Fly Slip

Knees are important in this game of cricket. I mean look at Micheal Vaughan. His knee made him retire.

Simon Jones had knee problems and now he just flirts with English selection. Actually in Jones’s case everything below his torso seems to have an issue. Except with the ladies. Who really enjoy his torso.

Now Murali has gone and done his knee in. Just before a test series too. How many Pakistani batsmen will be enjoying their Kottus and getting some good sleep tonight. Of course if your last name was Butt you probably wouldn’t sleep well on most nights.

So this has really tipped the scales in the first test. Murali might play second fiddle in 20 over matches to Malinga and Mendis but with a red ball the man is still a genius. And he does well against the Pakistanis too.

And at Galle. With an average of 17 he is only 4 short of a 100 wickets in 13 games. If I averaged that at a ground, I would make sweet love to the pitch after every game. That is not to say Murali doesn’t

So all this means is that our man, Splendid Mendis leads the spin attack for the first time in his career. These are exciting times for us. After Lahore the great man has been finding his range again. In a nutshell, its a glimpse into the future of Sri Lankan cricket. When Murali has retired and Mendis is numero uno under King Sanga. Who shall never retire and play on till his last breath is taken or his knees give out.

See, We told you knees are important.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: ajantha mendis, flyslip, murali, pakistan v sri lanka | 2 Comments »

The test series ‘of the summer’ gets under way in less than a day and we answer all the questions that’s been ailing your thought process.

Who will drop like MJ ?

Who will be trip over and fall flat on their face? In short,

Who will loose their balls?
The ultimate guide.

Malinda Warnapura.

Grab them while you can. Malinda on his last balls ?

He’s young, he’s tall and he has no technique outside off stump.

Pakistan might not have a Waquar and Wasim but Gul and that new fella Aamer will do nicely. He has enjoyed a free ride at the top of the order mainly because the rest of the openers SL are churning out are not up to the mark. We think his fairy tale will end. Quickly.

Verdict- Not nutmeg, but nutless. Hmm. Maybe one and a half nutless.

Abdul Razaq

Where are your whites Abdul? Where ARE THEY ?

The bastard child. He play in the ICL, now he play the test cricket. Lalit Modi might have cared if it was the IPL. But he’s not, so he doesn’t.

Razaq last played a test like 400 years ago or something. Sure he can knock it about in a 2020 game but does he still remember hold to hold a red ball.

Does he even have white flannels ???

His stats against SL and in SL isnt even going to scare my granny. Mendis with four around him ?

Verdict - Do you even need to ask ?

Danish ‘Cookies’ Kaneria

God doesn't care about your balls Danish.

With an average of 35 and a strike rate of 70 he is possibly one of the most overrated spinners in the game at the moment.

It has been suggested by some wily conspiracy theorists that his figures of 5-205 in the first test at Karachi was what pushed those terrorists over the edge in Lahore.

Sri Lankans usually play leg spin pretty well and Leg spinners usually don’t do so well in SL.  Only Shane Warne has an average better than his overall figures in SL. Anils at 44 (29 Career), Mushie 40 (32 Career).

Don’t be surprised if Danish crumbles like a cookie- smirk.
Also, his middle name is ‘Prabha’. And you know how Sri Lankans take to dudes with that name. Even if it is your middle name.

Verdict- Cookies don’t have balls. So yea, Ball-less

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: abdul razaq, danish kaneria, flyslip, malinda warnapura, sri lanka v pakistan | 4 Comments »

The Ashes. Pah!

West Indies v India. Boo!

This summers real deal is Pakistan v Sri Lanka. Two teams that guarantee your moneys worth. Whether its Pakistan staging a miraculous 2020 World Cup win. Whether its Team buses being attacked. Whether its Angelo Matthews doing back flips while he heads the ball back into play, When Pakistan play Sri Lanka, there is something always happening.

Fours, Sixes, RPGs. That is what tickles my cricket bone these days.

For some reason Pakistan seems to have a severe dislike towards us. Sure Younus Khan will smile and crack jokes before 2020 WC Finals but when it gets to the thick of things, Pakistan seems to hate losing against us.

Something about Sri Lanka seems to bring out the best in Pakistan.

I am not usually adverse to Pakistan doing well, but its annoying when SL keep losing to them in important matches.

So do not be surprised if the first day ends with Pakistan being all out for 300 and SL finishing the day on 250-7. These two teams know how to entertain alright.

Sadly there wont be the usual threat of a bomb or two going off now that the Ltte have been sent packing. For so long a pivotal part in any tour to SL. An excuse teams like NZ and SA have used masterfully to escape a hiding.

So cmon, Younus/ King Sanga. Give us another treat will ya.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: flyslip, pakistan v sri lanka | 4 Comments »

Life is a motherfucker. And how.

This might be a week too late, we were tangled up in a bit of hot water, but we believe its never too late to congratulate someone on their success.

Pakistan outplayed us, out smarted us and you and your posse should be well proud. We are now finishing up our last piece of humble pie and will certainly live to fight another day.

More on how SL went later. But for now. Well done Pakistan and Q.

You had to win something sometime.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: flyslip, icc 2020 world cup, well pitched | 5 Comments »

This is what happened when Younis Khan implied that Pakistan might win the 2020 WC.

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damiths

Filed under: sangakkara, sri lanka v pakistan, younis khan | 11 Comments »

Has been phenomenal so far. For a year Sri Lanka were without the services of the eyebrow pierced, funky hairdo one. And were worse for it in a big big way.

Since his return in Feb of 2009 he has been playing plenty of 2020 cricket, in fact its the only format he has been playing since he his comeback against India in Colombo. I guess what they say about practice making things perfect is true cuz Malinga has 2020 bowling down to an art.

It mostly consists of yorkers, with a sprinkling of low full tosses followed by more yorkers. And its finished off with of course the yorkers.  In international 2020s this year he has picked up 10 wickets at 15. In the IPL he managed 18 wickets at 17.

While these wicket numbers are not remarkable, in the context of 2020 cricket and in this year, Malinga has been fucking lethal.

Before the selectors decided to drop Malinga due to injuries, he was a ghost of his former self. His pace had dropped, his X factor had diminished. He averaged 30 in ODIs in 2008, compared to his career 25. But those are just stats, Malinga just was not the threat he was in 2007. Something changed. There were rumours that some people had asked him to straighten his arm more to ensure his longevity in the game.

If someone did tell him that, then we would like to extend a heartfelt, fuckyouverymuch, from all of us here at theflyslip.

Whatever it was, it was on top of an ankle/knee injury, and the selectors showed a lot of vision to get him out of the side and get him back to full fitness. He could have been Sri Lanka’s Flintoff or Simon Jones. Instead he is cranking  up the heat on international batsmen after a years full rest.

And its not just his comeback wickets that inspire. His pace, his control is immaculate at this point. With Vass fading on the horizon, SL needed a man they could depend on. Someone Sangakkara could turn to. A year ago many would have doubted Malinga would be that man.

With him in the the bowling line up, SL is guaranteed a balanced attack.

Sangakkara can throw him the white ball and he is bound to get an over of yorkers. Slinga himself seems to have matured. Gone are the wild celebrations, although we wish he would pull those out once in a while. And the hair is understated by his standards. But he is a better bowler so I’ll take that any day.

The key will be when SL return to test cricket. With a ball that swings less, it would be interesting to see how Malinga copes in a format where you cant really rely on yorkers all the time for success. When you don’t have to be going at 10 rpo, its an easier task to dig out the yorker and prop over for a single.

It is a test Malinga is hopefully relishing.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: icc 2020 world cup, lasith malinga, sri lanka | 6 Comments »

The Sri Lankan top 4 are guns. Sanath and Dilshan take to 2020 cricket like a baby to a tit. Mahela and Sangakkara are smart enough to adjust their game and play however they please. Its a good mixture of power hitting and technically skilled batsmenship.

At no5 we have Calamity ‘Jehan’. Not ideal but he seems to be able to swing those lengthy arms to good affect when needed.

Then the problems begin. Two matches in and SLs top order have delivered. And delivered big. Numbers 6-8 weren’t called in. But somewhere down the line in this world cup they will be. What happens then is anyone’s guess.

Matthews is inexperienced and neither he nor Chamara silva are the hitters we need in these positions. It is an issue that has plagued SL for as long as I can remember.

SL hasn’t had a hitter of any nauce since the days Sanath used to bat down the order. That was like in the 80s or something.

Vass was tried but was never consisted.

Arnold was never a Symonds or an Oram.

Maharoof is the only dude who is close to a power hitter who can come down the order and take an attack apart. But he hasn’t gotten a game. Which we think is just weird.

Then there is Thilan Thushara, who is basically a left handed Maharoof.

Indika de Seram was picked on his domestic form. He hasn’t played either.

Where are the  Dasamaha Yodayo(Local giants in SL folklore) when you need em.

Either these new Sri Lankan mothers have stopped feeding their sons ‘kola-kanda’ (a local vege soup which tastes like feet) and switched to Kellogs or the Sri Lankan men can’t produce quality sperm to deliver us a Flintoff sized Sri lankan.

Hell even a Yousuf Pathan would do. And how.

Whatever way you look at it, this will be found out sooner rather than later.And it would serve SL right if its in a super8 game. At least then Kumar and co will realise this.

Although I hope against it.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: anjelo mathews, dilshan, flyslip, indika de seram, jayasuriya, jehan mubarak, maharoof, russel arnold, thilan thushara, vass | 5 Comments »

Me and Q, from the esteemed Well Pitched are trying to Kill each other cuz we are bored. Follow our lazy jousting over at BCCI.

Some say its the most excited they have been in the lead up to a 2020. We believe them to be right.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: bored cricket crazy indians, flyslip, pakistan, pakistan v sri lanka, sri lanka, well pitched | No Comments »

Yorkshire had been playing way too many 2020 matches for us to get a good gauge on Micheals ‘form’

So we were bursting at the bits when they were finally pulling on their whites for a 4-dayers against Sussex. With just over a Month to go for the Ashes this was a good time for The MV to get his name in the papers and into memos at the ECB.

Micheal had to get his shit together. He had to respond.

And so he did. So he did.

To the tune of a 4th ball duck.

Of course, a duck for Micheal is nothing new. But when you realise who dismissed him you will have a right old fit.

Brace your self gentlemen.

Corey. Wait for it.

Colly.Wait for it.

More. Wait for it.

Corey fucking Colleymore. I know what you are thinking.

‘holyfuckenshitcowpissmotherfuckenhell’. I know. The dude bowls at around 70centimeres per hour. He is so slow this dude could play him with his eyes closed.

So could he (or she)

And Vaughan gets out to him. That is just too much Micheal. Just too much.

I don’t know much about cricket, even though I blog about it and got published on thewisdencricketer.com once, but I do know that is not how you make an impression to get into the Ashes squad. At this point, Ravi Bopara, Owais, Bell and Rob Key would probably need to be killed by bouncers or by a strange man wearing a white gown with peculiar red marks that look like cricket balls.

Is THE MV’s dream all but over then ?

Stay tuned.

And as usual keep voting on the poll.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: micheal vaughan | 4 Comments »

It was typical of the English summer that, the week before the ICC World Twenty20 began, the country was bathed in glorious sunshine.

But by the time we were ready to go at Lord’s the predictable rain clouds had arrived and this summer spectacular had a rather soggy start.

But that was nothing compared to the fireworks that would follow the rather subdued opening ceremony. England, who made a decent start thanks to Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright, seemed to fall into a collective slumber, and without big hitters Flintoff and Pietersen fell well short of what they should have achieved with their 20 overs.

The complacent malaise spread to England’s bowlers, who seemed content to float through their overs, assuming that the Dutch batsmen would get themselves out sooner or later. But as the game progressed and England’s small total appeared in sight, the full horror of what was occurring in the English gloom began to hit the players, but by then it was too late.

The Dutch deserved their win for their sheer will and desire alone. For England an all too familiar early exit from a major tournament was on the cards. A defeat to Pakistan would finish the job off, to go out of their own tournament after just three days is impressive even by English standards.

But it was a completely different side that took to the field at the Oval on Sunday. They were much more clinical with the bat, aided by the return of the half-fit Kevin Pietersen and a swashbuckling 34 of 16 balls from Luke Wright.

With the ball the returning Graeme Swann worked in tandem with young Adil Rashid, slowing the Pakistani run-rate in the crucial middle stage of the innings. Stuart Broad showed tremendous character to bounce back after his Dutch nightmare to bowl with aggression and accuracy and help England to a very comfortable 48 run victory.

No we shouldn’t get carried away, this was a Pakistan side who lacked purpose and whose captain, Younis Khan, described this tournament as ‘fun’. But England’s progress and improvement is something to celebrate, for the competition if nothing else, the hosts bowing out early is disastrous for any tournament.
Trickier challenges undoubtedly lie ahead, but after their Lord’s nightmare they should be grateful just to be involved.

flyslip

damiths

Filed under: england, tom mallows blog | No Comments »