Re: Sri Lanka v India, 2nd Test, Colombo, July 26-30, 2010

by The One on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 08:33

http://www.cricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-india-2010/content/current/story/470058.html

by taipan on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 21:09

skully wrote:I think the series is destined to end at 1-0 to the Lankans given the flatness of the decks and the lack of penetration by both bowling attacks.

T3 will be another batathon, thus stopping the Lankans reaching no. 1.

Or will the groundman serve up a bunsen, hoping that the Lankan spinners can outgun the Bannie spinners?

It will be a highway.

by skully on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 21:27

Particularly since the revelation that that a 2-0 loss won't take the Lankans to no. 1, as many people had thought.

The curator will make sure that the Lankans win the series 1-0. Another couple of 600+ 1st innings perhaps?

by taipan on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 21:29

Bet your house on it

by skully on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 21:32

I'd rather not. Betting on cricket is bad, m'kay. Cool

by taipan on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 21:34

skully wrote:I'd rather not. Betting on cricket is bad, m'kay.

Whatever you say, John

by jim rich on Fri 30 Jul 2010, 22:26

skully wrote:Particularly since the revelation that that a 2-0 loss won't take the Lankans to no. 1, as many people had thought.

The curator will make sure that the Lankans win the series 1-0. Another couple of 600+ 1st innings perhaps?

Seriously doubt that as a draw won't get the Lankans to the now coveted # 2. Had Murali still been there, I'd have said it would be a rank turner. But with Indian bowling being in the doldrums, pace in particular, I'd say there'll be considerably more grass on it than ever seen in SL before.

by JGK on Sat 31 Jul 2010, 01:37

What an abomination this match was.

by rey on Sat 31 Jul 2010, 03:30

Curator defends SSC pitch for second Test

Anurudda Polonowita, Sri Lanka's national curator, has defended the pitch at the SSC, blaming the weak bowling line-ups for a dull draw. "I am quite happy [with the pitch]," Poloniwata said. "You take the Indian side. Six or seven world-class batsmen. Top level. Better than England or Australia. What is Sri Lankan batting? Same. All record holders. What is their bowling? We had Murali, we had [Chaminda] Vaas - 800 wickets, 400 wickets. Where are they now? Now see the side. Why don't you talk about bowling rather than the pitch?

"The captains have nothing to say, and say it's a batting wicket, bowlers have no chance. They don't have the bowlers to have a chance. If Sri Lanka had those bowlers at the SSC, they would have won the match. If they took [Sachin] Tendulkar's catch, it would have been 180 for 5, anything could have happened."

The Indian bowling attack, Polonowita said, was even worse. "They played a practice game at Colts Club. The A team hammered 514 for 9," he said. "They played at Galle, and Sri Lanka we got 520 for 8. At SSC, 642 for 4. What are you talking about the pitch? Why don't you talk about the bowling? Both sides have weak bowling, both sides have brilliant batting.

"Why do crowds pay and come? To see cricket. If you want it to finish in three days, I can fix the pitch for three days. That's not cricket."

Polonowita has been involved with Sri Lankan cricket for the last 50 years. He played until 1973-74, was the team manager on Sri Lanka's first Test tour, was a selector for 15 years, vice-president of the board, and chairman of umpire committees and tour organising committees.

http://www.cricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-india-2010/content/current/story/470356.html

by skully on Sat 31 Jul 2010, 12:51

A fair call by the curator but he should have recognised that prior to the match and made the wicket a little more sporting.

by taipan on Sat 31 Jul 2010, 20:39

rey wrote:Why do crowds pay and come? To see cricket. If you want it to finish in three days, I can fix the pitch for three days. That's not cricket."

FFS, I have read some shite but this tops it all. You could have played on that track for 15 days without getting a result.

Imho that's not cricket either. There has to be some balance between bat and ball.

by skully on Sat 31 Jul 2010, 21:38

Aye taips. I find the utter hopelessness confronting bowlers in those conditions to be very depressing.

by SG on Sun 01 Aug 2010, 16:27

How sh!t people can get defending indefensible.

I think people would've enjoyed Pak-Eng test match at T'Bridge more despite it finishing inside 4 days.

by SG on Sun 01 Aug 2010, 16:29

With pitches like these at home, no wonder most of SL bats are HTBs of the highest order. And with the exit of Murali, they don't even have the bowling which will make them win even at home.

by skully on Sun 01 Aug 2010, 16:34

SG wrote:How sh!t people can get defending indefensible.

I think people would've enjoyed Pak-Eng test match at T'Bridge more despite it finishing inside 4 days.

A fair call, SG. A fair contest between bat and ball is much more entertaining than a 2 innings bore draw. A ton made under difficult circumstances (and SRT has made plenty of them) will always outrate the one of plenty scored on a highway in a Test.