South Africa vs Sri Lanka 4th ODI 20/1/2012 at De Beers Diamond Oval Kimberley

Today sees the fourth ODI between SA and Sri Lanka played in Kimberley. SA have already won the 5 match series 3-0.

Coach Gary Kirsten says he is very happy with the competition for places within the squad and it will serve his long term stratey well of having a squad of 16 or so players all ready to step into the squad then necessary.

Although winning is very important as a culture for the team, it is also very important tat experimentation takes place at the moment by rotating players to find the best combination for the long term.

Wayne Parnell has been called in and Dale Steyn has been given a rest for the remainder of the series.

One thing that I am personally very happy to see is how Kirsten has been prepared to rotate his middle order during the last three ODI's, his thought processes is that the batsmen in the middle order needs to have the flexibility of being changed as the match day situation requires, he believes the middle order are the finishers of the ODi innings and to that effect combinations such as left and right to make it more difficutl for bowlers and when the closers come in to be of maximum effect during the innings carries priority.

Currently it is this experimentation which will provide him with the confirmation of who his finishers will be at 4,5,6 and 7 batting position.

SA has a proud record here of never having lost an ODI match, but they have also never batted first at De Beers Diamond oval.

Hi Biltong,

Damn foxsports had the first 3 matches live... but not this one!
It's all AO tennis on the red button too.

Can you post the odd update in the scores, mate?

Best of luck going for 4-0.

I will only be able to update you guys on the second innings.

I have a jamming session on Friday afternoons.

Me, a bottle of whiskey, my guitar and the rest of my band.

Ha, sounds excellent, Biltong Enjoy!

Nice way to spend a Friday... enjoy yourself!

Think I might do the same except for the guitar & the band.

At the risk of potentially jinxing him but goodness me, De Villiers is such a class act isn't he? Love watching him bat (and field come to mention it).

AB is a very, very good player. Like you, I thoroughly enjoy watching him bat, he plays strokes with such classic posture and with such emphatic authority.

England , one ABDV grandparent away for being the number one ranked ODI side

Ha, too true.

how dare they drop Mahela!

wickets tumbling, with AB getting out on 96, du plessis followed

Is it just me who is always amazed when Parnell gets promoted up the order? We did it down at hove several times last season and I swear it only helped once!

not promoted, he is in at 7, because they played 5 bowlers.

Cricinfo had him down as coming in at 9....


Still my point still stands, anyone else wonder why he is quite often promoted?

Well, a good result for SL to limit the damage to 299. SA were at one stage looking likely to be around 350-360 after the 50 overs.

Unless SL have a briiliant batting day, 4-0 is on the cards.

sri lanka selectors are getting a strongly written letter, with regards to the dropping of Mahela

Was it a good innings by us?

I am back now and hope to see some exciting cricket.

biltongbek wrote:Was it a good innings by us?

I am back now and hope to see some exciting cricket.

Good start, very good knock by ABDV, but the long tail was rather exposed at the death. At one stage 320+ looked on, but in the end it was only a daft decision by Dilshan to bowl himself at the death that let the tail get through to 300.

Some good batting from Dilshan and Sanga so far

Yeah, that is a good start. Sri Lanka by memory got 290 in a world cup ODI in 2003 on this ground.

if sri lanka had mahela then this chase would be easier

Has he been dropped or just rested? Cricinfo were claiming hed be made captain after the tour

dropped

He's had a hard time in SA only averaging 24 though but still he's a decent batsman at home especially.

Anyway, SL wins after a brutal knock from Perera after a fine innings from Dilshan.

At what point will someone notice that SA are playing with 10 men and a Faf Du Plessis and do something about it?

looking ahead to the fifth game......

botha in for peterson perhaps?

du plessis good f/c cricketer, but not good enough IMO for international cricket.

will be interesting to see if they make some changes or bring Steyn back