Test Cricket Prediction and Discussion Thread [self - mod]

[Clement Kaliyar]

Donald Tiripano's wicket completely changed the game. Zimbabweans have a lead of 5 runs, with just 3 wickets remaining. 23 overs remaining for today and the Sri Lankan bowlers will be ecstatic right now. But they should not forget the fact that Kyle Jarvis is capable of playing long innings. They need to wrap up the Zimbabwe innings within the next 10 overs.

I did not expect this kind of turnaround as Sri Lanka bowled really well and now they just need 14 runs to win the Test match in 13 overs and it is an easy target, if the Zimbabwe batsman could spend half an hour they could have drawn the match, even though it was a slow paced match Sri Lanka played really well for the victory.

[deadley]

Matthews double century was class to watch and was lucky enough that his team did not got all out and he was able to make double to. . Zimbabwe started well as did not lose wicket at the end of the day but still trail by another 127 runs and then the lead . They would be under preside from now .

If Sri lanka was able to pick up a few wickets today then they could have put pressure on Zimbabwe batsman but they are playing the same way they played in the first innings, taking a lot of time to score runs and on the defensive from the start and if they can continue the same game plan till the first two sessions on the final day then it will end up in a draw.

Pitch is flat, but we have to see 1st session tomorrow, I will going to bet for Lanka if I will get odds over 5 to win Lanka.

I saw many matches where odds went so low for draw in 5th day and suddenly collapse happened, and team won easily.

What I said, psychology of playing 5th day is very different than first day or 2nd day. That's why I was almost sure, Zim will collapse and we can't expect them playing brilliantly again. I saw many innings like this when wickets fall in bunch just because of 5th day pressure or try to save the match.

[Vishnu.Reang]

Sri Lanka just needs another 11 runs to win the match. This has been a remarkable turn around. The Zimbabwe middle order and tail collapsed like a peck of cards. The Zimbabweans should be ashamed of this performance. This was a golden chance for them to win a test match, and they wasted it. Now there will be a lot of pressure on Zimbabwe and their test status can be under threat.

[7788bitcoin]

Now there will be a lot of pressure on Zimbabwe and their test status can be under threat.

Now Zimbabwe cricket board can vote for 4 day Test matches as they could have drawn the match if that is the case, if the Zimbabwe batsman could have stayed in the crease for 10 more overs it could have been a draw and they fought till the end but everything went away when they lost quick wickets in succession and Sri Lanka won the match with ease. props to the Sri Lankan bowlers to pick up the wickets as i was expecting a draw even when Zimbabwe lost 5 wickets.

[deadley]

Sri Lanka just needs another 11 runs to win the match. This has been a remarkable turn around. The Zimbabwe middle order and tail collapsed like a peck of cards. The Zimbabweans should be ashamed of this performance. This was a golden chance for them to win a test match, and they wasted it. Now there will be a lot of pressure on Zimbabwe and their test status can be under threat.

Seriously dude, where they had chance to win the test match? They had the chance to draw easily but 5th day pressure, they were not able to handle and even we can't blame them if 3-4 players debut the match, it was never easy for them, but they played brilliantly 1st inning so they deserve praise.

Loosing on 5th day and last hour is not a shame at all when everyone was expecting 3 days test match from this new team.

[Vishnu.Reang]

Sri Lanka just needs another 11 runs to win the match. This has been a remarkable turn around. The Zimbabwe middle order and tail collapsed like a peck of cards. The Zimbabweans should be ashamed of this performance. This was a golden chance for them to win a test match, and they wasted it. Now there will be a lot of pressure on Zimbabwe and their test status can be under threat.

Seriously dude, where they had chance to win the test match? They had the chance to draw easily but 5th day pressure, they were not able to handle and even we can't blame them if 3-4 players debut the match, it was never easy for them, but they played brilliantly 1st inning so they deserve praise.

Loosing on 5th day and last hour is not a shame at all when everyone was expecting 3 days test match from this new team.

I was just saying that defeating the weakened Sri Lanka side would have been their easiest shot at a test victory. They failed to do that, and it is an entirely different story. Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams.etc are world class players. If Zimbabwe can't win a test match even after including all these players... then may god help them.

[deadley]

Sri Lanka just needs another 11 runs to win the match. This has been a remarkable turn around. The Zimbabwe middle order and tail collapsed like a peck of cards. The Zimbabweans should be ashamed of this performance. This was a golden chance for them to win a test match, and they wasted it. Now there will be a lot of pressure on Zimbabwe and their test status can be under threat.

Seriously dude, where they had chance to win the test match? They had the chance to draw easily but 5th day pressure, they were not able to handle and even we can't blame them if 3-4 players debut the match, it was never easy for them, but they played brilliantly 1st inning so they deserve praise.

Loosing on 5th day and last hour is not a shame at all when everyone was expecting 3 days test match from this new team.

I was just saying that defeating the weakened Sri Lanka side would have been their easiest shot at a test victory. They failed to do that, and it is an entirely different story. Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams.etc are world class players. If Zimbabwe can't win a test match even after including all these players... then may god help them.

They have some name doesn't means they can beat test team like Sri Lanka who did beat South Africa in their own home. You must need to understand Test cricket is very different game of cricket, you require to play very good cricket all 5 days to beat any good team not just 1 inning or 1 day.

[Vishnu.Reang]

They have some name doesn't means they can beat test team like Sri Lanka who did beat South Africa in their own home. You must need to understand Test cricket is very different game of cricket, you require to play very good cricket all 5 days to beat any good team not just 1 inning or 1 day.

I never said that the Zimbabweans played well at any point during the test. They were horrible, right from the first day. I was saying that, on paper the strength of the Zimbabwe team looked great. Sri Lanka was not doing well.. at least during the past few months. So before the match, I was expecting a close contest between the two sides (which was proved wrong). 

[Vishnu.Reang]

Zimbabwe would be disappointed they way they batted in 2nd innings considering the first innings showed some confidence in the team that they can steal at make some respectable score and the way they got out in 2nd would be point of worry for them. SL did good to get them all out quickly and win the match by 10 wickets .

This is what low morale can do to players. Taylor, Ervine, Jarvis.etc are playing county cricket in England they had virtually zero interaction with the other team members. And this was the reason for the lack of team bonding. The Zimbabwe team is always in a state of flux. No one knows who will go missing from the team and who will be coming back. But I am sure about one thing. There is still a lot of talent there and if all the experienced players turn out for the national side regularly, then they will be able to give good fight to the visiting sides.

[ene1980]

This is what low morale can do to players. Taylor, Ervine, Jarvis.etc are playing county cricket in England they had virtually zero interaction with the other team members. And this was the reason for the lack of team bonding.

I am not following both the teams especially Zimbabwe and hence i am not able to comment on the morale of the team but the strategy of playing by spending a lot of time in the crease became a success in the first innings but they were not able to replicate that kind of performance in the second innings and Sri Lanka played well to snatch this victory from Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe team is always in a state of flux. No one knows who will go missing from the team and who will be coming back. But I am sure about one thing. There is still a lot of talent there and if all the experienced players turn out for the national side regularly, then they will be able to give good fight to the visiting sides.

Sure the Zimbabwe team is in a state of flux but they are in this situation well over a decade and nothing has changed as of yet.

[Sithara007]

Sure the Zimbabwe team is in a state of flux but they are in this situation well over a decade and nothing has changed as of yet.

The ICC has refused to act on Zimbabwe, despite the situation showing no signs of improvement. ICC pumps in more than $10 million to Zimbabwe cricket every year and most of this amount vanishes in to the pockets of the politicians (who control the cricket board). On the other hand, emerging teams such as Afghanistan and Ireland receives a fraction of this amount as annual funding from the ICC. They could have reduced the amount and distributed the remainder to smaller teams, but no one want to change the status quo.

[Vishnu.Reang]

Sure the Zimbabwe team is in a state of flux but they are in this situation well over a decade and nothing has changed as of yet.

Zimbabwe is a failed country with a failed political system. The same can be said about the cricket team as well. Two decades back, they were being regarded as one of the strongest underdog sides. Players such as Neil Johnson, Andy Flower and Andy Blignaut helped them to upset many of the bigger teams. But when politics and sports got mixed, the team simply started disintegrating.

[Indymoney]

Sure the Zimbabwe team is in a state of flux but they are in this situation well over a decade and nothing has changed as of yet.

Zimbabwe is a failed country with a failed political system. The same can be said about the cricket team as well. Two decades back, they were being regarded as one of the strongest underdog sides. Players such as Neil Johnson, Andy Flower and Andy Blignaut helped them to upset many of the bigger teams. But when politics and sports got mixed, the team simply started disintegrating.

Now this same happening in South African cricket team they must need to have some good lessons from this failure but these politicians mostly doing with close eyes and bringing own agenda which is hurting players and spectators in recently we have many good players run away and joined KolPak which is more better option for them.

[Clement Kaliyar]

Zimbabwe is a failed country with a failed political system. The same can be said about the cricket team as well. Two decades back, they were being regarded as one of the strongest underdog sides. Players such as Neil Johnson, Andy Flower and Andy Blignaut helped them to upset many of the bigger teams. But when politics and sports got mixed, the team simply started disintegrating.

In the 90 Zimbabwe has many good players and they were capable of upsetting any team and they had great players in the side but corruption and political situation tore the country apart and with inflation and the intervention of the political system in sports made things difficult for them and i do not think there is a solution for that in the near future.

[Vishnu.Reang]

Now this same happening in South African cricket team they must need to have some good lessons from this failure but these politicians mostly doing with close eyes and bringing own agenda which is hurting players and spectators in recently we have many good players run away and joined KolPak which is more better option for them.

That's true and I don't know why the ICC is not acting on the board. They are allowing the corrupt board officials to loot money which is meant for the development of cricket in Zimbabwe. Recently, they suspended the ICC membership of Zimbabwe for a brief period, but it was reinstated after a few months. The ICC needs to grow a backbone to handle such issues.

[BitSat19]

England Cricket team is first to reach this milestone

ENGLAND IS RUNNING AND COUNTING IN TESTS

[deadley]

England Cricket team is first to reach this milestone

ENGLAND IS RUNNING AND COUNTING IN TESTS

Because they played more than 20% of matches 2nd placed and more than 50% matches of 3rd placed. This game is like who play more will score more and it's just normal nothing big achievement.

[ene1980]

Because they played more than 20% of matches 2nd placed and more than 50% matches of 3rd placed. This game is like who play more will score more and it's just normal nothing big achievement.

That is true, England played more matches than anyone and so is the reason they are leading in the run scored.
England had a really good start against South Africa with a hundred run partnership for the opening wicket but then they lost wickets 4 wickets and scored just 50 runs and their main in form batsman Ben Stokes is back in the pavilion, Pope who played a crucial innings in this series and their in form captain Joe Root is in the crease and the morning session will determine how much runs England is going to score in the first innings.

[Sithara007]

Because they played more than 20% of matches 2nd placed and more than 50% matches of 3rd placed. This game is like who play more will score more and it's just normal nothing big achievement.

That is true, England played more matches than anyone and so is the reason they are leading in the run scored.
England had a really good start against South Africa with a hundred run partnership for the opening wicket but then they lost wickets 4 wickets and scored just 50 runs and their main in form batsman Ben Stokes is back in the pavilion, Pope who played a crucial innings in this series and their in form captain Joe Root is in the crease and the morning session will determine how much runs England is going to score in the first innings.

I would say that the match is evenly posed. England was in some trouble, but the partnership between Ollie Pope and Joe Root put them back on track. Now they are close to 200 (192/4 to be precise) and they still have 6 wickets remaining. As we have seen till now, South Africa has struggled to score any sore in excess of 300. So if England can manage 350-360, then they will have a go at another win (provided the rain gods doesn't interfere much). South African bowling looked toothless, as usual.

[onrise]

Because they played more than 20% of matches 2nd placed and more than 50% matches of 3rd placed. This game is like who play more will score more and it's just normal nothing big achievement.

That is true, England played more matches than anyone and so is the reason they are leading in the run scored.
England had a really good start against South Africa with a hundred run partnership for the opening wicket but then they lost wickets 4 wickets and scored just 50 runs and their main in form batsman Ben Stokes is back in the pavilion, Pope who played a crucial innings in this series and their in form captain Joe Root is in the crease and the morning session will determine how much runs England is going to score in the first innings.

England started well their innings but would be disappointed the way they lost quick 4 wickets and now score is 192/4. England would like to capitalise the start they had got and would like to post a good first innings total of 400+ runs on board and on other hand SA would feel they have done well to pick up quick wickets and try and restrict them as quickly as possible.