India vs Sri Lanka

Suffice to say, India has now rather definitively proved that Sri Lanka has no business sitting in the # 2 position on the ICC Test Rankings.

Decent performance in the first match, but two follow-ons in the succeeding matches?  Time for some serious self-reflection for Sri Lanka.

Sreesanth the Bloody

Another belated post-weekend post, about another follow-on-inducing massacre.

Sreesanth came out with accumulated figures of 33 Ov, 8 M, 122 R, 6 W, 2nb.  But more importantly, he tore the Sri Lankan top-order to pieces in the first innings, getting a five-for, four of them against notable danger-men, including Sangakkara.  Not as present in the second innings, but that was largely because the second innings belonged to the spinners (and surprisingly, Sehwag).

I have to admit, I was really surprised to see the Sri Lankans come apart at the seams like this.  They seemed to have everything together at Motera, their only problem was hyper-cautiousness, especially in their captain, and a penchant for preferring batting records to victory.  To go from Motera to this is quite a puzzler.

And remind me not to doubt Kanpur groundsmen.

India 642
Sri Lanka 229 & 269

Well don't I look like a twit?

Here I was saying wilderness and draw draw draw when Sreesanth was cavorting about the pitch claiming wicket after wicket.

Guess that proves how much of a pessimist I am.  Of course, I don't imagine that there were too many people, after that greek-tragedy-we-know-as-Motera who were expecting a follow-on after seeing the Indians amass over 600 runs.  But still.

Either way, impressive as hell!

2nd Test at Kanpur

Okay, a disclaimer first: I'm short on sleep and between coffees!


So, what will we have today, a pitch that could double as the taxiway of Kanpur International Terminal that looks like they picked it up from the salt-flats and sprinkled yellow food dye on it, or a pitch that might even have a little green, a bit of a root system, maybe some cracks on the fourth and fifth day.  Something that won't inspire the bowler's to take the cherry and instead of bowling it, try and use its seams to slit their wrists.

India will be taking to the 2nd Test the knowledge that their batters CAN all fire together, that their pace attack is decent and their spin attack is toothless.  I know, I'm as bewildered as the rest of you.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will know that they by rights should have had that match, but essentially they hyper-cautioned themselves out of the match.  Poor reading of the pitch, hyper-defensiveness and slow batting did them in.  All the double and triple-centuries in the world can't win a match for you if you take too long.  At least they can console themselves with another half-dozen milestones and records.

Big news of course it that Dhoni will be able to play and Prasad will not.  Prasad may not have been the spitfire Welegedara was, but he was still a very big part of their attack and I suspect his absence will be sorely felt.

I'm not going to hazard a guess at a result to this mathc until I see how the pitch starts to play.

Update 1:
India will bat first.  Pitch is said to be more bowler friendly (as if anything could be less friendly than Motera).  Anyway, this is good news to be starting the day with.

Update 2:
Freesanth and Ojha???

Update 3:
This is starting to look ugly, with a sky-high run rate no less.

Update 4:
So will Dhoni be aiming for a score of 761?

Update 5:
Good lord, they're all out, where did that come from??

India vs Sri Lanka, Day 5 at Motera

Sri Lanka seems to have understimated how easy this pitch is to play on, allowing India to build up 190/2, giving India a very good chance of holding on for the draw.  Barring no irregular deterioration, the match seems relatively safe and Sri Lanka may have thrown away their best chance to date of a win on Indian soil.

Neither team has racked up 8 wickets in a day so far on this pitch and with a 45-over old ball, I'm not expecting any big surprises. India should over-take the lead by early afternoon and even if Sri Lanka gets to bat again, there would be very little opportunity to chase it down.

Here's hoping the next pitch is a little more lively.

So far the big standouts of the match would have to be:
a) Dravid's new groove
b) Welegedara, great potential, will need to see what he does in the next two matches
c) the frustrating and inexplicable failure of Team India's spinners
d) Dhoni seeming to lose his nerve with field placement and bowling choices.

Update:
Mishra just got a life courtesy of Dilshaan, dropped catch in slip.  Forgot to dry his hands before heading out?

Update 2:
Mishra getting the better of Murali's bowling, fifth sign of the apocalypse or sixth sign?

Why in the name of little green apples is Sangakkara setting defensive fields?  You're not defending a total, you're trying to win a match!  Can someone go over and poke him in the shoulder, see if he's awake?

Update 3:
Dilshaan get's an opportunity to put things right and holds the catch from Mishra.  We should all be so lucky in getting second chances ):

Update 4:
A century for Gambhir!  See, thats how you do it, Viru, by not playing it like a drunken sailor going after everything in your path.

Update 5:
Why would he charge a spinner when they're trying to bat out the match???  Gambhir, what were you thinking?  Oh well, on comes Very Very Special Laxman and the innings continues.

Update 6:
Just saw the bet365  odds:
Draw 1.00
Sri Lanka 51.00
India 501.00

I sense a get rich quick scheme coming on!

Sri Lanka 760/7d

Eep.

Something really needs to be done about this predilection for flat lifeless decks.  Really, 760/7d?  Bring back some life in the pitches, groundsmen!

Mahela Jayawardene's innings were extraordinary and he couldn't have asked for better support than Prasanna provided him with.

India can bat their way to safety on this, depending on what condition it is in tomorrow.  But if there was any pitch you were going to try and bat your way to safety for a day and a half on, well, this is it.  A win is impossible at this stage I think, but India can still try and rescue a draw.

Either way, there will be some hard and long discussions about the bowling before the next test.