1st Match - New Zealand v Sri Lanka

[James]

Discussion surrounding the 1st Match of the World Cup between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

 

[_Ed_]

Weather outlook is good.

Such a huge event for Christchurch. Wish I could be down there.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, really hoping this all goes well. Be a great boost for Christchurch if it turns out a good day with a big crowd in and a home win.

 

[Bahnz]

Still fascinated to see which 3 seamers get picked for the first game. My current suspicion is that NZ will go with the following XI:

McCullum, Guptill, KW, Taylor, Elliot, Anderson, Ronchi, Vettori, Milne, Southee, Boult

 

[Athlai]

Milne/McClenaghan is the big question in my mind.

 

[Bahnz]

Milne/McClenaghan is the big question in my mind.

Yeah, Milne bowled really well with the new ball in the first ODI v SRL at Hagley, but Mitch picked up a bucket of his usual troll wickets to restrict SRL to a gettable total, so it's a fiendishly difficult question to answer.

 

[Athlai]

I don't think the South African top 5 are going to be really wowed by Milne's extra pace. If there is swing he'll obviously be a big threat though.

I think McClenaghan is the better choice against Sri Lanka but if the skies are grey go Milne.

 

[Zinzan]

Just hope my fear of Malinga coming out of nowhere and doing a job on us (as he has so often in the past) doesn't transpire.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

Just hope my fear of Malinga coming out of nowhere and doing a job on us (as he has so often in the past) doesn't transpire.

You keep on bringing this up but the bloke has only taken 2 4 wicket bags against us, which for a fast bowler is hardly awesome. 1 of those bags we rolled them worse than what he did to us so they still lost.

Herath and Senanayake (dilshan even) are the keys. We have always struggled more with their spinners than with him. Plus he looks like Ranatunga now and will be lucky to bowl 10 overs

 

[Mike5181]

Just hope my fear of Malinga coming out of nowhere and doing a job on us (as he has so often in the past) doesn't transpire.

He's not exactly destroying Zimbabwe at the moment.

 

[jonbrooks]

Oh boy, I'm so nervous about this. We got beat by SL in the last ODI so they'd be feeling pretty confident. It's going to be a good game.

 

[jonbrooks]

He's not exactly destroying Zimbabwe at the moment.

This is true but historically we've always struggled against the unorthodox bowlers.

 

[Bahnz]

He's not exactly destroying Zimbabwe at the moment.

warm-up
noun
a period or act of preparation for a match, performance, or exercise session, involving gentle exercise or practice.

 

[Athlai]

Making everyone a present for the momentous occasion.

 

[Zinzan]

You keep on bringing this up but the bloke has only taken 2 4 wicket bags against us, which for a fast bowler is hardly awesome. 1 of those bags we rolled them worse than what he did to us so they still lost.

Herath and Senanayake (dilshan even) are the keys. We have always struggled more with their spinners than with him. Plus he looks like Ranatunga now and will be lucky to bowl 10 overs

Even forgetting his big bags, his 1-25 off 9 in the '07 semi when we were chasing 290 for victory is still fresh in my memory. Got Fleming LBW early & after that we struggled to hit him off the square.

Obviously I'm hoping I'm wrong & everyone else is right in that he's over the hill now & unlikely to be much of a threat.

 

[Bahnz]

Even forgetting his big bags, his 1-25 off 9 in the '07 semi when we were chasing 290 for victory is still fresh in my memory. Got Fleming LBW early & after that we struggled to hit him off the square.

Obviously I'm hoping I'm wrong & everyone else is right in that he's over the hill now & unlikely to be much of a threat.

Obviously he's a very different bowler from the 2007 edition. Back then his effort ball came through in the 146-150 range. He hasn't bowled that quick since his major injury problems that he went through a few years back, and he generally hasn't looked that big a threat in recent times (since the mid-year tour of England). Still, I generally share your concern.

 

[hendrix]

It's just that change in quality changes the quality of the whole attack IMO. One less easy scoring option, one more wicket taking threat. It makes quite a difference.

 

[Athlai]

Here you go lads, take it to the pub, share it with your friends. Get smashed while we smash 'em and go the blackcaps!

 

[Flem274*]

Should be squares for the commentators speed radar watching Milne, talking about Mitch M's "pace", and bemoaning the lack of yorkers or bouncers.

 

[Athlai]

I don't want to kill anyone.