South Africa v Sri Lanka | CT 2009 | Centurion | 22/9/09

[mindless slogging]

Well just over an hour to go and Cricinfo's headline is:
'Nearly men kick off nearly event'. I hope Smith and co didn't read that.

Anyway, Gibbs is out with Amla in. Apparently there is a toss-up between Parnell and Van der Meerve for the final place (not good as I've got Parnell in my fantasy team).

Ajantha Mendis looks to miss out for Sri Lanka.

I'm rooting for Smith, AB, Kallis, Parnell and Dilshan(fantasy team ).

Sri Lanka vs South Africa, ICC Champions Trophy, 2009: September 22, 2009
Venue: Centurion

Pitch and Weather:

Temperature: Min-25 C Max-31 C

Team Updates:

South Africa team
GC Smith*, HM Amla, JH Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, MV Boucher†, JA Morkel, J Botha, RE van der Merwe, DW Steyn, WD Parnell

Sri Lanka team
TM Dilshan, ST Jayasuriya, KC Sangakkara*†, DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera, SHT Kandamby, AD Mathews, KMDN Kulasekara, M Muralitharan, SL Malinga, BAW Mendis

 

[Poison]

If SA bat first - they'll win by 50+ runs
If SA bowl first - they'll win by 6 wickets

Easy win for the Saffers.

 

[cricketpassion]

I think it will be easy win for South Africa .

 

[Jo_Don]

Well just over an hour to go and Cricinfo's headline is:
'Nearly men kick off nearly event'. I hope Smith and co didn't read that.

Anyway, Gibbs is out with Amla in. Apparently there is a toss-up between Parnell and Van der Meerve for the final place (not good as I've got Parnell in my fantasy team).

Ajantha Mendis looks to miss out for Sri Lanka.

I'm rooting for Smith, AB, Kallis, Parnell and Dilshan(fantasy team ).

Parnell and Van der Merwe should both play IMO. Ntini should be benched.

 

[The_Cricket_Devil]

Steyn, Kallis and AB Earn daddy some points

SA should win this barring something special from Jayasuriya to take the game away

 

[On_the_up]

Mendis should play, don't think SA have seen too much of him so could come unstuck.

This might not be as easy for S Africa as everyone seems to think, a potential banana skin as the saying goes.

 

[Da Best]

I've got Duminy, Sanga, De Villiers, Jayawardene and Dilshan. Should be a win for SA this one, maybe a few hick ups, but a win nevertheless.

 

[haroonrasheed320]

don't underestimate Sri Lanka they have proved it time & time again

 

[JeeraBlade]

South Africa: 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Roelof van der Merwe, 9 Johan Botha, 10 Wayne Parnell, 11 Dale Steyn.


Sri Lanka: 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilina Kandamby, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Muttiah Muralitharan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha Mendis

Should be a very good contest between two good sides.

 

[Salman]

SA win the toss, they will bowl first.

 

[Poison]

Get your predictions in now folks, who will win and by how much?

I say South Africa by 4 wickets.

 

[Oxy]

SKy a bit slow in showing the toss!

Nice weather - sparse crowd so far

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Saffers bowling first

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Sanga wanted to bat anyways!

 

[Oxy]

Sanga wanted to bat anyways!

He always says that!

 

[siccric]

I'm going to defy gravity and place my bet on Sri Lanka, but a close game nevertheless

 

[dani2k]

Two spinners each in SA! Don't discount SL at any cost..their spinners are the best in the world at strangling the opposition to death.

If SL score anything above 270 they would be a with a sure shot chance to finish victors in a supposedly dry surface. The only factor that could deter them could be the dew, which I am not sure would turn up or not..

 

[haroonrasheed320]

Sanga wanted to bat anyways!

sour grapes hahaha just kidding most Asian countries like to bat first but Sanga might be in for a shock here

 

[Oxy]

Not looking forward to Star/ESPN coverage or commentators - nor their graphics.

 

[dani2k]

Sanga would be obviously very happy to bat first.He will go back to his SL game plan template.

Bat first and score a decent score. Then unleash the spinners and the part time spinners (Dilshan, Sanath) and the trundlers (likes of Matthews) to strangulate the opposition. Game on!

Would be interesting to see how SA face Mendis..

 

[siccric]

Not looking forward to Star/ESPN coverage or commentators - nor their graphics.

Yeah, me neither. Do you know when the rights they bought expire? I hope Skysports can outbid them the next time around .

 

[dani2k]

Yeah, me neither. Do you know when the rights they bought expire? I hope Skysports can outbid them the next time around .

You have to put up with them till the 2011 WC. They have the telecasting rights for the ICC events till then

 

[MIG]

Pitch looks like its from Pakistan !

 

[Rizwan25]

I got my money on Srilanka!!!! SA should have batted first because its difficult to face triple M threat when you are chasing.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

SL 6 for 0 after 1 over

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Jayasuriya getting some magic spray on his finger after getting a first ball high one from Steyn

 

[KA$H]

Pitch looks like its from Pakistan !

Alright! home advantage for us (whenever we eventually play there)

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Digging up the pitch eh?!

 

[IAJ]

I got my money on Srilanka!!!! SA should have batted first because its difficult to face triple M threat when you are chasing.

Well if Lanka make 280+ then SA will struggle and Smith can but thank himself for that.

But on the other hand if Lanka are blown away for under 250, then SA will be the favourites.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Smashed by Jayasuriya short and wide from Parnell and its gone for 4

 

[Deewana Mastana]

And a better shot this time consecutive boundaries for Jayasuriya

4 more!

 

[Deewana Mastana]

2 fours followed up with a wide ball from Parnell

 

[z2_daredevil]

i want srilanka to win but if south africa lose india will be number 1 again

 

[Deewana Mastana]

SL 16 for 0 after 2 overs

 

[12thMan]

Here's a stat. The last four day-night games here all won by the team batting first.

Sri Lanka going at 8 an over.

 

[IAJ]

i want srilanka to win but if south africa lose india will be number 1 again

Never mind, they wont stay at #1 for so long.
Pakistan and Australia will make it to the Semis InshaAllah.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Jayasuriya gone LBW to Steyn

 

[IAJ]

Here's a stat. The last four day-night games here all won by the team batting first.

Sri Lanka going at 8 an over.

Smith want to change the trend obviously

 

[haroonrasheed320]

lack of bounce in the pitch

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Steyn is in my fantasy league team with a few more Saffers for this game.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Good shot by Dilshan for 4

 

[Deewana Mastana]

SL 21 for 1 after 3 overs

 

[haroonrasheed320]

shot shot shot

 

[z2_daredevil]

444444444444

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Good stuff by Dilshan as he's in my fantasy team too for the game!

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Wide down leg by Parnell

 

[Deewana Mastana]

SL 23 for 1 after 4 overs

 

[Deewana Mastana]

A maiden by Steyn

 

[Mohsin]

Anyone watching on GEO?

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Good stop by Duminy

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Anyone watching on GEO?

Mohsin, Is that where you watching it?

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Quick single by Dilshan could've been close if a direct hit

 

[Deewana Mastana]

But he would've made it even so

 

[Deewana Mastana]

4 by Dilshan off Steyn

 

[Deewana Mastana]

On the pads by Steyn and helped away by Dilshan

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Pulled away this time by Dilshan and consecutive boundaries

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Aamir Sohail doing the urdu commentary on GEO!

 

[Mohsin]

Mohsin, Is that where you watching it?

Nah i'm not watching it anywhere atm. Haven’t got Sky and tbh i couldnt be bothered about the commentary (especially considering the English commentary team they've got bar Wasim of course!) so gonna subscribe to GEO later today probably (plus thats means i get GEO news also so i can watch Capital Talk lol!).

 

[KA$H]

lol and i used to think that Dilshan was another Russell Arnold

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Dilshan plays his scoop shot!

FINALLY!!!

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Nah i'm not watching it anywhere atm. Haven’t got Sky and tbh i couldnt be bothered about the commentary (especially considering the English commentary team they've got bar Wasim of course!) so gonna subscribe to GEO later today probably (plus thats means i get GEO news also so i can watch Capital Talk lol!).

Yeah thats true! Is anyone else from Pak in the Eng commentary team? Rameez Raja, Waqar Younis etc;

 

[azfar wali]

A four by sanga now

 

[Poison]

Is Dilshan playing his usual "flash at everything see how lucky I get" type of game?

 

[sehban]

51/1 8 sri lanka off to a flier

 

[saffer]

Good start by Sri Lanka here. The saffers looking rusty. Should have got a few games in before the tournament.

 

[sehban]

62/1 9 overs

 

[Mohsin]

Yeah thats true! Is anyone else from Pak in the Eng commentary team? Rameez Raja, Waqar Younis etc;

Nope, it just said Wasim from a Pakistan pov

 

[Inswinging Yorker]

4444444444444 More for lankaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa good going

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Nope, it just said Wasim from a Pakistan pov

Ok

 

[Deewana Mastana]

SL going at 7.12 per over

 

[Deewana Mastana]

70 for 1 after 10 overs

 

[Inswinging Yorker]

70/1 off 10

 

[Poison]

Is this pitch like Jo'burg or something?

70-1 after 9.5

Parnell "the next big thing" copping a pasting.

 

[Inswinging Yorker]

come onnnn dangerous dilshannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[12thMan]

Anyone watching on GEO?

you want to hear funny comments from there - don't you?

Dilshan 34(28) - Sngakkara 24(29)
SL 72-1 after 11 overs @ 6.54

 

[Inswinging Yorker]

lovely greeting by dangerous dilshan for 4444444444444444444444444

 

[haroonrasheed320]

Sangakkara 24 from 29 balls this is what we want from Younis almost run a ball

 

[saffer]

Is this pitch like Jo'burg or something?

70-1 after 9.5

Parnell "the next big thing" copping a pasting.

Pollock saying the pitches are going to suit the asian teams as very slow. South Africa is coming out of winter and the hot sun hasn't had time to bake the pitches hard yet.

 

[haroonrasheed320]

Kallis has two balls remaining & already 8 runs are scored

 

[Inswinging Yorker]

50 as dangerous dilshan damages dismal southafrica