West Indies vs Sri Lanka 3 ODI series

[Dare]

Mon Jan 31
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local
1st ODI - Sri Lanka v West Indies
Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota


Fri Feb 4
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local
2nd ODI - Sri Lanka v West Indies
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo


Sun Feb 6
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local
3rd ODI - Sri Lanka v West Indies
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

This is the ODI series that was rescheduled because of rain. It will also serve as a good warm up for both teams especially the West Indies.

West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Carlton Baugh (wk), Andre Rusell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Adrian Barath.

Sri Lanka squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.

 

[War]

Barath hundred has created an interesting little dilemma for the windies on how they will balance their side going forward. Since surely Dwayne Bravo will have to come back.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Rain again spoiled the day Hope it isn't a problem once the WC gets under way

 

[Dare]

Barath hundred has created an interesting little dilemma for the windies on how they will balance their side going forward. Since surely Dwayne Bravo will have to come back.

The way I see it now its Bravo and Pollard fighting for a spot. Both have been out of form for a while and one could be on the bench.


Damn Sri Lanka and the weather, cant get one match completed. Better luck of completing a match during the rainy season in Guyana.

 

[aussie1st]

That is a shame, looked to be one of those gritty totals so would have liked to see how SL would have fared.

 

[War]

The way I see it now its Bravo and Pollard fighting for a spot. Both have been out of form for a while and one could be on the bench.


Damn Sri Lanka and the weather, cant get one match completed. Better luck of completing a match during the rainy season in Guyana.

Pollard was doing well in the KFC big bash recently last i checked i think. Would be hard to leave him out since he has the X-factor down the order similar to what Razzaq has for Pakistan.

 

[Dare]

Pollard was doing well in the KFC big bash recently last i checked i think. Would be hard to leave him out since he has the X-factor down the order similar to what Razzaq has for Pakistan.

yea but Razzaq has shown that in his career. Pollard in the time that he has had for the WI hasn't shown much. The best ODI innings from him that I remember was against Australia last year where he made a 60+ at around run a ball. He has shown that he can do it in domestic cricket where the cash is big and he gets paid but he hasn't shown anything for the WI.
Only reason I can see him being picked is for his bowling which will be useful in the subcontinent with his change of pace.

 

[War]

yea but Razzaq has shown that in his career. Pollard in the time that he has had for the WI hasn't shown much. The best ODI innings from him that I remember was against Australia last year where he made a 60+ at around run a ball. He has shown that he can do it in domestic cricket where the cash is big and he gets paid but he hasn't shown anything for the WI.
Only reason I can see him being picked is for his bowling which will be useful in the subcontinent with his change of pace.

To be fair to Pollard that 60+ vs AUS last year along with alot of dangerous looking short innings vs S Africa in the caribbean in 2010, was the 1st period in which Pollard has actually looked international quality.

Since lets not forget Pollard was prematurely picked for WI intially during the 2007 WC squad & really should not being playing international cricket before the AUS tour last year. Especially given it was just before that AUS tour in the Champions League that the world really started showing his real potential. So i wont be judging Pollard on anything he did between 2007-2009, since its the windies selectors fault that he was picked so early.

Now he has become one of the most sought ofter T20 players in the world & on his day is capable of being as dangerous as Razzaq down the order in international cricket. Just got to back his ability, which im sure your selectors will do, since clearly the windies (a weakened windies team already) will be more lethal in the WC with a firing than a Pollard being on the bench.

Bravo also has to play since you bowling without Taylor is pretty weak, DW is senior bowler. Pollards bowling is very much part-time although it will be useful.

 

[Dare]

Picking guys on what they could do is a bit risky. Pollard might turn out to be a Symonds for the WI or a flop. Against South Africa he had a whole bunch of starts and didn't do much to make any big scores and that has been the story in his career so far. He gets some starts and then throws them away.

If Pollard, Sammy and DW Bravo play together then WI are going in with 3 same guys. No one guy offers something different and special to the team, it will be too one dimensional. Similar batting averages, similar bowling averages and neither of the 3 is any good form.
Sammy will play for sure since he is the captain and out of the 3 he has been the most consistent over the past 2 years or so.
To fit in both Bravo and Pollard they will have to drop a specialist bowler or a specialist batsman and the West Indies cant do either one. Bravo could open the bowling but he can be really expensive.
It will be interesting to see who they choose in their first match.

 

[War]

Picking guys on what they could do is a bit risky. Pollard might turn out to be a Symonds for the WI or a flop. Against South Africa he had a whole bunch of starts and didn't do much to make any big scores and that has been the story in his career so far. He gets some starts and then throws them away.

As i said the S Africa home series was basically the 2nd series & the 1st series of the "New Pollard". Since anything he did for Windies or on the international stage before the 2009 Champions league is irrelevant, because he was picked before his time before by your selectors. So basically the "New Pollard" is still in his 1st year as WI cricketer, yea he wasted starts vs SA, but that doesn't its way too early to critique him based on that.

Teams pick players based on potential all the time as much as pick players based on strong domestic form. If domestic teams in AUS & ENG can show so much faith in Pollard, then surely your selectors should.

Of course he could be flop or turn out to be your Symonds, but you wont know until you give him (the new Pollard) an extended. Since ATS he has to be a fixture in the WI ODI XI.

If Pollard, Sammy and DW Bravo play together then WI are going in with 3 same guys. No one guy offers something different and special to the team, it will be too one dimensional. Similar batting averages, similar bowling averages and neither of the 3 is any good form.
Sammy will play for sure since he is the captain and out of the 3 he has been the most consistent over the past 2 years or so.

Nah i dont agree with that. Bravo & Pollard once they bat to potential are clearly superior batsmen to Sammy. Sammy's bowling is however comparable to Bravo, while both Sammy & Bravo are superior bowler to Pollard since they are main-bowlers & Pollard bowling is part-time like Collingwood.

To fit in both Bravo and Pollard they will have to drop a specialist bowler or a specialist batsman and the West Indies cant do either one. Bravo could open the bowling but he can be really expensive.
It will be interesting to see who they choose in their first match.

You can certainly drop a specialist batsmen. Since you need to balance your side out with at least 5 competent bowlers, which will be key on those flat sub-continent WC wickets. In the 1st ODI your attack was basically (Roach/Rampaul/Sammy/Pollard/Miller/Gayle) - thats exceedingly weak.

WI cant get away with the 2003 WC tactic where you packed that batting line-up (Gayle/Hinds/Lara/Hooper/C'Paul/Sarwan/Powell/Jacobs) & only 3 specialist bowlers. Eespcially when this tiem around your main bowler in Taylor is absent - thats playing with fire.

 

[ShamiLoverGlipGlops]

I really hope there is a match tomorrow(Actually today now )

West Indies performed well in Rain Effected Test Series and Barath did well to score that ton.

They are showing glimpse but not supported well by God. Hope there is a full match tomorrow and we see Srilanka lose

 

[Dare]

As i said the S Africa home series was basically the 2nd series & the 1st series of the "New Pollard". Since anything he did for Windies or on the international stage before the 2009 Champions league is irrelevant, because he was picked before his time before by your selectors. So basically the "New Pollard" is still in his 1st year as WI cricketer, yea he wasted starts vs SA, but that doesn't its way too early to critique him based on that.

What is a "New Pollard". You big up that performance against South Africa but he really didn't do much just like the rest of his international career. I don't care when he started he has had 30+ ODIs to show something and he really hasn't shown anything. He averages 19 and has only one half century in those 30+ ODIs. Your telling me that its way too early to critique his performances but you praise him for 5 sub part performances against South Africa while I critique him over his entire 30+ matches. One series doesn't make the player, he hasn't done anything in any series to deserve any praise.

Teams pick players based on potential all the time as much as pick players based on strong domestic form. If domestic teams in AUS & ENG can show so much faith in Pollard, then surely your selectors should.

Its 20/20 domestic ████. They don't show faith, they show money and he plays for it and he has every right to do that.
The selectors have shown faith in him, for 30+ ODIs they have backed him on that potential and what has he given them in return? Nothing on international level, he has had some big knocks in domestic 20/20 matches but when is the last time he actually did anything in domestic one day matches. He scored 67 runs from 2 innings in last years WICB one day cup. And even in his best format (20/20) he hasn't done anything for the WI internationally.

Of course he could be flop or turn out to be your Symonds, but you wont know until you give him (the new Pollard) an extended. Since ATS he has to be a fixture in the WI ODI XI.

Like I said there is no such thing as "New Pollard". He has had and extended chance, 30+ ODIs.

Nah i dont agree with that. Bravo & Pollard once they bat to potential are clearly superior batsmen to Sammy. Sammy's bowling is however comparable to Bravo, while both Sammy & Bravo are superior bowler to Pollard since they are main-bowlers & Pollard bowling is part-time like Collingwood.

And when does this "once they bat to potential" happen? Once every 30 ODIs (at least in the case of Pollard). As it stands now Sammy averages more then Pollard and Sammys strike rate is better.
The only thing that Pollard has done well in his ODI career so far is bowl. He has been a much better bowler then batsman and for the WI is more then a part timer. And like I said before Sammy has been the most consistent of the 3 over the past 2 years.
In that series against South Africa Sammy averaged 31 to Pollards 26.8 and he had a much better strike rate.

You can certainly drop a specialist batsmen. Since you need to balance your side out with at least 5 competent bowlers, which will be key on those flat sub-continent WC wickets. In the 1st ODI your attack was basically (Roach/Rampaul/Sammy/Pollard/Miller/Gayle) - thats exceedingly weak.

There is no batsman that I would drop. Who out of the 6 specialist batsman that played would your drop for 2 horribly out of form all rounders.
WI cant risk dropping a batsman.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Lol, go to cricinfo to check the score and see the headline "Rain interrupts Sri Lanka's chase"

I missed the WI innings - was it that the WI gave their wickets or outstanding bowling from the Lankans?

 

[Lassana Dias]

it was just another day at the office!!! hope lankan batting get tested at lest in the 3rd match... maybe they can just bat first.... but combination looks good for the world cup other then if they can fit thissara perera to the lineup and have herath playing agents india, pakistan, bagladesh and mendis with others...

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Lol, go to cricinfo to check the score and see the headline "Rain interrupts Sri Lanka's chase"

I missed the WI innings - was it that the WI gave their wickets or outstanding bowling from the Lankans?

malinga was out standing with speed and bowling at the end. murali was ok as well as kulasekara.. herath was nothing spacial but WI didnt apply them self as well.. they have loads of work to to if they are going to go beyond group stages in WC

 

[War]

What is a "New Pollard". You big up that performance against South Africa but he really didn't do much just like the rest of his international career. I don't care when he started he has had 30+ ODIs to show something and he really hasn't shown anything. He averages 19 and has only one half century in those 30+ ODIs. Your telling me that its way too early to critique his performances but you praise him for 5 sub part performances against South Africa while I critique him over his entire 30+ matches. One series doesn't make the player, he hasn't done anything in any series to deserve any praise.

Its 20/20 domestic ████. They don't show faith, they show money and he plays for it and he has every right to do that.
The selectors have shown faith in him, for 30+ ODIs they have backed him on that potential and what has he given them in return? Nothing on international level, he has had some big knocks in domestic 20/20 matches but when is the last time he actually did anything in domestic one day matches. He scored 67 runs from 2 innings in last years WICB one day cup. And even in his best format (20/20) he hasn't done anything for the WI internationally.



Like I said there is no such thing as "New Pollard". He has had and extended chance, 30+ ODIs.

Firstly where did i "praise" Pollards performance vs South Africa?. Kindly read again.

Secondly the "New Pollard" is pretty obvious isn't it. It is all his performances from the 2009 Champions League to now. Its crazy to judge him on anything he did before that, since your selectors picked him too soon, that is obvious to world, how can you be so critical on him for failing between 2007-2009 when he obviously wasn't ready for international cricket?. He has basically was learning on the job then, because your domestic competition is so weak.

Doing that to player can cripple then. You did the same thing to Fidel Edwards. His case was even worse since he was picked basically after just bowling to Lara in the nets . So he spent his first 4 years in international cricket learning on the job, until he finally started showing international quality potential in 2008.

And when does this "once they bat to potential" happen? Once every 30 ODIs (at least in the case of Pollard). As it stands now Sammy averages more then Pollard and Sammys strike rate is better.
The only thing that Pollard has done well in his ODI career so far is bowl. He has been a much better bowler then batsman and for the WI is more then a part timer. And like I said before Sammy has been the most consistent of the 3 over the past 2 years.
In that series against South Africa Sammy averaged 31 to Pollards 26.8 and he had a much better strike rate.

Once you clear of the above statement of why Pollard cannot be judged performances for WI before the AUS ODI series, then your overxaggerated synopsis that he can be only be depended on to bat well once every 30 ODIs can be eased.

If the WI selectors thought Sammy batting regardless of recent form was better than Pollard. I would think they would have been batting Sammy ahead of Pollard in the current series vs SRI. But they haven't.

There is no batsman that I would drop. Who out of the 6 specialist batsman that played would your drop for 2 horribly out of form all rounders.
WI cant risk dropping a batsman.

Yes of course form of Pollard & Bravo is worrying. But packing your batting & weakening your bowling (and already weakened bowling attack) is a classic example of digging a hole to get yourself out another hole. The only way i would support such a pack the batting strategy is if Taylor was fit & firing to support Roach with the new-ball, thus you would going back to same tactics "back the batting" of the 2003 WC cup.