Sri Lanka v South Africa, 1st Test, Galle, 16-20 July, 2014

Stain showing his absolute class now, getting his 4th to have the Lankans rocking and rolling at 6-200.

Michelle for Steyn on a road.

The man is a true great. Absolutely unequivocal that he's an ATG.

Brass Monkey wrote:The man is a true great. Absolutely unequivocal that he's an ATG.

That will have to be red stamped.

You know, just this once, I'm going to bypass her exceptional judgment and say that he is anyway.

Brass Monkey wrote:You know, just this once, I'm going to bypass her exceptional judgment and say that he is anyway.

Well now that's sorted what's your view on AB de Villiers?

Not on the same playing field as Dale Steyn.

The Flange's batting continues to thrive under the burden of captaincy.

Would have taken that at start of play.

South Africa presently exposing not only Sri Lanka's frailties, but England's feebleness.

You've got to hope (unless you are an extreme SAf fan) the home team put up some sort of a fight, though. (And not to provide any further figleaves for England's displays!)

Why extreme? I'm sure every SA fan hopes they lie down.

Yeah, I think the idea of being a fan is usually that you want your team to win and to win as comfortably as possible.

I'm with taipan, but from an England perspective. Why should a fan like me, who has nothing but contempt for our set-up from top down, want SL to paper over our cracks? I want results to be as stark as possible, to highlight the sheer incompetence that is the ECB.

Brass Monkey wrote:I'm with taipan, but from an England perspective. Why should a fan like me, who has nothing but contempt for our set-up from top down, want SL to paper over our cracks? I want results to be as stark as possible, to highlight the sheer incompetence that is the ECB.

I nearly added the caveat that being an England fan in their current state is an exception as I too would like to see a shake up at the ECB (although pigs, flying etc).

Ashes still the obvious exception. I don't want to see any sort of competition there at all, 2005 was great and all that but it was much easier to watch the 2010/11 demolition job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm always going to be wanting England to win, it's just that I'm not particularly bothered if we lose because it's another nail in England's shitty coffin.

Yeah, it's kind of a win win situation being an England fan at the moment. If we win then it's cool because my team is winning, if we lose then it shows them up to be a bunch of incompetent twats which I also enjoy.

@ taipan's post, and the 5 posts after that:

Well, I don't mind being in a minority, but personally I don't view Test cricket in quite the way I do a football match. Or like a sort of just war against invaders/aggressors. To me, it's not about beating/humiliating an inferior (sporting) nation to the max.

I'm (usually) glad if an England team win - there are conflicts and occasional exceptions, on the lines Monkehh suggests - but an utter crushing of an opposition team is not the highest delight. I'd rather win against a team that shows some fight and merit, rather than a collapsing load of stenching binjuice. (Hence the comment about hoping SL put up a decent challenge.)

It's complicated as Dan says when "basic problems are not being addressed in the England camp."* (Not talking of structural anomalies like G Clarke's quntishness this time.) But I did specifically say it's NOT because I want excuses for England - the figleaf point - that I would like Sri Lanka to show some mettle. Even if they lose.


* putting it mildly ...

Philanderer has been caught cheating.  

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/18/vernon-philander-south-africa-ball-tampering

Explains Steyn's wickets

Bowden continues to be shit. Bowing to excessive SL appealing.

Halfway through Day 4 with the SAffers a bee's dick from 300 in front with 6 wickets in hand. Perhaps give 'emselves a 400 lead and a day to roll the Lankans?

I reckon 350 is the mark.

Also depending on how quickly AB is going.

143 runs in the session so probably 400 now.

AB and de Kock prominent to give SA some impetus towards a declaration. They would want quite a few overs at Lanka tonight.

Edit - Amla declares and Lanka are chasing 370.

Steyn now 5 behind Waqar.

taipan wrote:Steyn now 5 behind Waqar.

We have no pictorial coverage here but I'm guessing there have not been any de Kock ups from Quinton behind the stumps yet? The Steyn/ de Kock combination is certainly coming into play. Noticed there was an article in our press today stating the bleeding obvious that father time has caught up with Prior.