Story [ICC 2006] Coaching England

[Skater]

First test match, first day, close of play

Andrew Strauss failed to see off the rest of the session and ultimately the end of the first day

After the tea interval on the first day of the first test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's in North London, Geraint Jones dropped a relatively simple catch from an edge off Monty Panesar.

The batsmen may have been counting his blessing following that let-off, but Panesar was to have the last laugh by bowling out Nuwan Kulasekara for just 1 run from 5 balls.

Nuwan Zoysa surprisngly stroked the ball for two boundaries before he edged the ball to Marcus Trescothick at slip for 8 runs from 10 balls. Then, a feather of an edge from Chaminda Vaas was caught by Geraint Jones off Matthew Hoggard for 10 runs from 38 balls. Sri Lanka were 221 all out, just after the tea interval. Kumar Sangakkara's 67 and Mahela Jaywardene's 50 remained the top scores and Matthew Hoggard took figures of 5-40 and Monty Panesar took figures of 5-82.

England's batsmen were told to be very defensive for the first ten overs of the innings, but Andrew Strauss couldn't help but edge a ball from Nuwan Kulasekara to Upul Tharanga at slip for just 1 runs from 9 balls. The batsmen then began to build a partnership to safely reach the close of play.

England were 41-1, Marcus Trescothick with 24 not out and Michael Vaughan with 15 not out. Kulasekara took figures of 1-10.

 

[Bilal91]

Great story mate...love the layout as well but some snap shots should make it better...

 

[Skater]

First test match, second day, lunch interval

Marcus Trescothick was out for 47 trying to bring up his half century before the lunch break

On the second day of the first test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's in North London, the batsmen began to confidently stroke the ball for boundaries to take the score past fifty before Michael Vaughan was bowled out by Muttiah Muralitharan for 28 runs from 81 balls.

Alistair Cook then edged the ball to Michael Vandort at slip off Chaminda Vaas for just 6 runs from 27 balls. Marcus Trescothick then survived a close leg before wicket appeal from Thilan Samaraweera before Kevin Pietersen easily hit two boundaries off Muttiah Muralitharan. He then attempted to play a sweep shot off the off spinner, but only to Mahela Jayawardene for 20 runs from 29 balls. Andrew Flintoff then stroked the ball to the boundary to bring up the one hundred for England.

Marcus Trescothick, who was trying to score his half century before the lunch interval, disappointingly chopped the ball to Nuwan Zoysa off Chaminda Vaas for 47 runs from 146 balls.

Andrew Flintoff agonisingly missed a straight ball from Thilan Samaweera that hit the stumps and he was out for 19 runs from 31 balls, on the very last ball before the lunch interval.

England were 131-6, Marcus Trescothick with 47 and Michael Vaughan with 28 remaining the top scores. Chaminda Vaas took figures of 2-32 and Muttiah Muralitharan took figures of 2-45.

 

[Left_Hander]

England are in dire straits. Tail-enders need to chip in dramtacilly if they are to reach the 200+ run mark.

Good story anyway, SkateBoarder, I am really enjoying it.

 

[Skater]

First test match, second day, tea interval

Muttiah Muralitharan dumbfounded the England batsmen to take 5-40 and put Sri Lanka well on top in the first test match

After the lunch interval on the second day of the first test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's in North London, Paul Collingwood was dumbfounded by one ball that he just could not hit. Luckily, it was not a wicket taking delivery.

After the sixty-fifth over of the innings, the batsman were told to stop playing defensively and play naturally, in the hope that this would bring valuable runs. Soon after this command was given, Geraint Jones was leg before wicket to Muttiah Muralitharan for just 4 runs from 44 balls. This wicket brought Monty Panesar in, who cheekily stroked the ball to the boundary twice off Chaminda Vaas to bring up the one hundred and fifty for England.

Soon afterwards, he skied one off Chaminda Vaas to Muttiah Muralitharan, to be out for 8 runs from 10 balls. Matthew Hoggard found it extremely difficult to play Muttiah Muralitharan, and he survived an appeal for a catch behind. In the same over, he missed the ball to be bowled out by Muralitharan for 0 runs from 4 balls. There was no cameo innings from Steve Harmison, who was bowled out for 0 runs from just 1 ball by Muralitharan.

England were 152 all out. Marcus Trescothick's 47 and Michael Vaughan's 28 remained the top scores and Muttiah Muralitharan took figures of 5-40 and Chaminda Vaas took figures of 3-43.

Opening bowlers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison were instructed to bowl full and from round the wicket to left handed batsmen, with a very aggressive field setting. The batsmen began to build a partnership before Steve Harmison forced Kumar Sangakkara to play and miss at a ball. That was to be the only scare in the period of play leading to the tea interval.

Sri Lanka were 38-0, Upul Tharanga with 24 not out and Kumar Sangakkara with 13 not out.

 

[Skater]

Sorry for double posting but I've got permission from Ste to do so. There's some sad news in the fact that I will not be able to devote as much time as I'd like to this story now as I start GCSE tomorrow (I've got rid of the baby stuff in KS3!) and I expect some homework which will be time consuming. However, I'm not going to let it die like that. If you click here you should be able to download the saved game and carry it on, either for pleasure or to carry on this story!