Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Cricket Anyone => Topic started by: Bitter on April 02, 2014, 09:53:07 PM
-
Sri Lanka captaincy a guessing game ahead of semi
The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando
April 2, 2014
http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/content/current/story/733693.html
Match facts
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Start time: 19:00 local | 13:00 GMT | 09:00 EDT | 08:00 CDT | 06:00 PDT
Big Picture
Two things are certain in Thursday night's semi-final. The West Indies players will have the Mirpur crowd eating out of their hands; a jig, happy or otherwise, is likely. And a formula surpassed only by the theory of relativity in complexity will be required to work out who Sri Lanka's captain is, and what percentage of the captain's customary tasks he has carried out that day.
Twenty-four hours before the toss, the team's official line was that they still did not know who would lead. As long as Mahela Jayawardene is allowed to marshal the team on the field, Sri Lanka fans may not mind if a rag doll was sent to conduct the toss. At least an inanimate object would not do any worse at remembering the playing XI than Lasith Malinga, bless him.
When these teams clashed in the last World T20, the final had been a celebration of flair, but 18 months on, both teams have developed formulae with which to knead the talent at their disposal. West Indies have embraced conservatism with the bat, allowing Dwayne Smith to play as he wishes in the Powerplay, but generally seeking to keep wickets in hand to unleash at the back end. As the 82 runs in the final five overs of their innings against Pakistan proved, they have become increasingly adept at this through the tournament. With the ball, Samuel Badree and Krishmar Santokie have been as penetrative as they have been economical, thanks in part to a helpful Mirpur surface.
Sri Lanka have had among the most entertaining trips to the semi-final. They opened their campaign against South Africa who ch… errr, made poor use of a winning position under considerable pressure from the opposition. They brushed Netherlands aside before their bus driver had found a parking space. Then, having hit 189, they lost in dispiriting fashion to England, before orchestrating a rabid defence of 119 against New Zealand. In short, Sri Lanka have been like Pakistan.
Sri Lanka might have preferred a semi-final against Pakistan, because at least they understand how to counter Pakistan's style of cricket, to some extent. A peaking West Indies unit will cause more worry in their camp, particularly because the wounds of Marlon Samuels' game-breaking Premadasa assault will have barely healed over. West Indies will be confident they can take Lasith Malinga apart, as they did during that match, so the onus is on Sri Lanka to arrive at an effective strategy.
Form guide
Sri Lanka: WLWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies: WWWLL
In the spotlight
If there is one man who can put Sri Lanka in the final through strategy alone, it has to be the team's best ever tactician, Mahela Jayawardene. He called the shots in the game against New Zealand, spreading fear in the hearts of opposition batsmen by placing a slip and short leg around them, and rotated bowlers masterfully. The whole thing made Sri Lanka fans nostalgic for the days of his leadership, when Sri Lanka played their most attractive cricket since the late '90s, and inspiring turnarounds against powerful opposition almost became the norm. He is also Sri Lanka's best big-match player in any discipline. He will be desperate for this match not to be his last in the format.
Darren Sammy has unequivocally been the best finisher of the tournament, to the extent that West Indies' game plan takes his success at the death for granted. He has come off in almost every game, and sits on a tournament strike rate of 224 and an average of 101. Sri Lanka will also remember the unbeaten 26 off 15 that pushed West Indies' total from competitive to commanding in the 2012 final, and more recently, the 30 not out from 14 that helped set up West Indies victory in a warm-up match. Sammy v Malinga has the potential to become the defining contest of the match.
Team news
As Dinesh Chandimal has done little to warrant selection in the T20 side over the past year, his availability does not necessarily mean he will play. There are rumours Angelo Mathews will take the reins. There are rumours Lasith Malinga will retain it. There are rumours that no one in the team really knows for sure. They even put up the coach for the pre-match press conference - an event customarily attended by the captain. Normally, such chaos would put elite sports teams off their game, but Sri Lanka are often not sensitive to upheaval. Will it make them play worse? Will it make them play better? No one really knows.
Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Dinesh Chandimal/Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Rangana Herath
West Indies have all their parts in place, well-oiled, humming like a Lamborghini on a Sunday afternoon drive. Their XI is more settled.
West Indies (probable) 1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Lendl Simmons, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Samuel Badree, 11 Krishmar Santokie
Pitch and conditions
Pitches have become notoriously difficult to score on at this end of the tournament, particularly for teams batting second. Dew is less of a concern in Mirpur than it was in Chittagong. The weather is expected to be fine.
Stat and trivia
Mahela Jayawardene is the top scorer in World T20s with 992 runs. Chris Gayle is second with 804, but has a slightly better average and strike rate
Including this one, West Indies have made three semi-finals in this tournament and Sri Lanka, four. The last time they met at this stage, in 2009, Sri Lanka won
Samuel Badree is the third-highest wicket taker in the tournament so far, with 10 scalps at an average of 9 and an economy rate of 5.62
Quotes
"Chandimal is a very exciting young cricketer. He has got an excellent cricket brain and he was chosen because of those factors. He had a tough time and people have been very quick to point it out."
Sri Lanka coach Paul Farbrace defends the team's captain, suggesting he may yet play on Thursday
"The offspinners are the ones who have got wickets against us so we don't mind their left-arm-spinner. Hopefully, we don't play him as the New Zealanders did..."
West Indies captain Darren Sammy does not think Rangana Herath will bother his team
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
-
1 hour to go.
-
Bowling 1st. Here nah, dem Air Emrates flight attendants wicked too bad boi
-
Serious business here ,aggressive .
-
Licks sharing. Like they vex we beat them in the last final.
-
Need a change of bowler .who would you use? I say Gayle.desperate times this.
-
Just like that, 2 down.
-
:whew: back on track baby.
But Rampaul would be nice in case openers ever falter eh .
-
Is bravo fault for saying how to play amjal.just sit back ,still and swing of the back foot.
-
3
-
Wicket!
-
SL started out on fire. But we slow them down with those 3 quick wickets.
-
We need to get Dilshan.
-
We need to get Dilshan.
Like they hear you.
Great work by Simmons
-
4!!! :applause: :applause:
-
I think Shane Warne is a wonderful commentator.Hes up now.
-
Now we need Thirimanne.
-
Russell is a waste of a pick.
-
Lol not even Shane Warne knows what Sunil doing.
-
With gayle injury, we KNOW he not running now.
-
5!!!!
-
Heck we miss polly s height in the field, for those high catches.
-
Now we need Thirimanne.
Yuh calling them.
Who next?
-
nice almost catch
-
tookie need to relax
-
Oh lawd Russel
-
160-6
Hell of a catch by Bravo on the last ball. We give away 20 runs i think.
-
any links?
-
Russell is a waste of a pick.
Lack of discipline in the dregs.
-
I think Shane Warne is a wonderful commentator.Hes up now.
Sky ran a documentary on him this weekend ... It really placed his knowledge of the game in perspective, and that knowledge comes through in the commentary.
-
any links?
Scroll through the Pakistan thread and use one of those.
-
Oh lawd Russel
:busshead:
-
Gayle
is a dot-ball sponge. Out!
-
These jamaicans on the side getting old and slow it seems.
Not running or rotating enough anymore ,or they to cool to do it.
-
Not samuels please coach
-
Thank the Lord Gayle out. His performance continues to be very average this tournament.
-
Dont think u can bang those leds bails buds.
-
Come on Marlon lets have an encore from 2 years ago badman.
-
Sigh...
-
Bravo
-
Need a big innings from two people now!
-
Things delicately poised ... Fuh now.
-
Pressure!
:nailbiting:
-
Wrong man out.
-
Look like samuels finally gonna make us pay.
-
This is a task!!!
-
rain
-
and we behind 27 runs on D/L.
Gayle and Samuels... :banginghead:
-
The gods intervene .there need to yell at stupid marlon here
-
Surprised that it's hailing.
-
Is Samuels purposely throwing this match ??? If he is the cricket gods throwing stones at him.
What hes been doing is a sin.
-
23.07 and 62.06 strike rates for Gayle and Samuels respectively. Absolutely pathetic. Collectively they faced 42 balls for ONLY 21 runs!!! :pissedoff:
:frustrated::frustrated:
-
This match done.
(http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/183200/183215.jpg)
(http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/183200/183213.jpg)
-
Going forward, it is fairly evident that we need speed as well as power (i.e. ability to take singles and rotate the strike) in our batting if we want to stay relevant in 20/20 cricket.
This speed is crucial in other cricketing formats as well.
How Gibson et. al are not aware of this fact is frankly embarrassing.
-
Match officially called off. De shithongs lose.
-
I can forgive Gayle cause he dont run ,plus he get a hard lash on he foot .
But Samuels he just put away all his shots ,and not even looking around before the guys bowls .
Its so bad am sure if we need 30 in 2 overs he will take all singles !
But yet after doing this game after game ,the coach sends him back out .
Well there you go we lose the game !!
Remember this is the same guy who got banned for working with bookies .
Have to wonder ,but trying not to believe it true and thats hes just that stupid .
Personally I would drop him from the team for good.
-
Here is a quote from the 606v2 forum:
"So the Windies ridiculous tactic of blocking at the start of their innings bites them in the ass
Gayle's innings was bizarre."
I could not have summed it up any more succinctly myself.
I would have fired Gibson on the spot for the utter stupidity of his comments regarding taking singles and rotating the strike.
-
Fire Gibson now , his due date is past
-
Fire Gayle and Samuels
-
Fire Gayle and Samuels
Samuels belongs on the test team not on the 20 20 team . I would not give up on Gayle.
Gibson has to go for this debacle plus the fact that he discarded a stalwart like Chanderpaul from the ODI team
-
We have young exciting batsmen ,these guys love to run and rotate the strike it keeps them focused.
A guy Chanderpaul and even Gayle frustrates these batsmen in 20 20 and odis.