Ajantha Mendis

[sohum]

Murali also went for 52 in his 10 overs, so I wouldn't be making claims like that after 1 game. It's going to happen though, every time he has a bad game people will be wondering whether people have figured him out. It's the same with Mitchell Johnson, he's had a bad series against South Africa in ODi's, but that doesn't mean that they've figured him out. Mendis' FC record proves that he'll continue to take wickets, he's got a phenomenal record, and will continue to trouble batsmen with his variation.

Mendis has only played 1 domestic season, if I remember correctly, and that's not giving enough time for domestic batsmen to figure him out. That's why my question was whether his honeymoon period is over. He even struggled to get top order wickets against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, IIRC.

For anyone watching the match, was he troubling the batsmen at all?

 

[King Pietersen]

25 FC matches and 44 List A's, that should be long enough to work someone out, and it's more than 1 season as well I presume.

 

[tomie89]

he's not realydoing to good in the last thew odi matches

 

[sohum]

25 FC matches and 44 List A's, that should be long enough to work someone out, and it's more than 1 season as well I presume.

I stand corrected, it's his third season. He debuted in 2006, but took off in the 2007-08 season.

Here's his First Class match list. He's played 20 domestic first class games and averages about 14 with them. However, he's only played one game in the top Tier of the Sri Lankan domestic league (which I assume is Tier A), having played the rest of the 19 games either in a lower league (which I assume is "Segment B") or the second division of the top league (which I assume is Tier B).

Also, it would take domestic batsmen a lot more time to figure him out since they are, by definition, not good enough to be in the national team, in most cases.

All unique players have a honeymoon period when they are unplayable and score runs or get wickets by the bagful. I expected Mendis' period to be a lot longer, although he may still have a bit of it left when playing the non-subcontinental teams.

 

[YellowMonkey]

There's always a danger he'll be worked out

also he hasn't had it tough like Murali and Warne did at the start so it will be interesting how he handles getting tonked a few times

A monkey at the cricket: Ajantha Mendis: Hopefully not the second coming of Jack Iverson

 

[Insomniac]

Since we're talking about bold statements and all, here's another one:

No batsman has figured me out

No batsman has figured me out - Mendis | Cricket News | ICC World Twenty20 2009 | Cricinfo.com

Ajantha Mendis in group game vs Pakistan: 3 overs, 0/24
Ajantha Mendis in final game vs Pakistan: 4 overs, 0/34

Ajantha Mendis in total: 7 overs, 0/58

I think Pakistan has figured you out buddy

 

[Howsie]

Since we're talking about bold statements and all, here's another one:



No batsman has figured me out - Mendis | Cricket News | ICC World Twenty20 2009 | Cricinfo.com

Ajantha Mendis in group game vs Pakistan: 3 overs, 0/24
Ajantha Mendis in final game vs Pakistan: 4 overs, 0/34

Ajantha Mendis in total: 7 overs, 0/58

I think Pakistan has figured you out buddy

I wouldn't read too much into it, Mendis did pass the outside edge a few times today. Give him a 4/5th day test pitch and we will see how he goes against Pakistan.

And I know they played him in that series about a month or two ago and he didn't do that well, but those pitches were as flat as heck.

 

[Aoun13]

Dear A bowler is nothing who merely depends on pitch you have ability to show your skills on every ability then you are called as Great bowler.

 

[Howsie]

Dear A bowler is nothing who merely depends on pitch you have ability to show your skills on every ability then you are called as Great bowler.

Two 20/20 games mean nothing.

 

[Aoun13]

every type of cricket has some meaning mate.If NZ won the WC it meant a lot to you man but as now that didn't happen so now it has meaningless for you.

 

[Howsie]

every type of cricket has some meaning mate.If NZ won the WC it meant a lot to you man but as now that didn't happen so now it has meaningless for you.

:

Yeah it does, but two 20/20 games don't mean that you have figured a bowler out.


And what the fearsome tweak does New Zealand have to do with this thread again, oh that's right every Pakistany has to bring them up it seems.

 

[SciD]

Didn't look threatening against India in last series we played also. Yuvi of all people was smacking him for sixes.

 

[spaga1994]

i saw him bowl for the first time the other day and if i hadnt heard he was a spinner b4 watching him i probably would have thought he is a very slow medium pacer but he does seem like a real talented bowler and i dont think it will matter even if teams do "figure" him out he will still take plenty of wickets

 

[SciD]

He has lost his off spin or he doesnt bowl it anymore because not seen those deliveries from him anymore. He can be played easily as a fast leg spinner like Kumble or Afridi.

 

[Ollie_H]

	Mat  	Inns  	Balls  	Runs  	Wkts  	BBI  	BBM  	Ave  	Econ  	SR  	4w  	5w  	10
Tests 	6 	10 	1639 	784 	34 	6/117 	10/209 	23.05 	2.87 	48.2 	4 	2 	1
ODIs 	28 	27 	1279 	841 	64 	6/13 	6/13 	13.14 	3.94 	19.9 	3 	3 	0
T20Is 	10 	10 	228 	198 	23 	4/15 	4/15 	8.60 	5.21 	9.9 	2 	0 	0

Averages of 13 and 8.6 would suggest he is still a good spinner!

I suppose people forget he got 4 for 10 off 4.2 overs, 6 for 13 off 8 overs against india and then 4 for 47 against Pakistan. I suppose because he gets knocked about a bit in a few games people just forget how good he is!

Ajantha Mendis in group game vs Pakistan: 3 overs, 0/24
Ajantha Mendis in final game vs Pakistan: 4 overs, 0/34

Ajantha Mendis in total: 7 overs, 0/58

I think Pakistan has figured you out buddy

I suppose you forget when he took 3/23 against you as well? To be honest, he isn't the easiest person to pick and he will probably always be a threat in game, every bowler gets knocked about sometimes! He is still a young cricketer and he will learn, you can't write him off yet!