Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 2022. Thread is now complete.

[RedVHeartbeat]

Looks like Australia is heading to victory. Over 100run ahead and still 2 wickets.

Great to see you guys taking an interest in Test cricket.

Yes Eric pure guts and determination has us sitting pretty with a big lead on a deck that will not be any easier for the Lankans to bat on. They may well have cut their own throat producing this dust bowl. They certainly have underestimated our resolve and improved spin play from past tours. How good were Khawaja, Green and Carey to carve a solid advantage from the miserable early position we found ourselves in.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Cameron Green is the wk, isn't he?

No. That is Alex Carey. Cameron Green is being hailed as Australia's next elite cricketer. And our best all rounder (bat&bowl) since Keith Miller 75 years ago.

 

[Eric]

Be tops if that was the case. Not counting my chooks just yet as we have to take into account our opposition batsmen grow up on big spinning pitches like this one.

I've put my prediction out there. What say you at this stage of the match?

 

[Eric]

I have found making bold predictions over a decade of posting on sports forums, has a way of leaving you with the proverbial egg on face. I will say tho that if we can add another 20/30 to our lead then restrict them to no more that 250 then we should not be chasing more than 120 to win the Test match. But that will no easy task as the Lankans will have the better of the pitch conditions with us having to bat last on a deteriorated surface..

I reckon they'll struggle to get 250. I reckon they'll get around 180.

And I haven't worked out the math on how this matches up with my earlier prediction so I hope that doesn't leave me with egg on my face

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

The game has restarted yet inexplicably, Fox is finishing a replay then running adds. What the...

How embarrassing if they have forgotten the early start to days play.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Both wickets falling for only an additional 8 runs to give us a 109 lead.. Still that is substantial given the scoreboard pressure the Lankans are facing.

Poor start to our second innings by Mitchell Starc. He has wiped out much of the scoreboard pressure the Lankans were facing. Always been the lefties problem.Yet our most economic bowler Josh Hazlewood in on the bench.

Our spinners doing the job again. They are in big trouble at 3 for - 50. Your 180 is now looking way too many Eric.

 

[Eric]

I have to say I told you so, that preparing this type of pitch may backfire against Sri Lanka.. and it has, Our spinners are using the helpful conditions well but I have to question the commitment of their batmen. No footwork to get to the pitch, sweeping in front of stumps.. generally lacking any confidence.

I'll try not to brag if it keeps going as is.

 

[Chris M]

Looks like Australia is heading to victory. Over 100run ahead and still 2 wickets. The last 2 aren't going to score many but Pat Cummins is still in and he might score a few runs quickly.

Expect Australia to be chasing 50~100 runs, barring a spectacular batting turn around from Sri Lanka, late on the 4th day. Of course there is also the possibility of a Sri Lanka batting collapse giving Australia an innings victory.

You overestimated them by around 60runs. But pretty lose overall. Game won't reach a 5th day.

 

[Chris M]

I am blown away. An Aussie side rolling a sub continental one at lunch on the third day. All our spinners were good but this match was won yesterday by three blokes.. Ussie, Cam Green and Alex Carey.

Gotta hand it to our skipper. He identified where Nathan Lyon was having the most success and gave his only other offie Travis Head a trundle to follow suit. Head nailed his length to perfection aided by some woeful spin play by the opposition.

Maybe like Souffs 2 weeks ago, it's no so much one side was really good but the other was really bad. I didn't watch it but game over within 3 days suggests pretty ordinary batting by one side.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Cameron Green is the Man of the Match . Had to be a batsman. Was out of he and Usman. The giant all rounder continues to impress.

 

[Morgan]

Cameron Green is the Man of the Match . Had to be a batsman. Was out of he and Usman. The giant all rounder continues to impress.

Is there going to be a second test? I know there usually would be but due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, I wonder if it isn't or won't be cancelled?

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Second Test Morgan.

The Iceman is back after a 546 day dry spell. It was the Master, Steve Smith and his Apprentice, Marnus Labuchagne on show in Galle as they put a depleted Lankan attack to the sword overnite.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Too few wickets and some missed chances on day three now has the opposition driving this game.. even tho it is shaping as a draw which is all the Baggy Greens need to take the series. Nathan Lyon failed to stamp his authority again in the first innings while his spin partner Mitch Swepson toiled away but spilled a return catch at a crucial point in the match. The quicks too were largely ineffective with the skipper Cummins putting in for 24 unrewarded overs.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Sri Lanka with its best ever score against Australia now has us facing serious scoreboard pressure with a 190 deficit to wipe off before we are on the board in the second innings. Our only saving grace is we only need to draw the match to win the series.

 

[Chris M]

Sri Lanka with its best ever score against Australia now has us facing serious scoreboard pressure with a 190 deficit to wipe off before we are on the board in the second innings. Our only saving grace is we only need to draw the match to win the series.

The way things are going with the Dragons, I'm almost looking forward to the cricket season.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Well Australia that was one hell of a capitulation after we got out of the blocks like Usain Bolt. As it turned out we were definitely 100 short of what we needed from that first innings. Congrats Sri Lanka for bouncing back from the first match drubbing. Showed, self belief, resilience and great character. As for our boys there needs to be some soul searching before we select our squad for the India tour early next year.

 

[Chris M]

Well Australia that was one hell of a capitulation after we got out of the blocks with a bang. As it turned out we were definitely 100 short of what we needed from that first innings. Congrats Sri Lanka to bounce back from the drubbing in the first match. Showed resilience and great character. As for our boys there needs to be some soul searching before we select our squad for the India tour early next year.

I just checked the news. What a surprise (not) that Steve Smith is being roasted for an appalling review of an out call. He's a very good batsman, not doubt but sometime he gets out cheaply. He needs to accept it rather than try to get the decision overturned every time it's possible.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Smith aint the only world Test batsman that does that. I reckon in his case it is because he is such a perfectionist and that to lose his wicket cheaply is such a shock and embarrassment to him. Having said that, these days a batsman has the prerogative to review an out decision if he deems an umpire mistake. It is now enshrined in the laws of the game.

 

[Chris M]

Smith aint the only world Test batsman that does that. I reckon in his case it is because he is such a perfectionist and that to lose his wicket cheaply is such a shock and embarrassment to him. Having said that, these days a batsman has the prerogative to review an out decision if he deems an umpire mistake. It is now enshrined in the laws of the game.

I see. I don't know about the batsman for other teams but I noticed when Smith was caught LBW a few times before Covid, he immediately called for a review. Without even consulting the batsman at the other end, without even thinking about it. And he was wrong. I thought maybe he had grown out of it but seems not.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

I see. I don't know about the batsman for other teams but I noticed when Smith was caught LBW a few times before Covid, he immediately called for a review. Without even consulting the batsman at the other end, without even thinking about it. And he was wrong. I thought maybe he had grown out of it but seems not.

Fair point.
This thread is now complete. Further Aussie cricket stuff can be found in the Baggy Greens thread.