Sri Lanka in England 2011
- Thread starter Lassana Dias
- Start date
Tea is taken, they've clearly not had enough breaks.
Know what I was saying about Test cricket needing to be more flexible? Perfect example, lets bring Test cricket out of the 20th century and in to the 21st.
Know what I was saying about Test cricket needing to be more flexible? Perfect example, lets bring Test cricket out of the 20th century and in to the 21st.
Took a while for Herath to come on last night. Wonder if KP might have been removed earlier with him going because he looked on edge straight away.
I used Giles specifically, not because he was an awesome batsman but because that was a choice Fletcher made that I'm pretty sure was based on batting ability: Giles vs Monty. When Geraint Jones and Flintoff were 6/7 and 9/10/11 was Hoggard, Jones and Anderson, then I guess Fletcher just wanted someone who could hang around a bit, because that's a pretty poor tail otherwise. Compare that to the current lineup and it would be stupid to select a guy in 2011 for his batting when England bats a lot deeper than they did then, with a specialist at #6, Prior is great at #7 and Swanny is good at 8 or 9.
Anyway, found an article where Fletcher mentions it:
Defiant Fletcher defends Giles selection - Oneindia Cricket
I used Giles specifically, not because he was an awesome batsman but because that was a choice Fletcher made that I'm pretty sure was based on batting ability: Giles vs Monty. When Geraint Jones and Flintoff were 6/7 and 9/10/11 was Hoggard, Jones and Anderson, then I guess Fletcher just wanted someone who could hang around a bit, because that's a pretty poor tail otherwise. Compare that to the current lineup and it would be stupid to select a guy in 2011 for his batting when England bats a lot deeper than they did then, with a specialist at #6, Prior is great at #7 and Swanny is good at 8 or 9.
Anyway, found an article where Fletcher mentions it:
Defiant Fletcher defends Giles selection - Oneindia Cricket
What I was getting at is that Giles was picked as the SPINNER, preferred over other spinners because he could bat and not exclusively because of his batting being a big part of his game. Like picking Giles out of Giles and Tufnell, Udal out of Udal and Dawson, Croft out of Croft and Such kind of thing. Broad is part of the three pronged pace attack and so the luxury of a spinner who can bat in with FOUR pace bowlers is not the same. ie England are a bowler or half a bowler short in a four pronged attack compared to the negligible effect of including Giles in a five pronged attack.
I think Flintoff and Broad could have a lot more in common than Giles and Broad, if they don't already. Flintoff had so much batting potential that he didn't fulfil, way too often wafting and getting himself out. He too tended to bowl too short and for his ability with the ball didn't take the wickets he should have.
As for the match, England have made quite quick process through some urgent batting shown at times. Shame they then stick to that nonsensical 'tactic' of sending in a nightwatchman
I'd go for a quick 75-100 run lead and get Sri Lanka back in as quickly as possible, England may decide to procrastinate and dally to make sure of the draw, I would look to bowl them out for under 200 (again) and have a target of 100 or less if needed. I fear England will want to get a bigger lead and squander any chance of winning.
All that said of course, if Broad had bowled much better England might have not conceded 184, he wasn't the only one to overdo bowling short. And what a shocker for yet another tailender to keep England at bay for their top score.
Fernando's top three scores
10/11 39no vs England - added 39 of the 67 runs added for the last three wickets (off 51 balls)
07/08 36no vs England - put on 98 for the ninth wicket
05/06 16 vs Pakistan
He has three other scores in double figures, so out of 42 innings he has six double figure scores and his top two scores are against England and higher than any other scores against any other opposition by a full TWENTY runs which is bad in context.
England badly need someone who can mop up tailenders, bowl straight and fast and resort to pepperings when the tailender has scored a few and hung around, not before he's scored.
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Yet another farce, the umpires should have a set of times where they take lunch or tea if it play isn't possible. If they go off 3pm or later and aren't due back out until gone four, TAKE F IN TEA.
They need to minimise the amount of time wasted, taking breaks while it is raining or play isn't possible should be a given.
No consideration is EVER given to spectators, I was at old trafford in 2002 when the same team and the same farces were on show. We sat waiting in broad sunshine for 30-60 minutes at a time and when the players slowly dawdled out, the rain returned
In nine years they've learned FA and improved FA. The drainage should be excellent, stoppages should be minimal and the players and umpires should come out as soon as play is possible instead of announcing "play will resume at..............." meaning you wait 20+ minutes and by the time the play is due to resume 20+ minutes of good weather is gone and the next shower is due.And the ICC needs to dump heavily on time wasting in the form of slow over rates. Start with 25% of the all the match takings for the offending country/countries for under 14 overs an hour, 50% for anything under 13 overs an hour, and 100% if it descends under 12 overs and hour with forfeiture of any positive results (draw or win) for persistent offenders.
If they can't even draw a match by time wasting then maybe they'll stop doing it. It wouldn't be good for the game, I'd hope the heavy fines would cut it out, but hitting the players AND their board in the wallet so heavily so they lose revenue from TV, ticket sales etc should send out the right message.
Although my preferred move is that sides behind with their overs forfeit their choice of bowler and the batsmen get to choose. I'm guessing after a few overs of the keeper bowling and 10th choice from the other end that the captains will wise up as T20 scoring takes its toll.
Great batting from both Bell and Morgan who played positively. And then a sign of the new England with an aggressive declaration from Strauss and Flower.
I now don't want this spell of bowling from Anderson and Tremlett to end. Game looks a completely different one from when Sri Lanka were in the field.
I now don't want this spell of bowling from Anderson and Tremlett to end. Game looks a completely different one from when Sri Lanka were in the field.
Was working on the assumption there would be less play than there has been, and is forecast for tomorrow. I think England got it about right although the they probably could and should have declared when Morgan was out, England 373/6 and ending a big 100 partnership.
England must want a wicket or two more tonight.
Interesting stat I noticed earlier :
Since 2005 Ashes
Pietersen : 5355 runs @ 47.81
Bell : 4056 runs @ 47.72
Less than a tenth of a run in it. Why has Pietersen got 1299 more runs than Bell? Because Bell missed Sri Lanka in 2006, West Indies in 08/09 and 09, and Pakistan last year - four series of which two were against West Indies and he'd have hoped to have scored a few more than the 227 he did in 2007.
England must want a wicket or two more tonight.
Interesting stat I noticed earlier :
Since 2005 Ashes
Pietersen : 5355 runs @ 47.81
Bell : 4056 runs @ 47.72
Less than a tenth of a run in it. Why has Pietersen got 1299 more runs than Bell? Because Bell missed Sri Lanka in 2006, West Indies in 08/09 and 09, and Pakistan last year - four series of which two were against West Indies and he'd have hoped to have scored a few more than the 227 he did in 2007.
Papa_Smurf
International Cricketer
That wicket's ensured Broad's place for the first India test.
What's the forecast for tomorrow?
What's the forecast for tomorrow?
And bingo, what could prove a very important wicket falls to make it 110/3. Maybe one last wicket tonight, the captain maybe, and look for 3-4 wickets early tomorrow to set up a 2-0.
It will feel like not much of a series win if England don't win this one, I know rain has taken chunks out of the game, but when you bowl out a side for under 200 and score 377 at 4+ runs an over, then you can still look for a win.
I reckon Broad may well bag himself a threefer, although his place in the next Test side must be in serious doubt
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The TMS crew earlier were reckoning an improved forecast, reckoned if Strauss had known he might have batted on, and on, and on.....................
How England are to take the wickets must be the nagging doubt, Swann has bowled 12 tight overs this match but taken only one wicket. Broad has taken two wickets, but is nearing 30 overs in doing so. Tremlett must be England's main hope, and if Anderson can get a couple of wickets the Sri Lankan tail is not very strong looking - charitable donations to Fernando aside.
It will feel like not much of a series win if England don't win this one, I know rain has taken chunks out of the game, but when you bowl out a side for under 200 and score 377 at 4+ runs an over, then you can still look for a win.
I reckon Broad may well bag himself a threefer, although his place in the next Test side must be in serious doubt
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The TMS crew earlier were reckoning an improved forecast, reckoned if Strauss had known he might have batted on, and on, and on.....................
How England are to take the wickets must be the nagging doubt, Swann has bowled 12 tight overs this match but taken only one wicket. Broad has taken two wickets, but is nearing 30 overs in doing so. Tremlett must be England's main hope, and if Anderson can get a couple of wickets the Sri Lankan tail is not very strong looking - charitable donations to Fernando aside.
Papa_Smurf
International Cricketer
If they can get atleast a full session and a half tomorrow, then England might be able to pull it off. Sri Lanka's body language is all negative.
I think the important thing yesterday was England left themselves enough time to bowl the Sri Lankans out, probably needed to leave at least three sessions. They're three down already so it's maybe half the job done, and if you look at the series averages so far for what's left you won't be too anxious about most of them making a big score
Sangakkara (44no) : 109 runs @ 21.80
Herath (2no) : 68 runs @ 17.00
Samaraweera : 115 runs @ 28.75
Jayawardene (wk) : 210 runs @ 52.50
Perera : 47 runs @ 15.67
Fernando : 44 runs @ 44.00
Lakmal : 2 runs @ 0.67
Welegedara : 13 runs @ 6.50
39 of Fernando's runs came in the one innings, he averages 8.64 overall. The keeper is having a good series, but averages 32.14 overall and over half his series runs came in that 112.
England just need to bowl well, keep short stuff to minimum and necessary while bowling straight and getting a bit of movement. A last session chase of 50-100 wouldn't be too bad, I'm assuming Sri Lanka will overhaul England's 1st innings lead.
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