performed much, except Vaas and Zoysa. Murali and Vaas will have to take the bulk of the wickets, but here too, support is needed. Spin is their main advantage.

 

[Richard]

Pollock and Ntini won't trouble the Lankans IMO, if they play like they normally do at home.
Ntini could have a horrific time if he's in his wayward mode; if he's in his accurate mode he'll probably be the same as Pollock, economical but no threat.
Even Nel doesn't seem, yet, like a bowler capable of exploiting the typical Galle surface.
Vaas, as we've seen time and again, can.
I don't really expect Zoysa to but at least he now seems like he's something close to established in the side.
Murali, as we all know, will probably trouble everyone massively.

 

[nookie_lk]

Sri lanka will be ahead of south africa because the lankans have a good spin attack with murali and now chandana improving. as everyone knows the SA's are not the best againts spin bowling.

The pace attack with Lasith Malinga, Farveez Mahroof and Vass looks good for sri lanka too...so all departments in bowling looks balanced.

Sangakkara and Atapattu will be the most dangerous batsmen and Jayasuriya's recent form makes it better for SL.

Therefore SA will have to be their best to beat this new Strong Sri Lankan team.

 

[Richard]

I'll be amazed if Maharoof and Malinga don't get hammered all over everywhere by the South Africans.
That's one thing that I'm not too worried about, and I'm sure Graeme, Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher, Rudolph and anyone else who plays won't be either.

 

[nookie_lk]

I'm sure mahroof will do well since he is a good line and length bowler and he bats well too....whereas malinga will be good with the old ball...with his pace the reverse swing will definitely affect the south africans batting (since they are more used to orthodox swing compared to reverse swing).

the wickets of Graeme, Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher, Rudolph wont be a problem for the SL spinners.

 

[Swervy]

the wickets of Graeme, Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher, Rudolph wont be a problem for the SL spinners.

do you mean just murali

 

[nookie_lk]

lol....definitely

 

[Langeveldt]

Should be a good series, I don't think SA will have any trouble against the SL quicks.. Murali will be his usual self and is going to be another prospect altogether.. As usual it all depends on how he gets played..

Looking forward to the return of main man Nicky Boje. He should enjoy life at Galle... I would also like to see Van Jaarsveld get given the nod before Rudolph...

 

[JASON]

South Africans would be well advised to play 2 spinners at Galle, which is a well known turner. Does that mean they will play Boje and (Robyn) Petersen?
I don't see any other spinners in their squad . Was (Paul) Adams not considered because of poor form or have I missed his retirement from Test cricket ?

 

[NikhilN]

WTF!? they are showing this tour on Zee TV here in US and they are not showing holland cup or champ trophy what the hell is going on?Its a indo-pak channel and they are showing lanka and africa!?

 

[Craig]

Malinga has got talent, but he needs to improve his accuracy a little bit more, and he could be some bowler.

I hope he doesn't catch the no-ball bug from Dhilara Fernando and lose all confidence when he bowls.

 

[marc71178]

WTF!? they are showing this tour on Zee TV here in US and they are not showing holland cup or champ trophy what the hell is going on?Its a indo-pak channel and they are showing lanka and africa!?

I imagine the cost of the rights might have more than a little to do with that.

 

[Arjun]

South Africans would be well advised to play 2 spinners at Galle, which is a well known turner. Does that mean they will play Boje and (Robyn) Petersen?

They can do a lot better without those two pie throwers. The Lankan batsmen will enjoy hitting them out of the park repeatedly. Pace is SA's main strength, so they can choose 5 seamers.

 

[tooextracool]

They can do a lot better without those two pie throwers. The Lankan batsmen will enjoy hitting them out of the park repeatedly. Pace is SA's main strength, so they can choose 5 seamers.

really?care to explain why boje averages 27 in SL and 16 at home against SL?
5 seamers would be ludicrous, perhaps just about as ludicrous as picking peterson in the side.

 

[nookie_lk]

[No message]

 

[Richard]

They can do a lot better without those two pie throwers. The Lankan batsmen will enjoy hitting them out of the park repeatedly. Pace is SA's main strength, so they can choose 5 seamers.

Pace is certainly not South Africa's main strength - their main strength is seam and swing.
And if we see any seam and swing at Galle, Kandy and SSC I'll be more than a little surprised.
And maybe Peterson is a pie-thrower, but Boje certainly is not. In conditions which suit spin, Boje will pose problems for any batsman. Like any fingerspinner, he won't trouble decent batsmen on a normal non-subcontinent wicket, but I would never describe him or Giles as pie-chuckers because both are very accurate and have proved very effective in conditions which suit fingerspin.

 

[Richard]

I'm sure mahroof will do well since he is a good line and length bowler and he bats well too....whereas malinga will be good with the old ball...with his pace the reverse swing will definitely affect the south africans batting (since they are more used to orthodox swing compared to reverse swing).

the wickets of Graeme, Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher, Rudolph wont be a problem for the SL spinners.

I don't doubt Murali will trouble all the right-handers profusely. We all remember Rhodes and Boucher trying to cut balls that pitched short and about 3 feet outside off in the Galle first-innings last time. Bowled - and embarrased, I shouldn't wonder.
Can't see too many other Lankan spinners causing too many problems.
Maharoof doesn't strike me as the best line-and-length bowler, and Malinga will have to hit the right areas if he's going to trouble anyone. I'll be surprised if they trouble anyone. Sadly, the same applies to Zoysa.
Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher and Van Jaarsveld if he plays have the truest test of their ability they'll ever get.
Rudolph will find life a lot easier (being left-handed) if he can show the judiciousness (is that a word), and Graeme I fully expect to show everything he has thus far shown, and being a left-hander also shouldn't have as many problems with Murali, especially if he doesn't bowl the wrong-'un.