Sri Lanka in England/Netherlands

[hondeyho]

Well the ODI series will be interesting and there'll be a few players who make their ODI debuts. (Monty Panesar especially after today's innings ), overall I'd like a series win but we need to set Sri Lanka some hard targets and not collapse in the adversity of a run-chase.

 

[usy]

Welldone Sri Lanka, ofcorse you can beat England , England waky waky Ashes is over ,

 

[Stephen Bailey]

I don't think it's illegal, i just don't think it's right. Anyway i don't want to discuss that.

If you don't want to discuss it, don't bring it up.

What on earth do you mean if you don't think it's illegal, yet you say it isn't 'right'? I think that deserves an explanation as it's not exactly clear!

England waky waky Ashes is over ,

Really? Never knew that. :

 

[nightprowler10]

England dismissed for under 200 while chasing a target and after a decent start. Thats pretty much along the lines of the Multan test. England really need to work on that, after their next test series of course.

If they really save their best for Australia, then they don't deserve the no 2 status that they currently enjoy.

Well done to Sri Lanka and especially Murali for more than making up for their blunders in the past few months, IMO.

 

[usy]

Really? Never knew that. :

Yeah thats why I said it, Pakistan coming to soon :happy.

 

[CricketFan999]

Just watched the highlights on channel 5, the looks on the faces of the English batsmen on the balcony are great while Monty is smacking it around abit.

 

[evertonfan]

Chaminda Vaas averaged 92 in this series, from my point of view he is a proper batsman or England are just extremley poor at bowling to tailenders. We can only blame ourselves for drawing the series because of the terrible drops at Lord's, although Sri Lanka thouroughly deserved their victory today, we should have won the series 2-1.

The batsmen set it up in their second innings, you have a point though, without Murali they'd win very few tests.

Murali produced the second best bowling performance I've ever seen (About 3 years) the best being Harmisons 7-12 in WIndies.

Monty wasn't a one off, previously in this thread I've posted that Athers has said in the com box that he can bat, he proved it today. He's no batsman, he's no slouch either, I think he'll be hit and miss with the bat like Murali.

I'm very annoyed at the pitch prepared for this test (would Sri Lanka produce a pitch that offers no spin and swings alot when we go there?, Doubt it very much) I think they should be punished by the ECB, I'd drop Test Cricket their for a couple of years maybe. Harsh, but it cost us, all other countries prepare to their strengths.

Positives for England:

1)Plunkett has really come on
2) Saj, despite not even being a Lancs regular has done well in international cricket so far.
3)Panesar showing that he is the best English spinner around. No misfields this test, only one at Edgbaston, and that one had a dodgy bounce. He's not fast on his feet, but he's not as bad as many make out imo.
4) Form of KP.
5) Cook, who like many a batsman only really imo struggled versus Murali.

Negatives:

1) Drawing a series at home.
2) Freddie has had a poor series by his high standards, particularly batting.
3) Not enough batsman getting hundreds.
4) No runs from Jones.
5) Catching slighlty below par.
6) 3 test series without victory.


We have an unexperienced team, also a changing team with what seems like injuries every other week.

I agree with absolutley everything you have just said mate!

Firstly, Freddie's poor form with the bat has been because of captaincy I think, he concentrated on building a captain's knock rather than bullying the opposition as he usually does.

Trent Bridge should be punished for this pitch, I agree with what Botham said on day 1 "Is this Colombo or Nottingham?", why give the Sri Lankans what they want when they are the away side?

I also now believe that Panesar should keep his place ahead of Gilo. He is the better spinner, and as I always thought, he is not that much of a rabbit with the bat. The shots he played today looked like good cricket shots and not just sloggers like Murali executes.

If I say that injuries took their toll then I would sound like a whinger, but they did! No Harmison, our frontline bowler, no Jones or Anderson; our two best bowlers besides Hoggy and Fred, and we didn't have our friggin' captain!!!

I expect to see a better performance from England against Pakistan, because England won't be strong favourites like they were against Sri Lanka, England just like the roll of the underdog better than any other!

I just hope the damn English groundsmen prepare english pitches rather than flippin' dustbowls! :upray

 

[Englishandproud]

Yeah thats why I said it, Pakistan coming to soon :happy.

Stevie was being sarcastic usy, think the irony is lost on you, lol

I just hope the damn English groundsmen prepare english pitches rather than flippin' dustbowls! :upray

If i remeber right wasnt Old Trafford prepared to suit the Aussies aswell last year, English groundsmen should prepare pitches for England and not the visiting team !!!!

 

[aussie1st]

Good finish for SL. They deserved to win the 3rd test after bowling out England under their own very low first inns total. Then they batted much better in the second inns and let Murali do his stuff. England as predictable were very suspect against spin which is going to cause them problems in the future if they are batting last and chasing a decent 2nd inns total.

 

[irottev]

Good stuff SL. You deserved it. Wow, what a bowling performance from Murili.

Wow Panesar got 26 runs, you guys said he couldn't bat. Chris Martin remains the worst batsman.

 

[evertonfan]

Chris Martin remains the worst batsman.

Not with Ian Bell about matey!

 

[irottev]

LOL! You guys hate him don't ya.

I wanna see that Panesar innings but my sky went off due to the weater. I bet it was entertaining. Tail-enders are funny to watch.

Really I can only put this loss down to the fact that batting last is difficult, Murili is extremly hard to bat against and England just didn't bat well enough in either (mainly the first) innings. The bowling seemed alright to me, Hoggard wasn't at his best but still got some wickets.

 

[Sureshot]

England dismissed for under 200 while chasing a target and after a decent start. Thats pretty much along the lines of the Multan test. England really need to work on that, after their next test series of course.

If they really save their best for Australia, then they don't deserve the no 2 status that they currently enjoy.

Well done to Sri Lanka and especially Murali for more than making up for their blunders in the past few months, IMO.

Oh yes because our players don't bother with 100% effort do they :

Fact is our players get buoyed up when playing Australia, like Indian and Pakistani players do for their matches.

We threw away this series, with the catches at lords, and tailenders/Freds injury here.

We do lack hundreds though, which is why we miss Vaughan so much.

--

ODIs

--

Been looking at ECB stats for this domestic season so far.


I think Jon Trott of Warwicks is a must as he has been in lightning form for the Bears, he holds a British passport too.

I really think Prior should replace Jones behind the stumps for the ODIs.

Prior has three times the ammount of FC centuries Jones has, and is 5 years younger.

It won't happen though as Jones has the job despite his record with the bat being well terrible for quite a while now.

Loudon is out of form, but Fred won't be playing, or shouldn't be.

I wanna see that Panesar innings but my sky went off due to the weater. I bet it was entertaining. Tail-enders are funny to watch.

A sweep six of Murali says it all really

 

[BigCrickNan]

I really think Prior should replace Jones behind the stumps for the ODIs.

Prior has three times the ammount of FC centuries Jones has, and is 5 years younger.

It won't happen though as Jones has the job despite his record with the bat being well terrible for quite a while now.

Loudon is out of form, but Fred won't be playing, or shouldn't be.

Yes I think Prior should play + open, but GoJo should play aswell. GoJo's form with the bat in the ODIs in India was pretty good averaging over 30 and missed out on a good 50 because his runner got ran out :laugh.

I definatily think Udal should come back as the spinner, he is experienced and a good fielder. As for Monty, I would still wait for his fielding to improve as he may not bat a lot being at no.11. Hopefully Harmy will be back and Vaughan hopefully noway near the squad.

 

[Sureshot]

Don't fancy Loudon then, as he is an all rounder and could fill Freds boots.

This has been my 3rd consecutive vBookie win in a row (Completed events)

Sri Lanka win in 3rd test
England win in 2nd Test
Barcelona win ECL.