I rest my case

[12th Man]

When you ignore the obvious and play the selectors favourites and lose, what more is there to say ? Dilhara Fernando is a favourite of Ashantha De Mel the chief selector. I don't think the favouritism is based on anything except the fact that De Mel thinks DIlhahra a fine bowler with a lot of potential. Playing him in the crucial game against SA was a cardinal error. De Mel is in India and does participate in the selection process on tour along with the tour selectors.

Saffers face Dilhara type bowlers every day before breakfast ! While having a leg spinner who can bat (Bandara) in the wings, also taking into account the Saffers weakness against spin ( sanath's figures !) and also overlooking Kapugedera who played in the previous game as a No7 batsman and didn't get a bat, to play Dilhara and bowl only 5 overs is shocking.

Unfortunately that is how things happen in this Island Paradise. Absolute power is weilded with absolute authority and gay abandon, leaving the "thinking" populace aghast and totally frustrated !

The dark horse now becomes an also ran courtesy of the selectors. I rest my case.

[batoutofhell]

well made points 12th man
i always believed there is an obvious weakness in lankas batting order
if their top 4 fails they are goners
its porven once again
atleast from now on they should look for some extra batters down the order(who could also smash)

[Hache]

Some key points you made up there 12th Man. As an outsider I'm also of the opinion that Lankan lower middle order is still somewhat disturbed. The fact that majority of the good work of past few months has been done by top order sort of masked this little niggle. In Addition, I was a bit surprised yesterday to see Dilhara featuring in such an important game. In hindsight Lankans would've been better off by selecting an additional batter.

[outswing]

i totally agree with what you said about Malinga Bandara.

if i remember correctly he is 28, and hasnt had a pro longed run in the team, and when he has had a chance, he has done quite well.

The indian pitches took a lot of spin, and in theory, his selection chances would have been further bettered by the fact that can hold a bat - thus adding strength to the bowling and the batting, which flattered to decieve against the Proteas.