Quote from Niranjan on 07/14/09 at 17:26:26:

 
Nira, I think this will be a foregone conclusion if MM is fit, and maybe even if he is not. They may well even add Prasad or Lakmal to the equation on the SSC track in place of Ajantha. And while on the subject, now that the series has been decided, how about giving Kaushal a little peek at Test cricket and us a little peek at Kaushal  .
 
Frankly, I wish Mendis will stay the hell away from T20 cricket. For someone whose effectiveness has been attributed primarily to his accuracy, he has been anything but in this series. He has been all over the place. What he needs is some long long spells in the domestic comp (when is that starting??) so that he can recapture his primary weapon...pin point accuracy, consistently. Another aspect in my view is that he gets a bit shell shocked when the attack is taken to him and tends to fall away as a result. As a spinner, he needs to overcome this fragility fast and learn not to be intimidated and to come back strong. Perhaps wickets came to him too easy too early and he is now finding it difficult to tough it out when the going gets tough. I think that with great mentoring and direction, and some hard yards, Mendis could yet overcome all these shortcomings and be there for the long haul.
 
It's not too late for Menda's manager Roshan Abeysinghe to tell South Australia to take a hike for their T20 comp - in all probability, SA must be backed by Cricket Australia who see it as an opportunity to take a closer look at the mystery spinner - just in case he remains a mystery. Chasing the fast easy bucks before he sorts himself out could be the end of Mendis and the short term gains will be nothing compared to the potential long term losses - including for Abeysinghe  .
 
Nevertheless, what is interesting though is that we have NZ for a couple of Tests next month and I'm sure that Menda will be called upon during this series as they are as yet unfamiliar with him.
 

Good stuff by the team to wrap up the series....
 
I see no need to rush & risk Murali for 3rd test now, regardless of his fitness....save him for the kiwis.
 
In terms of Mendis, dropping a player can be just the kick ion the backside a player needs, but before that perhaps some sound advice from the coaching/management staff is needed, if it hasn't already been done so.
 
I agree with Yoga, in that Mendis' strength was his accuracy and ability to bowl a tight line and create pressure. He was always stump to stump making the LBW & Bowled modes of dismissals very much on the cards especially against the lower order.
I didn't get to watch the game...but from the combined reports i've read its seems his line was really off, from full tosses, to long-hop half trackers, and then half volleys.
Anyone that watched is he bowling his full array of deliveries. I heard one of the commentors during the T20 WC saying he wasn't bowling many off breaks these days, and it was most leg breaks...not sure if this is true, maybe someone that has been watching closely can answer this.
 
Eventually all players are going to go through rough patches and challenges, or come up against opponents that have adapted and learnt how to deal with you. The challenge for Mendis is to bounce back, and raise his bar, especially against Pakistan.
 
At least having wrapped up the series we have the luxury of experiementing a little, and giving a few others or those out of form more opportunities

An observation about Paranavitana - while we have all noted his excellent batting technique, is there a hint of a technique that he would do well to lose fast? - with apologies to him if I'm mistaken in my observation!!
 
When he was bowled yesterday, most of us were confused as to how he was out as Taufel called for the third umpire's review. When we saw the replay on the big screen at the ground, I could not understand what the confusion was - he was bowled!! Certainly it was far more conclusive than the ball that got Shoaib out which only just flicked the top of the bail causing it to tip over. But Shoaib did not question Dilshan's celebration and simply walked.
 
Later, I happened to watch the replay on TV and waited to see his dismissal and the views of the commentators at the time - Rameez was fairly scathing of Para for staying his ground, going on to state that cricketers should realise that there are cameras present and they will be found out etc etc. I thought that Rameez was a bit over the top and that Para could have been genuinely confused, but I could not help thinking of what I thought he did at Galle. There he got a huge inside-edge which Harper missed and he was reprieved. No problem about not walking - but I felt that he raised his bat to Harper in a manner so as to convey to the Ump that he had not hit it. Also, like a seasoned campaigner who has consciously practiced the art, he did not automatically turn his head to follow the ball that he had edged - skills that he could possibly have honed over the years in television free cricket.
 
I'm not sure if anyone else noticed the same and I could well be wrong. But those involved in the game would ofcourse know if Para has this reputation or not and if he does, they should have a word to him fast. I'm sure all of us would be watching now anyway to see if there is some truth to my observation or if I have lost my marbles  
 

Yoga,
 
I agree on your team and it does make sense to have a specialist wk if Murali plays. Angelo will have to miss out sadly. There is also a possibility of Dilshan opening with Warnapura being dropped which is not a wise move.
 
Omar

Yoga,
 
Twice is too much  Time for the management to nip it in the bud.