D-Mike Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 You can say that again. I haven't watched the game, but it seems like Sri Lanka at least put up a fight after facing a 300 chase. Got to give credit to them.
D-Mike Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Its all over! Sri Lanka take it with 5 wickets. sigh...
Capricorn Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) i have to love the SL strat: come out blazing, 10 rpo up front, sustain for a bit, come off the gas from over 20 onward, but flat line the run rate, then last gasp push in the last 15 - 10 overs. Just have a look at their batsmens' strike rates. JEEPERS!   We lack that consistency that they seem to maintain despite them losing wickets. Edited January 20, 2012 by Capricorn
Capricorn Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 but this loss is a good thing for AB and the team. just need to sit and internalize strategies: player selection, team strategy, individual contributions.. time to analyze and get on with improving game by game. The next world cup awaits. That is all that matters.
Christie Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 Good game, exciting right till the end. Some issues appeared for SA to work on: * SA went in a bit light in the batting department, and it cost us some momentum towards the end of our innings. It would have been nice to see what Albie Morkel could do - big hitter won it for SL. Does not look like they have decided if they need a big hitter in the team or not. I think Morkel deserves a longer run.* Fielding went down the drain under pressure. Waaaay too many dropped catches & missed opportunities.* Mistake to bowl Peterson to the left hander once he was set, towards the end. Bowling him in the power play was a big risk - left hander could hit with the spin.* Openers still a problem. I don't see the point of keeping Smith - one ok innings does not make everything right, plus what do we gain if he plays till ens of 2012 or 2013? We would still need a new opener for the next WC. Some positives:* Parnell had a good game. he has the potential to become our best death bower. He had a good bat, too.* Tsotsobe also bowled very well. (he dropped about 3 catches, though)* Du Plessis had a good bowling spell too.
'Dale Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 despite the awesomeness of AB, this run rate graph bugs me plenty: circles represent fall of wickets: 1. A Petersen 2. Smithers 3. Ingram 4. Duminy 5. AB 6. Faf 7. Parnell. That curve suggests it's Smithers/Alviro that got the run rate up, and his departure saw an overall slow down until parnel/petersen picked it up again.  Picking one's motivation up in a dead rubber, now that the series is settled, isn't easy. It is definitely a variable to consider.
Christie Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) Also to be considered is that SA is experimenting now that the series have been won, and that SL should be a very good ODI team, with star players like Malinga, Dilshan, Sangakara, Jayawardene. They have won the WC before & came a competitive 2nd last year. Not everything SA try is going to work out, but lessons will be learnt. They can afford to give Petersen, Ingram etc another chance & sort out the team for 2012. Better to have strong opposition to try stuff against than Zim, for example. Too bad Dean Elgar got injured - perhaps he could open in future with Amla. Edited January 21, 2012 by Christie
Christie Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 How about Gibbs for opener? Almost all his old buddies whose dirty little secrets he shared has left, I think. He's doing spectacularly well in the Big Bash, scored 2nd most runs so far in the tournament, average of 50.33 from 6 innings (have been out 6 times) with a strike rate of 152.5 - I bet he will get an IPL contract. I would rather have him as a golden oldie than Smith. It would be sad if he becomes another Chris Gayle - superb bat but out of favor with his home team.
'Dale Posted January 22, 2012 Posted January 22, 2012 Another super review there from Christie. --- ODI 5 Smith 125 and the crowd loves on him after a special knock. Albie sent in at 5 in the final 5 overs for some fireworks with his good eye and heavy bat.
'Dale Posted January 22, 2012 Posted January 22, 2012 Abraham brings up his ton. Cramping... Super AB!
Capricorn Posted January 22, 2012 Posted January 22, 2012 ya, that was pure class from AB. I'm afraid we may be relying on his batting prowess down the order a tad too much for him to physically sustain things. Bouncing up and down as a keeper along with such delightful bashing of the ball takes a huge toll. Hopefully nothing a few good deep tissue massages wont fix. but hotdamn that boy is a machine. Love his strike rate.
'Dale Posted January 22, 2012 Posted January 22, 2012 How about Gibbs for opener? Almost all his old buddies whose dirty little secrets he shared has left, I think. He's doing spectacularly well in the Big Bash, scored 2nd most runs so far in the tournament, average of 50.33 from 6 innings (have been out 6 times) with a strike rate of 152.5 - I bet he will get an IPL contract. I would rather have him as a golden oldie than Smith. It would be sad if he becomes another Chris Gayle - superb bat but out of favor with his home team. Cricket SA won't touch him after that book.Yeah, what a player!
Capricorn Posted January 22, 2012 Posted January 22, 2012 , as long as SL held wickets, we lost this from teh get-go.. check this run rate..  which resulted in this worm:Â
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