2nd ODI - NZ v Sri Lanka, Christchurch, 28 Dec 15

[Iafeta]

Sri Lanka 5 down for not many on a batting paradise. All series long I've wondered how on earth Angelo Mathews has a test average of 50. He's the modern day Mark Greatbatch. Good when the ball is in his half, bowl some into his ribs and he struggles. He got two in a row which he flinched at, second one took his wicket. It was high school cricket at its worst.

 

[vvvrulz]

Sri Lankan cricket is gone for a few years now, they had no contingency plan for the heavy amounts of class and experience that suddenly walked out the door.

Let's enjoy our dominance, for decades it was us struggling like this.

 

[Twizzle]

SL aren't much better than the Windies.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Sri Lanka 5 down for not many on a batting paradise. All series long I've wondered how on earth Angelo Mathews has a test average of 50. He's the modern day Mark Greatbatch. Good when the ball is in his half, bowl some into his ribs and he struggles. He got two in a row which he flinched at, second one took his wicket. It was high school cricket at its worst.

Averages almost 56 at home, 37 away, and you could argue that the 37 is padded a little by his 67 average in Bangladesh and 76 average in England where bounce is not as much of a weapon.

Averages 29 in Australia, 30 in New Zealand, 23 in South Africa

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

SL aren't much better than the Windies.

Probably worse in ODI's, better in Tests

 

[Twizzle]

yeh, Windies aren't a bad ODI team

 

[vvvrulz]

Averages almost 56 at home, 37 away, and you could argue that the 37 is padded a little by his 67 average in Bangladesh and 76 average in England where bounce is not as much of a weapon.

Averages 29 in Australia, 30 in New Zealand, 23 in South Africa

Mathews is a good solid player but he is nowhere near as good as his numbers suggest.
Poor guy has been Jason Holder'd a bit here, forced to carry an average team.

 

[Lego_Man]

Sri Lanka 5 down for not many on a batting paradise. All series long I've wondered how on earth Angelo Mathews has a test average of 50. He's the modern day Mark Greatbatch. Good when the ball is in his half, bowl some into his ribs and he struggles. He got two in a row which he flinched at, second one took his wicket. It was high school cricket at its worst.

You have to subtract 5-10 runs from the averages of most subcontinent batsmen to compare them to anyone from elsewhere in the world. Play a lot more on run-gift tracks and get to bash Bangladesh a lot more than anyone else. The flipside is that a lot of their bowlers are a bit better than they appear.

 

[JJ]

You have to subtract 5-10 runs from the averages of most subcontinent batsmen to compare them to anyone from elsewhere in the world. Play a lot more on run-gift tracks and get to bash Bangladesh a lot more than anyone else. The flipside is that a lot of their bowlers are a bit better than they appear.

You'd do the same for Australian batsmen at the moment

Not sure your comment on subcontinent bowlers is right - many of their records are horrible

 

[vvvrulz]

You have to subtract 5-10 runs from the averages of most subcontinent batsmen to compare them to anyone from elsewhere in the world. Play a lot more on run-gift tracks and get to bash Bangladesh a lot more than anyone else. The flipside is that a lot of their bowlers are a bit better than they appear.

Don't agree with the bowling part, there isn't a lot of world class bowlers coming from there lately.

Can't even think of one that would easily make a World XI.

 

[vvvrulz]

Chasing a pathetic total, Guptill on a mission here

 

[Rod]

Guptill was in the box seat to beat de Villiers for fastest 50 comfortably, only needed 4 off 3 balls but has taken only 1 of his last 2 balls.

Needs a boundary (or 3 I guess) with his 15th ball now.

edit: Fluffed it haha. Oh well.

 

[Lego_Man]

Choke

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Extras are probably the only thing that will stop Guptil scoring a century in a chase of 118. Lol

The last few days have been pretty embarrassing for international cricket. Windies and Lankans have sunk to some serious depths.

 

[JJ]

Guptill, what a champion, was I ever wrong :lol:

 

[vvvrulz]

Disgraceful cricket.

Guptill is a hell of a ball striker though, a shame that BMac is retiring to end that combination

 

[JJ]

Disgraceful cricket.

Guptill is a hell of a ball striker though, a shame that BMac is retiring to end that combination

Long levers, no ground big enough to hold him :lol:

 

[ANTiLAG]

This is just ridiculous.

SL are just stuffed outside turning pitches.

That pitch was flat and fast. A Cantabrian ala Australian road.

Amazing how well and quicker Henry can bowl when hes trying to break back into the team.

A lot of balls over 140 and nice length, not too short, just back of a length and occasional shape.

 

[Meth]

Was at the game.

I think Bracewell bowled better than his figures and McClenaghan's figures were flattering. But that might just be bias for and against. One thing that was so obvious at the ground is how immensely skilled the NZ fielders are.

 

[ANTiLAG]

McClenaghan's figures were flattering.

Unless he tonnes up, they normally do. He trolls wickets with short pies.

But that might just be bias for and against. One thing that was so obvious at the ground is how immensely skilled the NZ fielders are.

I actually think NZ are the best fielding test and ODI side.

Guptill: freak
Williamson: freak
Boult: freak, notwithstanding he is an opening bowler
Latham: wicketkeeper and fielding catching freak
Southee: amazing for an opening bowler, very good slip, amazing outfielder
Santner: freak (despite that one dropped catch in Adelaide)
McCullum: wicketkeeper and runs like the wind to stop boundaries. Can still be a freak at times.
Craig: best second slip in the world

I reckon Taylor is a weak link at first slip. He takes some screamers - but he misses a lot he should take easy. Even Henry was displaying uncanny skill in the outfield today. Bracewell has a good technique in the field, but he is not a freak. He's good.