Rest of the World

First topic message reminder :

I figure a thread for cricket stuff from around the world that doesn't warrant a series-thread is useful

Ha . Got home from our end of season party just in time to see Kusal Perera bring off one of the greatest run chases of all time... What a wonderful performance

Still cannot believe 78 for the tenth wicket...

After all the sh.. Sri Lanka have worn lately this will give them a hell of a lift. Just goes to show how little there really is between all the Test teams at present . Which actually , I like ... far better than having some dominant force trampling all before it.

Saw the score was 226-9 and thought it was all over. Checked again and SL had WON. Not sure if that's the highest 10th wicket stand to win a Test. May well be.

It's heartening to see the revival of Lanka and WI in test cricket
& Doubly so that neither of these revivals was at India's cost

sirfredperry wrote:Saw the score was 226-9 and thought it was all over. Checked again and SL had WON. Not sure if that's the highest 10th wicket stand to win a Test. May well be.

I'm almost certain it is. I reckon the previous best was a 50-something by Inzamam and Mushtaq against the Ausies sometime in the 90s (certainly it was at the time, though there may have been bigger ones since).

What a knock from Perrera! Whenever the greatest Test innings of all time get discussed Brian Lara's 153* to lead the WI to a win against Australia in 99 gets mentioned, and this effort was pretty much identical (with some weird coincidences, such as them ending on the same score, and both batting at 5). So this knock surely has to now be in the discussion also.

Here's the full list of match-winning tenth wicket partnerships (assuming I've done it right). My above post was correct. Amazingly there've only been 13 one-wicket wins in Test history!

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;innings_number=4;orderby=fow_score;partnership_wicketmin1=10;partnership_wicketval1=partnership_wicket;result=1;template=results;type=fow;view=innings

It is one of the most interesting and competitive fight. Kushal Perera has only one triple digit score behind his name before this, and he went on two score 204 in the match. After the fall of 9th wickets I saw Perera giving the whole over of Maharaj for Fernando to defend. Seriously man I was not sure the number 11 will hold on for long. He played 27 of the last 96 deliveries. However the real focus should be on Perera. He held his nerves.

It was SL's 2nd Test win in SA and from here it will be first time that they will not lose a series. SL really came hard after their dismal performances in the last couple of months. I hope other SL batsmen will learn the art of calmness from a man whose batting style matches the Great Sanath Jayasurya.

Well done boys. Cheers. Many Many congratulations.

Agree with all that’s been said. One of the greatest test innings ever. One of the greatest test comebacks ever. Magic. Best sport in the world.

Even more incredible...this game didn't involve Pakistan or England!
Its almost inexplicable how players can produce these performances seemingly out of nowhere. He top scored in the first innings too, and no other Lankan batsman past that mark in the second. As noted above hes got no real pedigree in any format as a quality international player, the sort of average that would get him in Englands top 6
Even Philanders injury cant explain it, for once SA were fielding a proper 5 man attack in this game and have a half decent wicket taking spinner.

Unexpected, incredible solo performance, keeps things interesting. This game has shown that SA still have an issue with their batting, Philander at 7 is ridiculous in this age, and Amlas a shadow of the player he was. Bavuma just isnt good enough (something about England again) to bat 5 or really play in a team that would be aiming to be at the top of the rankings.

But really it comes down to their seamers turning up and a career best batting performance from Perera

Another remarkable thing about the win was the fact that SL made the highest score of the match to win in the fourth innings. This happens VERY RARELY in Test cricket.

sirfredperry wrote:Another remarkable thing about the win was the fact that SL made the highest score of the match to win in the fourth innings. This happens VERY RARELY in Test cricket.

Its half expected to happen when you win the toss and put opposition in..........but you are right doesn't happen too often........and especially in winning causes
a game for the ages on many counts

It's the highest final wicket stand to win a match in First Class cricket. Think of how many games that covers! Mind boggling performance, and shouldn't be forgotten it was made possible by Sri Lanka not giving up with the ball

I see Scotland had a tough ODI assignment - bowling Oman out for 24!

20 balls to chase down the target. Away from home.

But we should have more associates at the world cup right

That's more "oh man" than Oman. The top scorer made 15 as well, rather saved the day

Not to be confused with Irelands O'Man.
Not to be confused with the Isle of Man.

Man am I confused. Oman need to be stopped from playing cricket. Teams like England would never be less that 50 all out :O

Well Oman actually came back and levelled the series against Scotland today, so fair play to them for racking up 248 just two days after making 24.

Flat track bullies

That's some turnaround, the Scots must have though they were "Oman dried" in the series

Sri Lanka at it again - South Africa 16/3 on the first morning of the test.

Mini-recovery to 73/3, before the unlikely figure of Karunaratne clean-bowled Du Plessis. 73/4 at lunch.

South Africa getting torn apart - 157/7. This Sri Lanka bowling performance is unrecognisable from the one that got pummelled against England/Australia/New Zealand.

Sri Lanka, who have never won a test series in South Africa, might be heading for a famous 2-0 victory.

Not a first choice SA bowling unit either, could be very interesting. Never say a first innings scores under par in SA till youve seen them bowl though.

Quite incredible all the same as you say Duty, as with the Windies against England they seem to have conjured this from nowhere, and SA cant even say theyve been caught napping this time.

222 all out. De Kock's brisk 86 has lent the innings credibility.

Can Sri Lanka get to the magical 300 mark on a bowler-friendly deck?

De Kock with a useful 80-odd drags SA up to a semi-respectable 222, but once Da Silva sneaked one through him SL wrapped up the tail with minimal fuss, and SA end on 222.

Big innings for SL coming up.

Gooseberry wrote:Not a first choice SA bowling unit either, could be very interesting. Never say a first innings scores under par in SA till youve seen them bowl though.

Quite incredible all the same as you say Duty, as with the Windies against England they seem to have conjured this from nowhere, and SA cant even say theyve been caught napping this time.

Yes, and we've recently had New Zealand turn over Pakistan in the UAE. Turbulent times for test cricket.

VTR wrote:That's some turnaround, the Scots must have though they were "Oman dried" in the series

If I were a cricket mod and not just a rugby one I would ban you for that pun. 

After an initial tame start, Sri Lanka were put under huge pressure by hostile, fast bowling from Steyn/Rabada/Olivier. Thirimanne has done excellently to defy the opposition, but it's 59/3 at stumps. I found it amusing that Sri Lanka brought out a night watchman who faced just one ball!

Advantage narrowly with South Africa, but Sri Lanka only need one big partnership to change that, and the pitch is already taking variable bounce. Oh and Sri Lanka are down to ten men, effectively, with one of their bowlers out injured.

(Only 82 overs bowled in the day!)

Sri Lanka out for 154. South Africa 10/1 at lunch.

Gooseberry wrote: Never say a first innings scores under par in SA till youve seen them bowl though.

Normal service is resumed....

...but something about Sri Lanka chasing unachievable 4th innings targets

Sri Lanka picking away in the second innings...51/3. They have a decent chance if they keep the lead below 200.

Could be a close finish again. Also, another failure for the most overrated batsman in Test history. Bavuma still only one century, and that was on one of the biggest roads of all time. Averages less than 35 from over 30 matches

Yep, three wickets for ten runs. Sri Lanka scrapping brilliantly, though it’s mostly a case of poor batting.

SL bowlers doing an excellent job of keeping themselves in this, after a pretty ordinary effort with the bat.

SA now 100/6 as De Silva picks up his second wicket.

Lakmal picks up another after an excellent over, getting some reverse swing back into Maharaj, and eventually trapping him LBW.

Worth pointing out that Maharaj was only on strike in that over because of an excellent bit of fielding by SL in the previous over, keeping an edge to third-man in and limiting the batsman to 3 runs. Small things.

SA 113/7

And now Rabada gone too. Lakmal in the middle of a wonderful spell here, getting the ball to go across Rabada with a bit of extra bounce, and a straightforward catch at second slip.

SA 115/8, and Duty's call of a lead under 200 looking a possibility here.

Oh wow - South Africa bowled all out for 117, but no...De Silva has overstepped! Absolutely shocking from the off spinner...that would've been a chase of 187.

Could that be a pivotal point?

Oh my! Looks like De Silva has wrapped up the innings with two in an over, the first to a brilliant catch at short-leg, and the second as Du Plessis runs down the pitch and misses an ungainly swipe to be well stumped. But De Silva has over-stepped!

How much will that cost?

Umpires have had a quietly excellent game.

It's a shame this is only a two test series - been excellent so far

Is the pitch a minefield, or is the batting just atrocious?

If Lakmal had been in front of the stumps to collect that, Olivier would have been short

LondonTiger wrote:Is the pitch a minefield, or is the batting just atrocious?

Pitch has enough to keep the bowlers interested, but not a minefield by any stretch. Bowling has been good, and batting indifferent at best.

Olivier given out. He'll review, but I reckon at worst this'll be umpire's call. Yup, umpire's call on height, but taking a decent chunk of the bails, think that's another very good decision. De Silva's no-ball costing SL only 12 runs in the end, and after a really fine bowling effort from SL, they'll chase 197 for an incredible series win.

Astonishing collapse. Hope Sri Lanka do it, but I think it’ll be 30/40 runs too many.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:If Lakmal had been in front of the stumps to collect that, Olivier would have been short

It's good to have you back MFC

Wait until I get started on the over-rates

Holding on comms: I think what they need to be reporting to the ICC is some of these batsmen.

Decent start from the Sri Lankan openers, again, but South Africa have put themselves back in control after good lines from Rabada and Oliver. 34/2, possibly only seven wickets to get.

This test could be over by lunchtime on day three.

60/2 at stumps. 137 more needed for Sri Lanka to win the series 2-0. 136 more and they'll win it 1-0! Still have to favour South Africa from this position: wickets tend to fall in clusters on this pitch, Sri Lanka are a player light, and that's a pretty long tail as well.

SL end the day on 60/2. Game very much in the balance, tomorrow should be a cracker.

Ha ! I turned in early thinking SA were , if not exactly cruising , in control with just three down and the lead over 130 ... and missed all the fun! Not the easiest pitch , true ; but seems fairly evenly poised now ? Just need a fast fifty from Dickwella and the job's done

Lanka getting close to and looking like creating history