SA Footy

The first VB Series final is this Friday in Adelaide - the first final held in Adelaide in quite some time.

However, the SACA is praying it's not the last in a while, and it may seem that way, with ticket sales drastically sluggish - less than half have been sold.

Australia released 14-man final squad yesterday afternoon. Sri Lanka are yet to release their team.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brett Dorey, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Michael Lewis, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds.

Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (capt), Russel Arnold, Malinga Bandara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof, Jehan Mubarak, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ruchira Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Upul Tharanga, Chaminda Vaas, Michael Vandort.

Date and Venue
Friday, February 10 - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.

Session times (local)
First innings: 1:45pm - 5:15pm
Second innings: 6:00pm - 9:30pm

Match begins at 11:15am in Perth; 1:15pm in Brisbane; 2:15pm in Melb/Syd.

Match is live around Australia on Channel Nine (except Adelaide).

Points Table (After Preliminary Matches)
Australia - 8 matches, 27 points, 0.78 NRR
Sri Lanka - 8 matches, 14 points, 0.03 NRR
South Africa - 8 matches, 12 points, -0.81 NRR

Latest Odds (SportsBet)
Australia $1.25
Sri Lanka $3.85

Weather (Yahoo!)

High: 24. Low: 16. Partly Cloudy. [More Details]

Sri Lanka made 8-274 from their 50 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Kumar Sangakkara top scored with 83, while Marvan Atapattu added 53.

Nathan Bracken took the most wickets, but was costly with 3-61.

In reply, Australia are in trouble at 5-122 after 25 overs.

Tillerkaratne Dilshan has three run outs!

Simon Katich top scored with 56 and was the last to go at 5-122 after 24.5 overs.

Attendance: 23,512 (compared to last year's 1st Final at the MCG of 27,502)

Dilshan now has 4 run outs,
11.1 overs, Ponting, 0 off 0 balls
14.3 overs, Martyn, 1 off 7 balls
24.6 overs, Katich, 56 of 81 balls
30.6 overs, Hussey, 16 off 21 balls
as well as taking the catch of Hopes (3 of 3 balls)
Australia is Fu((ed, 9/248 with 1.1 overs to go

silky-smooth wrote:The first VB Series final is this Friday in Adelaide - the first final held in Adelaide in quite some time.

Considering it's the first outside of Melbourne or Sydney, that WOULD be quite some time

All over, Aust. all out for 252 (49.1 overs)

Wedgie wrote:RIGGED!

Looks like Sydney and Melbourne both get a final anyway...............I hope!!!!!

Ian wrote:

Wedgie wrote:RIGGED!

Looks like Sydney and Melbourne both get a final anyway...............I hope!!!!!

Nope. Third final (if required) will be at the Gabba.

what is Pontings excuse going to be now, no McGrath(he was bowling like crap anyway)
maybe the Aussies will stop acting like prima donnas (Lee) and start believing that their opponents can actually play and start giving them some respect

Some impressive hitting at the end of the Sri Lankan innings by the 18 year old Chamara Kapugedera. The six off of Brett Lee onto the Chappell stand awnings was one mighty swipe and the six off of Bracken off of a ball that was almost a shoulder high full toss was made to look easier than it would have been.
Has made things interesting for Sunday and I'll be interested to see the odds for the game when they are given, given that Australia was only $1.25 for this game.

godoubleblues wrote:what is Pontings excuse going to be now, no McGrath(he was bowling like crap anyway)
maybe the Aussies will stop acting like prima donnas (Lee) and start believing that their opponents can actually play and start giving them some respect

McGrath has hardly been bowling like crap Doubleblue. Granted, he is not taking as many wickets as in previous years but he was badly missed last night. McGrath has been bowling well without getting the wickets and has been getting back into a rhythm in recent matches. Do you actually watch the games or do you just read the results in the paper and watch the news montage of boundaries and wickets?

I don't think we'll be hearing any excuses from Punter either. Sri Lanka were better on the night and the running between the wickets smacked of panic, which ultimately cost Australia the game. Australia were at their worst, Sri Lanka their best and we lost by 23 runs. Australia 2-1 IMO.

regards,

REB

It turns out that running each other out is never a sure fire way to win a cricket match. Who would have though

Sri Lanka to win the series in 2........!

Dog_ger wrote:Sri Lanka to win the series in 2........!

Interceptor wrote:

Ian wrote:

Wedgie wrote:RIGGED!

Looks like Sydney and Melbourne both get a final anyway...............I hope!!!!!

Nope. Third final (if required) will be at the Gabba.

Yeh, found that out this morning.

Sorry, silky, I didn't read this post first, but I posted some facts on another thread here.

Aust with 364 runs...I hope the little chuckers booked accomodation in Brisbane...