[Match Thread] OnIy Test: SL vs ZIM

[Jemisi]

fantastic effort to win those two sessions. What character! 23-4 to 252-6. Wonderful stuff Zim.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

fantastic effort to win those two sessions. What character! 23-4 to 252-6. Wonderful stuff Zim.

Yeah, incredible stuff. I thought it was game over at that point. Real fighting spirit to get to this lead.

Raza, Waller and Moor have knuckled down and delivered when it was required most.

http://cricfanzzz.blogspot.com.au/p/ten-3.html#

[tawac]

50 up for Waller. Love the fact that we can now pick him for all formats without quibbling about it.

Loving the new Waller. he is not just a slogger but can also build an innings. He has really worked on his game.

[jimbo]

Brilliant Zimbabwe

The thing for me is apart from the great decision to play 8 batsmen it's not a markedly different squad from the past few years
Streak knows how to get the best out of people it seems

[eugene]

Great stuff from Waller, Raza, and Moor. Streak is clearly instilling a fighting mentality within the squad that has been absent for about 15 years. We are in the driving seat as far as this game goes now.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Great stuff from Waller, Raza, and Moor. Streak is clearly instilling a fighting mentality within the squad that has been absent for about 15 years. We are in the driving seat as far as this game goes now.

I don't think we are out of the woods yet. If Waller and Raza are still batting and we have a 300 lead then things get interesting.

As it stands right now I think it's about evenly poised because we've got runs on the board and 4th innings chases are historically tough. Bet365 has SL at $1.95 and Zim at $2.20.

But if we can push past 300, not only does it take a bit more time out of the game - the pitch is good now but maybe it'll start to break up a bit on day 4 - but it just starts becoming hard and demoralising the longer Zim bat.

The first hour tomorrow is so crucial. It can't be like the first hour we batted today.

[pariah]

I'm pretty confident Zimbabwe will set Sri Lanka around 340 to chase. Raza has been brilliant.

Only thing that stands between Sri Lanka and a Zimbabwean victory is Graeme Cremer! Wow who would have thought!

Considering Matthews, Chandimal, Tharanga, Mendis, Gunaratne, Karunaratne and Dickwella, plus Herath and Perera's ability with the bat, I still count Sri Lanka as odds on favourites because poor shots and bad running got them out. This pitch is dead, plus they have plenty of time to chase even 400+ against an attack that's frankly took only 2 or 3 of their wickets.

[ZIMDOGGY]

I don't thinking we can win with anything under 300 at all to be honest and it's absolutely vital we get to 350.

For me to start feeling confidmeg we will need 400 plus.

We won't get lucky with two crazy run outs, a fumbled. Stumping and a one legged batsman in the fourth innings

[TapsC]

There is still too much time left for this to be a match winning lead..we need to bat another session and get them chasing at least 350 to stand a real chance but it seems like we are losing every single morning session.

This whole 8 batsmen theory is working well so far. The key is to bat them out of the game. Once that happens their mindset will change and the opportunities will come

[CrimsonAvenger]

Another dogged comeback. Yes, as most people feel this is nowhere enough to send shivers down their spine with the bowling "attack" we have, but at 23/4 the match could have been over today! Great show so far by Raza (again, a man woefully out of form before the series), Waller and Moor. Waller has always been positive regardless (or irregardless, to be more Zimboish) of the situation to the extent of being stupid and reckless, but looked good today when it mattered the most. Yes, we have thrown away the first sessions of the match every time in this test. Can we please do better tomorrow and somehow get to 350? Please...

I am already proud no matter what the outcome is. This is our best overseas effort in a long long time.