SA Footy

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Suranga Lakmal, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Chanaka Welegedara / Shaminda Eranga.

Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Phillip Hughes, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Usman Khawaja, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Ryan Harris, 10 Trent Copeland, 11 Nathan Lyon.

After the pitch in Galle was reported to the ICC by the match referee, a more equitable surface is expected in Kandy. The grass will be shaved off, but more moisture is likely, meaning no clouds of dust on the first day, while the assistance for the spinners may not arrive until later in the game.

- Shaun Marsh and his dad Geoff will become only the second father-son combination to play Test cricket for Australia, after Ned Gregory, who was part of the very first Test match in 1877, and his son Syd, who played the last of his Tests in 1912
- Marsh's inclusion means Australia will have had five debutants in three Tests, stretching back to the Sydney Ashes Test. But it's not the first time that's happened recently: five baggy greens were handed out in the space of two Tests against South Africa in early 2009
- Mahela Jayawardene has drawn level with Don Bradman on the list of most centuries in Test cricket, with 29.

Marsh scores runs and Khawaja fails = 3rd test Ponting IN, Khawaja OUT

Father son combo. I hope Shaun performs better than Geoff. If Marsh Senior played in a better era he would have struggled to get a game at all.
Khawaja is interesting. All the talent in the world (same with Hughes), but that hasn't related to immediate results.

How many of the current crop "cut their teeth" in Test Cricket? Michael Clarke aside, it is quite rare.

M Hussey, Watson, Haddin, all played a fair bit of first class cricket before hand, and came in when they were in control of their game, and when they were in form.

Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

Why are we trying to bring in brand new guys (Khawaja, Copeland, Beer, Lyon) and expect them to dominate the world???

I have great hopes for Marsh. A good batsman, who at 27, has been around a bit, and should go well.

brod wrote:Marsh scores runs and Khawaja fails = 3rd test Ponting IN, Khawaja OUT

BUZZ. Stick with Usman regardless. Give him the full series. Made more runs than Ponting in the first test didn't he? Ponting is the one who should stay at home.

regards,

REB

Media Park wrote:Father son combo. I hope Shaun performs better than Geoff. If Marsh Senior played in a better era he would have struggled to get a game at all.
Khawaja is interesting. All the talent in the world (same with Hughes), but that hasn't related to immediate results.

How many of the current crop "cut their teeth" in Test Cricket? Michael Clarke aside, it is quite rare.

M Hussey, Watson, Haddin, all played a fair bit of first class cricket before hand, and came in when they were in control of their game, and when they were in form.

Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

Why are we trying to bring in brand new guys (Khawaja, Copeland, Beer, Lyon) and expect them to dominate the world???

I have great hopes for Marsh. A good batsman, who at 27, has been around a bit, and should go well.

A bit harsh on Geoff Marsh. He formed an excellent partnership at the top of the order with David Boon at a time when Australia were really struggling. While 33.18 isn't a brilliant average Geoff was superb with his concentration and application and played within his limitations. He scored four test centuries over 50 tests so while not a champion, he's no dud either.

regards,

REB

Media Park wrote:Father son combo. I hope Shaun performs better than Geoff. If Marsh Senior played in a better era he would have struggled to get a game at all.
Khawaja is interesting. All the talent in the world (same with Hughes), but that hasn't related to immediate results.

How many of the current crop "cut their teeth" in Test Cricket? Michael Clarke aside, it is quite rare.

M Hussey, Watson, Haddin, all played a fair bit of first class cricket before hand, and came in when they were in control of their game, and when they were in form.

Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

Why are we trying to bring in brand new guys (Khawaja, Copeland, Beer, Lyon) and expect them to dominate the world???

I have great hopes for Marsh. A good batsman, who at 27, has been around a bit, and should go well.

Geoof Marsh was one of the most courageous opening batsmen Australia has ever seen, facing a 4 pronged West Indian attack and wearing them on the body constantly would've been the most lethal bowling of all-time.
I don't think anyone is expecting world domination from the youngsters, they are the best that we have to offer atm and I'm liking the introduction to youth to try and have a long-term plan, Rome wasn't built in a day mate and we are a long way off being number 1 again, you've gotta start somewhere though.
We don't have the luxury of talent at our disposal now to have the likes of Watto, Huss and Hadds waiting in the wings.

Yep 100% i think the selectors have started to get the mixture right for where the team is at.

The out and out best players are getting a game despite age such as Hussey and Harris but there is also the next generation coming through with Khawaja, Hughes, Lyon, Copeland.

This type plan should have been implemented 3-4 years ago, finally its here so get around it.

Lightning McQueen wrote: Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

uuuummmmm..............no!

Swamp Donkey wrote:

Lightning McQueen wrote: Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

uuuummmmm..............no!

Hey, don't put my name to that quote thanks, I didn't write it

Swamp Donkey wrote:

Media Park wrote: Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

uuuummmmm..............no!

Neither did I mate, I just thought the point of the exercise was once there was a spot opened, he was someone who really knew his game, was playing well, and the results showed...

If we're going to pick young guys with limited experience (even with all the potential in the world) then we have to expect failure sometimes... So the moral was, stick with Khawaja, and unlike what we've done with our Post Warne spinners, we have to stick with them.

Media Park wrote:

Swamp Donkey wrote:

Media Park wrote: Does anyone think that early-career Mike Hussey would have had an average near Bradman proportions at the start of his career if he'd started that Test journey a lot earlier???

uuuummmmm..............no!

Neither did I mate, I just thought the point of the exercise was once there was a spot opened, he was someone who really knew his game, was playing well, and the results showed...

If we're going to pick young guys with limited experience (even with all the potential in the world) then we have to expect failure sometimes... So the moral was, stick with Khawaja, and unlike what we've done with our Post Warne spinners, we have to stick with them.

The trouble is that our spinners have been terrible, you can get away with a batsman scoring mediocre scores as long as someone else can pick up the slack, you can't go into a test a bowler short or having a bowler that's going to get a return of 100+ runs against him for minimal wickets.

whufc wrote:Yep 100% i think the selectors have started to get the mixture right for where the team is at.

The out and out best players are getting a game despite age such as Hussey and Harris but there is also the next generation coming through with Khawaja, Hughes, Lyon, Copeland.

This type plan should have been implemented 3-4 years ago, finally its here so get around it.

Agreed with everything that has been said here!!

Sri Lanka won the toss and has elected to bat.

Confirmed teams

Sri Lanka team
TM Dilshan*, NT Paranavitana, KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera, HAPW Jayawardene†, AD Mathews, RAS Lakmal, S Randiv, UWMBCA Welegedara, S Prasanna
Australia team SR Watson, PJ Hughes, SE Marsh, MJ Clarke*, MEK Hussey, UT Khawaja, BJ Haddin†, MG Johnson, RJ Harris, TA Copeland, NM Lyon

No Mendis

Lightning McQueen wrote:No Mendis

Has a sore back.

Good to see my man Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanga Welegedara playing.

Brodlach wrote:

Lightning McQueen wrote:No Mendis

Has a sore back.

Phew (insert smilie hand wiping forehead)

They call him Dave.

smac wrote:They call him Dave.

Of course.

Some other former crackers:
Vinothen John Bede Jeyarajasingham
Frederick Ranjan Manilal de Silva Gunatilleke
Ellekutige Rufus Nemesion Susil Fernando

Wicket

2.4
Harris to Paranavitana, OUT

NT Paranavitana c †Haddin b Harris 0 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00


1/2