Sri Lanka in England/Netherlands

[barmyarmy]

Actually this is like the only test I played on cricket coach where I was trying to bowl SL out for 560 in 7 sessions and they got a draw after I dropped 18 catches (and to think I complained it was unrealistic...)

Congrats to SL for hanging in there and especially to Chaminda Vaas, my MoM I reckon. Great effort to get the draw.
We're going to have to improve the fielding ten-fold at Edgebaston.

 

[ZexyZahid]

I would say Jayawardene is the Man of the Match. He pulled Sri Lanka out from a very difficult position. Without his contribution Sri Lanka would have probably lost by now.

 

[anakwalajinn]

This has been great comeback from Lanka!
People were expecting innigns defeat!

 

[ZexyZahid]

I think today or tomorrow you will see an article about the great escapes in Test cricket.

The biggest escape I can remember it this one of West Indies vs Pakistan, where Pakistan managed to get a draw after a difference of 551 runs after Pakistan's first innings (batting second). It included the legendary triple century of Hanif Mohammad:

West Indies v Pakistan, 1957/58, 1st Test
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1950S/1957-58/PAK_IN_WI/PAK_WI_T1_17-23JAN1958.html

 

[cricket_lover]

This is indeed one of the great escapes. I never expected the match to be drawn, and now its almost a draw.

You really have to appreciate the fighting spirit of the Lankans, almost everyone contributed in one way or other. A memorable match for them.

I hope India learns a lesson or two from this performance

 

[Stephen Bailey]

I hope India learns a lesson or two from this performance

Not just India, but every single team can learn some lessons from this Sri Lankan batting performance. This makes me wonder how much better we could've done in India had the batsman applied themselves like the Sri Lankans have for the last 3 days. Dropped catches or not, a truly great performance.

 

[wolf]

Fair play to Sri Lanka.

 

[icyman]

England should consider this as a psycological loss for themselves.
They dropped too many catches.
Had they held onto their chances they might just have won the game.

 

[aditya123]

one of the escapes great of modern era.
Kolkata 2001 ranks the best amongst winning escapes but this one is one of the bst earned draws I can think off.
The Mohali 2005 tst where Razzaq and Akmal played gems was another one that I can think of.

Well Done Lanka.Now with Sanath back, we can expect btter cricket from them.

 

[evertonfan]

I'm just glad the 2nd test is at Edgebaston, although judging by how much Australia's tail wagged there last year, i'm a bit worried. As for the droped catches, well I think that might just be Lords, again just look back at last year's first ashes test, we treated the ball like a bar of soap! In two tests at Lords we have dropped 16-17 catches,perhaps it's just a bogey ground. I really hope i'm right about this, I don't want 10 more dropped chaces next thursday!

 

[Stephen Bailey]

I'm just glad the 2nd test is at Edgebaston, although judging by how much Australia's tail wagged there last year, i'm a bit worried. As for the droped catches, well I think that might just be Lords, again just look back at last year's first ashes test, we treated the ball like a bar of soap! In two tests at Lords we have dropped 16-17 catches,perhaps it's just a bogey ground. I really hope i'm right about this, I don't want 10 more dropped chaces next thursday!

Catching was poor at Lord's, but there was two main culprits in that game, Geraint Jones (always suspect) and KP who couldn't catch anything through the whole series. Also, both teams dropped catches everywhere, particularly Australia at Old Trafford on day one and The Oval during Pietersen's 158.

 

[gary0808]

What poor catching. I'm very dissapointed with our catching but I have a feeling luck is going to swing our way at Edgbaston

 

[evertonfan]

I think Sri Lanka need some better bowlers though, Vaas and Murali are fine, but Maharoof and Kulasekara are way below par, fair enough they batted superbly, but not's not what they are picked for is it? As for England, bring back GBH instead of Mahmood, he may have took 5 wickets, but 3 of them were gimmes. And when Jonesy and Jimmy are fit, either one can replace Plunkett. Also, Fred's done a good job as captain, but for me we need the inventivness of Vaughan back, but i'm not sure which batsman he can replace, Cook was superb and Colingwood is reliable and almost faultless.

 

[wolf]

Maharoof and Kulasekara batted well though.

 

[Skater]

This would be my ideal team for the second test:

1). Marcus Trescothick (vice captain)
2). Andrew Strauss
3). Alistair Cook
4). Kevin Pietersen
5). Andrew Flintoff (captain)
6). Paul Collingwood
7). Geraint Jones (wicket keeper)
8). Mdhsuden Singh Panesar
9). Matthew Hoggard
10). Stephen Harmsion
11). Sajid Mahmood