Telford Vice's Blog, page 375

Philander, Tahir go from zeroes to heroes

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Before yesterday, Vernon Philander and Imran Tahir had had a forgettable test series in Sri Lanka. But, in the last 27 minutes of the second test at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, they became heroes of SA’s return to the No. 1 ranking.

SA hung on with eight wickets down to draw the match and, on the back of their victory in the first test in Galle, clinch the series 1-0. That snatched back the No. 1 test ranking that the Aussies took by beating SA 2-1 i...

Tough task awaits, but SA eyes are on prize

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Ninety-eight overs is a long time in test cricket, especially on the last day of a match in which the opposition have picked their bowlers well, and when you need only a draw to clinch the series.

That is SA’s challenge going into the last day of the second test against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo today.

The visitors reached yesterday’s enforced close on 38/1. The 331 more runs SA will need to win today is even further away than the minimu...

Don’t forget those who came, saw, but were not given a chance to conquer

Sunday Times

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

“K,” was how Kyle Abbott began answering the last question of his impromptu press conference on the outfield at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo on Tuesday. “Y, L, E,” he continued.

“New word – A, B, B, O, double T.” The reporters, Sri Lankan every one, took careful notice of how to spell his name.

By the time the second test started on Thursday, Abbott’s stock had risen all the way to the top of the towering manual scoreboard at SSC, which had him opening...

Amla the tortured and the torturer as SA drip runs into bottomless bucket

Sunday Times

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Chinese water torture has nothing on the runs that SA dripped into a bottomless bucket at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo yesterday.

It was difficult to tell whether Hashim Amla was the torturer or among the tortured. He scored an undefeated 139 and was at the crease for more than eight hours or all but 36 minutes of his team’s entire innings.

“He was really patient and he applied himself very well,” coach Russell Domingo said. “He stuck to his gameplan.”...

Leading Edge: What tuk-tuks can teach us about test cricket

Sunday Times

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Most journeys undertaken by foreigners in Colombo start with a question: “Meter?” Whereupon the tuk-tuk driver will waggle his head in a way that could signify to someone from Africa, “Yes”, “No”, “Maybe” or “Why do you damn fool alien species always think you’re so bloody clever?”

Sometimes he will point to the meter’s numerals glowing reassuringly above the windscreen. Other times, you will have to duck your head inside the vehicle to see them. But, if he ign...

Members’ End: Fraternising with the enemy, Morkel’s mean streak, retiring in style, singing statues

Sunday Times

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

That Sri Lankans make friendly opponents is well known. Not for them the snottiness of the English, the Australian brand of swagger or the arrogance of the Indians. Instead, they invite visitors home for dinner. Dilruwan Perera did exactly that with Quinton de Kock, Dale Steyn and JP Duminy. The connection? They all played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in last year’s Indian Premier league.

The fraternisation continued on the field at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on Fr...

SA win on swings, lose on roundabouts

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

SA won on the swings but lost on the roundabouts as the see-sawing second test against Sri Lanka refused to tilt one way or the other and stay there in Colombo yesterday.

But the second day’s play at Sinhalese Sports Club was no-one’s idea of a trip to the funfair. Runs were hard to come by and wickets even more so as the pitch slowed to the speed of toffee on an apple.

SA started brightly by claiming the Lankans’ last five wickets for 36 runs to dismiss them for...

Lankans walk on water, SA tread it

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Everyone who was at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) yesterday to see Mahela Jayawardene take a superb century off the SA attack on the first day of the second test should be thankful that he did.

Moments after Jayawardene swept Dean Elgar to go to his 34th hundred two balls before tea, from beyond the fine leg boundary the crackle and flash of fireworks rent the sticky air. With that, all present were jolted out of the daydream of a match that had been mired in...

Tall order for both teams at bowlers’ graveyard

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

All that is not flat about the pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo are the graves bowlers have dug for themselves here.

It is a merciless ground for anyone, particularly foreigners, who would dare bowl a ball in anger on a surface the colour of a faded manilla envelope and half as exciting as an empty one.

The last three tests at SSC have been drawn, as have half the previous dozen. The other six were won by Sri Lanka. SA will hope to end that run...

In denial? Not the Lankans

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Colombo

Whatever else is said about Sri Lanka’s performance in the first test, which SA won by 153 runs in Galle on Sunday, denial is not among their problems.

They know they need to fix what went wrong, and they know they need to do so in the second test starting at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo today.

Sanath Jayasuriya has given up smashing fear into bowlers for what he would have thought – before he needed minor heart surgery early this month – was the quieter...