***Official*** Sri Lanka in South Africa 2016/2017

[vitalogy83]

Frankly, I am just looking forward to SL hopefully taking these games into Day 4 or even better if we can make it to day 5.

There is not much joy with the SL right now apart from Herath - who is unlikely to be that useful in SA - in part because I think Mathews does not use him well when on away tours as a wicket taking option - but in part because our pace attack is pretty weak. It would need to take Pradeep and Chameera having the tour of their lives to secure anything useful for SL.

On the other hand it will be good to see how Mendis and De Silva progress because these too seem well set to, hopefully, be the next set of those decent Batsmen SL produce JIT.

Keen to see how the K Perera at 3 experiment goes too. Just cannot see it working when the pitches and the bowlers he is going to face. Looks like the selectors are up for a rude awakening.

 

[vitalogy83]

I don't hate Indians or India. I do dislike their cricket team and the fact they're the centre of world wide cricketing corruption because they won't simply legalise gambling ffs, and the terrible victim complex exhibited ever since Sydney 08.

I don't hate Pakitsanis, Pakistan or their cricket team. I do hate the element of their team (past and present) who brought disgrace on them and the game.

I don't hate SL, Sri Lankans or their cricket team. This is a common misconception. There's nothing to hate, because there's nothing to ever get emotionally invested in with them. They're a void, a cricketing abyss - featureless, uninspiring, dull (except Herath, but that goes without saying).

I don't hate Bangladesh, Bangladeshis or their cricket team either fwiw. They're Sri Lanka light, though. Hopefully for the game they are better in 30 odd years than SL has ever been in that time frame.

I'm old enough to remember when SL first came into test cricket 30 plus years ago, and I've kind of waited for the rise through the ranks ever since. But they've just been consistently mediocre forever. Sure they produce the odd very good or great player, but for the most part it's just "Ho hum. Lakmal/ Murali/ Vaas/ Fernando/ Mathews/ Whoever to Rampant Home Team Batsman: half tracker pulled to midwicket for four. End of over 168. Home team 3/592". It has always been thus when they tour anywhere. Anyone who tells you otherwise is frankly being polite and is lying to you.

If you're paying top dollar for a Boxing Day or New Year's Test match and SL are on the ticket, you're walking into the ground either thinking you're there because at least it's cricket and I'm going to get on the squirt anyway so it doesn't matter; or you couldn't re-sell the tix after you realised who was touring because no one wants to buy them.

Sadly I can't disagree with this. While it appears to be a rant, it is the ugly truth SL fans need to be told. There was a period when SL won the WC and money poured into the game from all directions that the authorities could have focused on sorting out domestic structure to hopefully produce IC ready talent.

Yet 20+ years on it's still the same bs School/Club system that produce talent that get rekt when they come to the IC level. Once in a while you get guys like Mendis (who is not a product of the system even) and maybe now De Silva who will give us loads of promise but just take too long to produce results - see Chandimal/Thirimanne, and this cycle just gets repeated over and over again.

SL are destined to be a mid tier team.

 

[Burgey]

You look at some of the players they have produced over the years. Sanga, Mahela, Sanath, Murali, Herath, Aravinda. These guys are fantastic players. For whatever reason though, they've never put it together at test level over a period to challenge other teams away.

I want to reiterate, it's not a dislike for SL, it's probably frustration that whenever they have toured after about the mid-90s, it's all been very ho-hum. I feel like I'm being dudded if I have to watch them over my Xmas break.

 

[vitalogy83]

To put it another way if I wasn't Sri Lankan I would not pay to go see them if they toured Aus. Hell, last time we were at the G it lasted 2 days!

The major issue with us not doing well overseas is that we never had the attack to bowl sides out twice. Murali and Vaas were great but Vaas lacked the support quick bowler. Malinga's Test career was cut short..Zoysa was always injured..etc etc..if any side would have done well it's a side that would have involved Murali Vaas, Herath + 1, but we never had the +1 and Herath and Murali did not really play much at all together...

If I look at it another way - could an all time great SL side play agaisnt the current Tests sides and beat them? I think it would be quite hard even for them. The attack would be Vaas, Murali, Herath and who? Ratnayeke, Malinga , ??? We might beat say NZ or Eng if we got lucky with the 2 spinners but Aus/SA we'd probably still be hammered ...

 

[Black_Warrior]

Sri Lanka's greatest generation have dominated at home just fine like everyone else. From 2001-2014, they have only lost to Australia at home, and one of them was in 04 against the greatest Australian side. Even India as number 1 team failed to beat them in 2010.

Their home domination is no different from the home domination of an England or an Australia at most times. The only difference is, even during their peak as a test side, they never had that short period when they won/drew a few series away like Pakistan in the 80s or India in the 2000s or England in the 2010s.

That's the only thing separating them from the other good teams at their peak.

 

[vitalogy83]

Sri Lanka's greatest generation have dominated at home just fine like everyone else. From 2001-2014, they have only lost to Australia at home, and one of them was in 04 against the greatest Australian side. Even India as number 1 team failed to beat them in 2010.

Their home domination is no different from the home domination of an England or an Australia at most times. The only difference is, even during their peak as a test side, they never had that short period when they won/drew a few series away like Pakistan in the 80s or India in the 2000s or England in the 2010s.

That's the only thing separating them from the other good teams at their peak.

Yep always been good to great at home. Because spinners / Vaas. But it comes down to those quick bowlers we've never had to trouble batsmen away from home.

 

[Daemon]

They beat England away which was nice

 

[Black_Warrior]

Oh yeah I forgot.

Hey Burgey, guess what's the difference between Sri Lanka and Australia test sides in this decade?

One of them have a series win in England.

 

[Burgey]

Well good on them. There may be English people who will want to pay to see them in England then. I'll pay up when they've won a test match here.

 

[vitalogy83]

They beat England away which was nice

Yea that was well nice. Then we had the 2016 tour

 

[marc71178]

If I look at it another way - could an all time great SL side play agaisnt the current Tests sides and beat them? I think it would be quite hard even for them. The attack would be Vaas, Murali, Herath and who? Ratnayeke, Malinga , ??? We might beat say NZ or Eng if we got lucky with the 2 spinners but Aus/SA we'd probably still be hammered ...

At home they'd beat any current Test side except India I reckon.

 

[vitalogy83]

At home they'd beat any current Test side except India I reckon.

We'd certainly do well at home. Away will be another story. But maybe with the batting power we'd be able to get a few draws

 

[StephenZA]

Terrible luck for SA cricket fans that a Sri Lanka tour is the main holiday season event. Always a dud bash. His Roundness the only highlight.

The people who go watch test cricket during the summer are in the majority not big cricket fans, its a great excuse to sit in the sun and enjoy good beer, the opposition is not really important as long as we win. Obviously India, Aus and Eng create bigger interest, but you will still get about the same number of people watching. As for cricket fans, every series is a good one when you win...

 

[YorksLanka]

I agree with the sentiments of SL being a poor touring side,but on the other hand,who is a good touring side nowadays? I make no excuses for us-we do struggle away from home but that is the same for almost everyone (except maybe India) where conditions are different to their home..

 

[SeamUp]

Weird position for quite a few players for SAF in that they know there are players lurking over their shoulder and consistent performance needs to be found otherwise their spot is in jeopardy.

 

[StephenZA]

Weird position for quite a few players for SAF in that they know there are players lurking over their shoulder and consistent performance needs to be found otherwise their spot is in jeopardy.

Great position to be in considering the recent injuries. Hopefully this series may help sort things out before the English series. Sorry for Rillee being injured, think he may have been given a shot. otherwise With Faf being made captain, puts Cook, Duminy and Elgar (in that order) under the spot light.. bowlers pretty sorted atm. Maharaj deserves an extended run.

 

[SeamUp]

Great position to be in considering the recent injuries. Hopefully this series may help sort things out before the English series. Sorry for Rillee being injured, think he may have been given a shot. otherwise With Faf being made captain, puts Cook, Duminy and Elgar (in that order) under the spot light.. bowlers pretty sorted atm. Maharaj deserves an extended run.

Most definitely. I would say those 3 + Bavuma still need a period of pure domination if you know what I mean but it is exciting.

Hopefully Morne Morkel and Chris Morris get a bit of a run out for the Titans in the new year because I'm not part of the Parnell love in yet.

 

[StephenZA]

Most definitely. I would say those 3 + Bavuma still need a period of pure domination if you know what I mean but it is exciting.

Hopefully Morne Morkel and Chris Morris get a bit of a run out for the Titans in the new year because I'm not part of the Parnell love in yet.

Bavuma needs to start converting 50`s to 100`s, get his avg to 45+ otherwise he is going to continue having ? for other reasons.

I really hope Amla gets back into some form. Parnell and Morris are for me at best replacements for Philander if he gets injured; maybe if we decide to play a 4th seamer, but not really keen on that one.

 

[Energetic]

Tour should've consisted of 1 test and 3 ODIs. Sri Lanka are going to get crushed.

 

[SeamUp]

Bavuma needs to start converting 50`s to 100`s, get his avg to 45+ otherwise he is going to continue having ? for other reasons.

I really hope Amla gets back into some form. Parnell and Morris are for me at best replacements for Philander if he gets injured; maybe if we decide to play a 4th seamer, but not really keen on that one.

Amla finding his best probably the most important.

We've won the last 2 series without him really. Against England and India in the defeats we needed more from him as senior figure.

While it's nice we can do well without the big names it just would have been lovely to watch AB and Steyn just doing what they do.