Sri Lanka in England 2011

[Ollie_H]

I agree with this. In Test, I fail to understand how keeping one end tight creates pressure. In limited overs cricket, it makes sense, and might be a reason why Broad is a success in those formats. But the only way to create pressure in Tests is if you bowl beautifuly and create chances/take wckets. As long as the batsman is in the crease and feels reltaively safe against a bowler, he's not going to be under any pressure.

Because there are many batsmen in the world who will become frustrated by their inability to score runs and thus play a wild shot or end up giving their wicket away. People aren't saying it's the be all and end all of taking wickets but if the batsman are scoring fluently and able to take runs where they like, then there is no pressure and it's more difficult to take wickets, unless as you said the bowler is bowling jaffas.

Obviously it comes far more into play in ODI's where (obviously) a team only has a limited amount of time to bat and they must make the most out of it but it is certainly the case in Tests as well. It might not be at the forefront of taking wickets, but it has to be there or all the ex-pro's wouldn't go on about it as well.

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Considering the situation has no place in an argument here. Let's take a look at the figures of the highest and lowest totals to ever be made in world cricket.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283966.htm

Records | Test matches | Team records | Lowest innings totals | ESPN Cricinfo

Just on an overall basis, just by looking at the stats you can see there must be some difference. Most of the highest run totals have a run rate in the high 3's an over or low 4's. Whereas the majority of the lowest score totals, have run rates in the mid 1's to low 2's.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

I'm not arguing that it doesn't exsist in the Test arena, just that it isn't a big factor in contributing to wickets, as opposed in limited overs. I'm agreeing with the assumption that it is a weak defence for Broad's place in the XI.

 

[barmyarmy]

I don't know. My concern about Finn is that he doesn't keep it tight even though he gets wickets. Pressure is really important as batsmen feel they have to score against someone.
If one bowler is producing jaffas and one is spraying it around most batsmen will simple block the good bowler and milk the profligate one.

 

[jacobfelix]

I have this strange feeling Sri Lanka might pull off the One-Dayers though...

 

[Haarithan]

That's good enough for England to win. Aren't you the one who predicted KEN to beat NZL in the WC, SL to win the WC final and Danny man to lift the IPL trophy?

 

[Sureshot]

That is true re keepers, you could pick one over another and form could be all that vindicates you or not. Tremlett is an odd choice to leave out, England did talk about fatigue and it was their number one excuse last winter, yet still they picked NINE Test players for the ODI squad

Already agreed pretty much re Finn, Patel needs to take this chance by the balls and hold on. Pressure will be on him as he is the second spinner. No Collingwood may make the captaincy bowling changes, rotation etc rather interesting.

Still absolutely adamant England could have two near if not entirely separate squads for Tests and ODIs. There's only a handful of Test players you'd scratch your head and wonder who would replace in the ODI side, but mostly you can't persuade me the likes of Morgan, Finn, Prior, Davies/Kieswetter, Broad, Anderson, Trott, Bell etc are definites for inclusion in both squads. Swann and Pietersen are the two you'd make strong cases for being in both.

It seems a shame they dropped Strauss from the ODI squad, he plays positively even if his captaincy isn't often/always. Scores of 0 and 5 against Sri Lanka and South Africa perhaps put in perspective by his 158 against India.

Trott is a definite in both Test and ODI. Morgan could be in Tests with a few more games so we can actually see what he's like in the longer form, fairly happy with him so far. Strauss retired, he wasn't dropped, but you have a point on his form. It's transition time and a big 10 ODI's for us this summer. I'm looking forward to it.

I think it's time to end Collingwood's career, he's been a good player for us, but it's time to move on with all-rounders like Patel.

 

[War]

Eoin Morgan appointed Twenty20 vice-captain | Cricket News | England v Sri Lanka 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo

Find it odd that Swann isn't getting any captaincy responsibility in the ENG set-up.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Maybe they're looking for young blood, for a more long-term basis. That's the only thing that might explain Swann not being considered.

And it's only T20.

 

[sifter132]

I agree with this. In Test, I fail to understand how keeping one end tight creates pressure. In limited overs cricket, it makes sense, and might be a reason why Broad is a success in those formats. But the only way to create pressure in Tests is if you bowl beautifuly and create chances/take wckets. As long as the batsman is in the crease and feels reltaively safe against a bowler, he's not going to be under any pressure.

I don't think pressure is everything and I see that it doesn't matter too much in quite a few Tests, but as a watcher of every ball of the last Ashes, I thought it was a massive factor in deciding that particular series as it showed one of main gaps between the 2 sides. Australia rarely built up any pressure on England's batters, and even when someone produced a good spell of bowling, it was usually wasted, either because of the disciplined batting of Cook and Trott in particular or because the guy at the other end was releasing pressure by bowling loosely. The only time Australia built up pressure was with the Hilfenhaus/Johnson partnership in Perth and funnily enough they won. After that they couldn't get a pair of bowlers to work with each other - someone was always leaking runs.

England meanwhile only had one bowler who couldn't build up pressure - Steve Finn, and even he had the odd good spell. Anderson, Tremlett, Broad, Swann and Bresnan just didn't bowl much junk and controlled the Aussies beautifully. You could just tell when Finn came on that the batsmen saw him as the guy they could use to get some momentum into their innings - and that ended up getting Finn quite a few wickets from loose shots, just because the Aussies were trying to get some air back after the other bowlers had stifled them. Add to that the pressure Ponting and Clarke were putting on themselves and suddenly you had a very jumpy Aussie lineup who were caged by accurate bowling. I thought it was that simple - accuracy and pressure building gave England the Ashes (or at least was one of the major factors).

 

[Sureshot]

Impressive innings from Moeen Ali at Worcester t'other day. I really do think Sri Lanka is going to be relying on Malinga in this series, I don't see much threat outside of that, perhaps Mendis, but he's been pretty poor over the last couple of months.

 

[Haarithan]

BBC Sport - Stuart Broad comes through injury scare to lead England

Sweet. Ohh and Happy 25th Birthday Broady.

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And sour....

BBC Sport - Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga banned for three months

 

[angryangy]

Reasonably good result for Tharanga. He'll be eligible again for the 1st ODI against Australia.

 

[Themer]

Have no problem with him getting a slap on the wrists for that although he should be more careful.

 

[6ry4nj]

I predict herbal remedy companies will presently be making a mint() 'accidentally' including state-of-the-art banned substances in their folksy formulations...

Moreso than they are already, that is...

 

[cricket_icon]

yeah three months ban is ridiculously low!!
back on the series. T20 should be close. I see England winning this.