(04-04-2021, 10:47 PM)pj57 Wrote:(04-04-2021, 06:05 PM)Randy Wrote: lol. Fourth innings is a s important as the first innings. Matches are saved, won in the fourth innings. What bull and nonsense.
All four innings are equally important. If at all fourth innings wickets are tougher to bat on. Why do people rate KJP's 150 odd, Stokes 100 and Lara's 150 odd as the best test knocks of all time?
I don't see the so called pundits rating a 100/200 in the first innings to be of the same magnitude. Your arguments are hilarious, esp to say 1/2 inns carry more weightage in Tests. You should stop watching the Test match after the first two innings, and assume the winner based on the first two innings.
You have taken few occasions where the fourth innings has been match saving and match winning due to exceptional individual performances. Those are few and far between, how many of these occasions can you count in the history of 2400 test matches. Most matches are won due to a good first innings score and a good first innings lead which is then used to win the match. Of course there are exceptions to the rule as in anything else. Having said that, Mendis hasn't contributed to saving or winning a match in his fourth innings except for that unbeaten 84 against SA. In fact he has batted 18 times in the 4th innings and we have lost 11 of those matches and won only 5. Even when we won, he has made a contribution in only two matches, 84* against SA and 66 against Zimbabwe. So what are you talking about
lol so? Do you think matches can be won single handedly?
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/629074.html?class=1;filter=advanced;innings_number=3;innings_number=4;orderby=default;template=results;type=allround
Mendis average 43 in the Second innings. 5 of his 7 hundred have come there.
When you prune it down to the fourth innings
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/629074.html?class=1;filter=advanced;innings_number=4;orderby=default;template=results;type=allround
Averages 53.66.
It's a small sample space, yes. But these numbers are pretty good. Mendis averaging in the second innings shows you that he needs to time to adjusted to the pace of the wicket. But these numbers prove one thing, Mendis is definitely a capable player and he deserves to be on the team asap.
The first innings, fourth innings are equally important. If Mendis did well in first innings, and failed in fourth innings pretty sure you'd find this as a reason to keep him out of the team.
Kusal Mendis~the almighty, set to return on the 31st Jul 2022