[ICC WC 2003 - Semi Finals] - Australia vs Sri Lanka

[GoEagles]

Discuss the 1st Semi Final game of the 2003 World Cup between Australia and Sri Lanka.

This day game on Tuesday will be played in Port Elizabeth.

The winner will go through to Sunday's World Cup final in Johannesburg against the winner of Thursdays 2nd semi final between India and Kenya.

 

[lamby29]

Should be a good match. What I want to know is who will be left out if Michael Bevan recovers from his injury.

 

[Kenny_01]

We definitely should be playing Harvey on that pitch I think, although I think Symonds should be in the side too. It's a tough one. Will be interesting to see what the selectors do.

This is a HUGE danger game.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

this is an absolute farce!we go thru undefeated while all the other sides have lost at least 2 games.
and what do we get?
sri lanka on a wonky wicket.while india get kenya.
at the very least with us being undefeated and ending on top we should have been given the choice of what ground we play on.

cheers!

 

[London Dave]

If you are good enough, you'll win. What is it you want Tiger? An Oz and Kenya win to make the final easy?

 

[kretchy]

I'm a little nervous facing the Lankans on pitch as close as they are going to get like home in South Africa.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Originally posted by London Dave
If you are good enough, you'll win. What is it you want Tiger? An Oz and Kenya win to make the final easy?

i agree if ya good enough you can and win anywhere in which we have proved that. my point is why shouldnt we get the right to pick what ground to play on.
this wicket on tuesday will bring us back into the pack and take away our advantage.we earnt the right by being on top.

cheers!

 

[Joe Mama]

If the Australian team is as good as what it thinks it is, they can beat the Sri Lankans regardless of the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and a dodgy Port Elizabeth wicket, but it goes without saying, that I wouldn't be suprised if Sri Lanka does beat Australia for two reasons.

1.) Our batting.
Although Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist seems to have found form, our middle order (with the exception of Michael Bevan and the amazing Andy Bichel) is about as sturdy as a blancmange, ever since he was suspended for racial abuse, Darren Lehmann has been a liability and should be dropped either for Jimmy Maher or possibly Ian Harvey (for another bowling option), Damien Martyn, 'nuff said, and although Brad Hogg's been reliable with the ball, his batting needs to improve.

2.) This ***** Port Elizabeth wicket
Muttiah Muralitharan must be rubbing his hands with glee at the possibility of facing his biggest enemy on a wicket that's keeping low, taking spin, and that the Australian's have had trouble with.

Like Shane Bond, (who played a lone hand for the Kiwi's), Murali needs someone to help him( like Chaminda Vaas) clean up the batting order and give him some support.

But, what has been working in the Aussies favour has been the bowling, Brett Lee has been deadly and want's to take on the Indians badly (who were very ordinary against Shane Bond a few days ago), Michael Bevan's batting and of course, that man of the hour, Andy Bichel, who's showing the likes of Martyn how to win matches.

 

[lamby29]

What has Lehmann done wrong?

 

[Kenny_01]

Originally posted by Wayde Petersen
If the Australian team is as good as what it thinks it is, they can beat the Sri Lankans regardless of the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and a dodgy Port Elizabeth wicket, but it goes without saying, that I wouldn't be suprised if Sri Lanka does beat Australia for two reasons.

1.) Our batting.
Although Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist seems to have found form, our middle order (with the exception of Michael Bevan and the amazing Andy Bichel) is about as sturdy as a blancmange, ever since he was suspended for racial abuse, Darren Lehmann has been a liability and should be dropped either for Jimmy Maher or possibly Ian Harvey (for another bowling option), Damien Martyn, 'nuff said, and although Brad Hogg's been reliable with the ball, his batting needs to improve.

2.) This ***** Port Elizabeth wicket
Muttiah Muralitharan must be rubbing his hands with glee at the possibility of facing his biggest enemy on a wicket that's keeping low, taking spin, and that the Australian's have had trouble with.

Like Shane Bond, (who played a lone hand for the Kiwi's), Murali needs someone to help him( like Chaminda Vaas) clean up the batting order and give him some support.

But, what has been working in the Aussies favour has been the bowling, Brett Lee has been deadly and want's to take on the Indians badly (who were very ordinary against Shane Bond a few days ago), Michael Bevan's batting and of course, that man of the hour, Andy Bichel, who's showing the likes of Martyn how to win matches.

Agree with most of that except for the parts where you were taking cheap shots at Martyn. He hasn't been too bad at all.

 

[St-KriS]

Originally posted by Kenny_01


This is a HUGE danger game.

I Definetly agree. Im very worried about this match.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

I said a few weeks ago this:

"If we get to the final, we will win. However, I can see us c*cking up in the semi final."

I stand by that.

 

[lufc618]

Yeah kenny tell us why Lehmann should get dropped???
What has he done wrong???

 

[BW]

At least we dont have to play on the same pitch as the England and NZ matches were played on, its on a whole new deck which reportedly is a bit better.

 

[BT]

Danger game no doubt but then so were the NZ & England games. This time however there's no tomorrow, lose & we're also-rans. Perhaps the pitch will favour SL, but it's out of Australia's control. Australia have some room for improvement & if they play close to their best they'll win.

 

[shiva25]

Originally posted by tiger of old
i agree if ya good enough you can and win anywhere in which we have proved that. my point is why shouldnt we get the right to pick what ground to play on.
this wicket on tuesday will bring us back into the pack and take away our advantage.we earnt the right by being on top.

cheers!

Does it really matter what wicket we play on? Australia is the best side in the world and has the ability to beat any team on any wicket we play on so why bother complaining?
It is simple .If we are good enough to win we will win.

 

[Kenny_01]

Originally posted by lufc618
Yeah kenny tell us why Lehmann should get dropped???
What has he done wrong???

Oh sorry, just read Wayde Peterson's post again... I also definitely don't agree with Lehmann getting dropped. He is a certainty for the side.

 

[Bombers14]

Should be a good match.

The pitch is supposed to be like the one in Sydney. The match that Sri Lanka made 340 or so against the aussies. But I think that Australia will win this one. Then will go onto the Final against India and hopefully win. They definetely deserve it.

 

[eagle_10]

we do deserve to win the world cup but if we lose the world cup its our own fault cause we think we cant be be beaten and we are invincable but sri lanka know how to beat us in big matches like the 1996 world cup and the knocked us out semis in the icc championships in 2002 so this game will be a toughy for the aussie and even harder if the meet india in the final with all indias batsman in form. but go the aussies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[spring6]

While it would be churlish in the extreme to suggest, if Lanka beat us, that they they dont deserve the victory; I think it is also fair to say that as it turns out we have gained absolutely no advantage by being the only team to go through undefeated.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Martyn out injured doesn't help.

What would be your 11?

M.Hayden
A.Gilchrist
R.Ponting
J.Maher
D.Lehmann
M.Bevan
A.Symonds
B.Hogg
A.Bichel
B.Lee
G.McGrath

Bevan is right for the match isn't he?
I think Maher should play. Our batting top-order is vunerable at the moment and I feel we need a long batting line-up. So I am hestiant to play 3 all rounders (Hogg,Symonds,Harvey)

Would anyone choose Harvey over Hogg or Harvey over Maher?

Any arguments?

Steve Waugh would be handy about now.

 

[grayham]

Originally posted by spring6
While it would be churlish in the extreme to suggest, if Lanka beat us, that they they dont deserve the victory; I think it is also fair to say that as it turns out we have gained absolutely no advantage by being the only team to go through undefeated.

Havent India only lost one match.

So hypothetically, if India wins the world cup, and Australia looses tonight or in the final, then both teams would have only lost one game. Bit tough on India if Australia go around claiming we woz robbed.

FWIW, Australia will have no trouble accounting for Srilanka tonight, same as they thrashed previous danger team NZ.

 

[pazza]

Martyn's injury would be considered a big loss, but having Maher in the squad kind of balances that out..apart from seeingly having a lot of left-handers in the team, which could see Harvey included as a bowler and Symonds bat higher in the 11..just a possibility.

 

[noodle]

there is no way i'd put maher in the side. he has done jack ****.

 

[lamby29]

I'd go with:

Gilchrist
Hayden
Ponting
Lehmann
Bevan
Symonds
Harvey (possibly Hauritz)
Hogg
Bichel
Lee
McGrath