England in Sri Lanka March-April 2011/12

[barmyarmy]

I think we should drop a bowler in response to this outrage.

 

[puddleduck]

Essentially, I think it's obvious that we need to play at least 3 seamers, they're our most threatening options and what we built our success on.

Still gonna throw it out... I reckon we can chase 375, but Sri Lanka could well be about 500 in front.

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I think we should drop a bowler in response to this outrage.

Indeed. 3 bowlers next game?

 

[Adarsh]

Hmm, I love the "he tries to improve." It's not like he's 15 mate, this is international cricket. You can't carry anyone and bowling wise he really hasn't changed that much, just bowls the same ball over and over with no variation still.

He's not a sporstman, and fair enough he's done well to make it to County level, but he is not a Murali (better in the field and with the bat anyway) and he just doesn't bring anything.

Or course, he's not to blame for the batsmen, but if he could catch or looked threatening at any point (remember he's been outbowled by the opposition left-arm spinner in almost every innings since his comeback ) we'd be within about 50 runs...

Don't compare him against the opposition spinner. Compare him with Swanneh1!1!! and so far he's done a lot better since his comeback.

 

[barmyarmy]

Well done Broady.
Anyone else feel like Nathan Hauritz and Michael Beer could bowl us out at the moment?

 

[MUFC1987]

Hmm, I love the "he tries to improve." It's not like he's 15 mate, this is international cricket. You can't carry anyone and bowling wise he really hasn't changed that much, just bowls the same ball over and over with no variation still.

He's not a sporstman, and fair enough he's done well to make it to County level, but he is not a Murali (better in the field and with the bat anyway) and he just doesn't bring anything.

Or course, he's not to blame for the batsmen, but if he could catch or looked threatening at any point (remember he's been outbowled by the opposition left-arm spinner in almost every innings since his comeback ) we'd be within about 50 runs...

So it's ok for a batsman to look poor in certain conditions, but not ok for a bowler to do the same? I don't know what personal problem you have with him, but he's come off our last tour looking our best spinner by a mile, so I don't see how he can suddenly be written off as being poor after one innings.

The improvement bit was in direct contrast to the batsmen in the team. You look at a guy like Monty and even Anderson and you can see that they go away and put a lot of effort into the weakest parts of their game, their batting. Yet you look at the top order, and all that seems to happen is we get KP coming out with his PR rubbish about how he is good enough and it's 'just a matter of time'.

We're not struggling in this match or did so against Pakistan because of the bowlers or even the fielders, it's the batsmen. Get that into your head and at least give Panesar two innings before you write him off as nowhere near good enough. Cos hey, we could have Tredwell in the side instead right? He can take a catch though, so it's probably worth the trade off, right?

 

[puddleduck]

Or we could have played Swann and Patel and Finn...

Meh, bottom line the seamers and Swann get enough wickets/create enough chances. Swann outbowled Monty comfortably in terms of chances. They pretty much milked Monty for an entire day, whilst they felt the need to actually have to attack Swann.

When have I said the batsman are forgiven... the difference is these guys have earned their place as the best batsman England have, including 2-3 years of fine performances. Although I suppose we could drop them all?

I haven't said Monty is why we're behind, I just don't think that because the batsman have failed so clearly it's worth ignoring the fact that Monty really has been a complete passenger so far to the detriment of the team and I felt he was overated in Pakistan. He got wickets and everyone said how he was a new bowler.

He was literally the exact same bowler as he was first time he did well (funnily enough against Pakistan).

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Jayawadene was at one point just hiting it to somewhere near Monty knowing it was runs. He is not an international sportsman.

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I can tell you for certain that if someone was in any of the teams I've played for with that fieldng ability, he'd be a joke. It brings down the whole side when you witness yet another chance put down.

 

[barmyarmy]

I wish Swann wouldn't keep confirming the left hander stereotype. He can bowl to right handers...

 

[puddleduck]

I also find it slightly ridiculous that Monty for some reason got to come on and bowl 10 overs or so before Swann even got a look in.

Here, have 10 overs of slow bowling to adjust, then we'll bring on the spinner who has a knack of snaffling people early in a spell..

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

Still gonna throw it out... I reckon we can chase 375, but Sri Lanka could well be about 500 in front.
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I'm not usually quite so confident with rubbishing statements, but if england chase down anything over 300 anywhere in the sub-continent this year I will be absolutely gob-smacked.

 

[puddleduck]

I don't know why I think they will still have a chance here.

If Jaya and Sanga go early, they're still in this game. That said these two could put on 400 haha

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

I can tell you for certain that if someone was in any of the teams I've played for with that fieldng ability, he'd be a joke. It brings down the whole side when you witness yet another chance put down.

whilst I think england would struggle in this heat with 3 seamers (I think you'd be turning the last session in to a free for all as they tired) I agree with this.

england were quite scary in the summer with their eleven athletic, determined, hard-nosed players. Monty does take the edge off that with his silliness.

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I don't know why I think they will still have a chance here.

If Jaya and Sanga go early, they're still in this game. That said these two could put on 400 haha

oh, yeah, they have a slim chance, everyone always does, but they do need the wickets because chasing 300 for them is just not going to happen. over 300 has only been chased 3 or 4 times in history in the SC and england aren't joining those ranks any time soon.

 

[MUFC1987]

Or we could have played Swann and Patel and Finn...

Meh, bottom line the seamers and Swann get enough wickets/create enough chances. Swann outbowled Monty comfortably in terms......

......down the whole side when you witness yet another chance put down.

Milked Panesar at under 2 runs per over? Right. I get the feeling if it was the other way around, you'd be telling us how they'd seen off those overs only to attack the other spinner.

So Panesar does well, but gets written off because he did it where he did well before? Yet the batsmen perform well 'for 2 years' on the same sort of pitches, before doing badly, consistently, in different conditions and that's fine? It's one rule for one and one rule for another, just because for some reason, you hate Panesar.

Everybody drops catches, it happens. Yes, sure anyone else in the team would have probably taken those catches, but he wouldn't be in the team if he didn't offer something. And whilst I'm sure your local pub team would refuse to let him play, I'm more than happy to see him in the England team, as he's a vital part of the bowling lineup which has done so well in the last few months and frankly embarrassed the batting lineup.

 

[barmyarmy]

I'm glad Swann's bowling well. There seems to be a lot of hate for him for some reason.
Unfortunately I suspect the Sri Lankas lead is already enough.

 

[puddleduck]

Wow, by the same token of asking me whether he stole my whatever. Are you two sleeping together? Are you his Mum?

Did you watch the whole days play yesterday MUFC? Because yes they milked him. They took no risks because they never needed to. It was so easy for them they just sat there and picked up the runs when they could. Allowed to disagree you know, just my opinion.

Everyone drops catches, but I don't think anyone in cricket drops them like Monty does.

Of course he'd play for my club (local pub we are not) overseas player was certain Tarun Nethula 4 years ago However his fielding would be an absolute joke even at that level.

 

[barmyarmy]

I reckon his catching is on a par with mine...