Sri Lanka v Australia, 2nd Test, Galle, 4-8 Aug, 2016

JGK wrote:Soft doesn't begin to cover it.  When was the last time they batted out a draw?

Brisvegas 2010 vs Poms 1/107
Barreltown 2009 vs Windies 5/212
Greater Burnley 2005 vs Poms 9/371
SpivCentral 2004 vs Banindia 6/357
Expat Central 2001 vs Snoozies 7/381

Stop whingeing, lads. We'll do you for infringement.


Aus will bounce back soon enough. Since Pidge and TGM, it's been inconsistent, but never far down for long.

Henry wrote:I think this current Australian team is just a little bit soft.

And they think they're better than they really are, due to their dominance at home inflating their stats. They refuse to believe they are the underdog, so they can't ever play like they are when things get tough.

They need a tough coach like Micky Arthur.

Unless you have quality spinners, I think it's a mistake for non sub-continental sides to pick two at the expense of an extra seamer on the sub-continent. Lyon and Holland, between them, took a third of the Sri Lankan wickets to fall. Would the extra quick have done any worse? I doubt it, and that's what Sri Lankan batsmen are vulnerable to.

great series win for the Lankans

It's good to see that Australia are learning from past mistakes and no longer picking players based on T20 performances....

http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-australia-2016/content/story/1043931.html

It shouldn't be forgotten that last English Summer Australia proved themselves to be extremely poor at playing the swinging and seaming ball as well, and Head is in the middle of a stint with Yorkshire which could only be beneficial for him. Very strange decision to send him to Sri Lanka apparently to "learn" but not actually be any chance of playing in the third test.

Window dressing.

It makes no sense to pull a guy with a first class average of 32 out of a County stint, to go to Sri Lanka and not play for a week.

Picking a batsman with 3 first class hundreds and an average of 32 who just happened to slog a few quite well in the last big bash for the test side is just so typical of Australia in the last five years.

Aye.

Peter Hanscombe is an excellent player of spin. Expect him to be not considered.

Fork at the moment is a better player than Mere Marsh...ffs even Reeks is better.

The GCS needs a massive kick and removal from the leadership group. Won't happen because of advertising deals.

While I am a fan of Neville's keeping, he adds little with the bat beyond stoic defence.

The Smith leadership seems to be of the Cook class, but there is no-one else knocking on that door.

The bizarre decision to dump Holland into the second test is consistent with those of the Marsh era - still a million miles ahead of the lamentable Hilditch.

Henry wrote:I think this current Australian team is just a little bit soft.

for once youre being far too ****** kind to them
theyre softer than ice cream thats been sitting in the sun for a week