Sri Lanka in England/Netherlands

[puddleduck]

That last spot between Lewis and Plunkett will get decided in the tour game one feels. The weather may help as well, if it's going to be overcast Lewis could have a big part to play, whilst if not Plunketts bounce and batting could well give him the nod. Might also be affected by which spinner they pick. If they go with Panesar then Plunketts extra batting could be needed, if they go with Udal not so much.

 

[tsyrmas]

Good to see Strauss got a duck today in domestic cricket.

 

[barmyarmy]

On the positive side when you play test cricket in May in England you don't need 4 brilliant seam bowlers. It's quite a good time to bring other players in and build their confidence up! Let's hope for a nice green-top at Lords.
I bet the groundstaff do what they usually do and produce a strip that allows Murali to get feet of turn and doesn't swing or seam at all...

 

[irottev]

i think its alot closer then intially viewed.

any one know if it is being televised in Australia???

WOO HOO! 500 posts!

Its being televised in New Zealand (on sky tv). So probably. I am quite glad to be able to see some neutral tests really. It seems like its going to be quite an even series.

The only problem is it goes to 5am, so rest assured, I won't be watching every hour of it. Probably only the first session.

 

[Sureshot]

Vandoort and Tharanga gone for ducks, both by Lewis.

Yay.

 

[James219]

Lewis picks up the danger man in skipper Jayarwardene, too. He's really pushing his case here with an opening spell of this quality. By the way, is the match actually being televised in the UK?

 

[Sureshot]

No it's not.

Wish it was though.

46-5

Lewis 4 wickets.
Clarke 1 wicket.

 

[James219]

Whoa! 5 down already, the Lankans are obviously struggling to adjust. So I'm guessing you don't know what the exact conditions are like, considering it's not televised...
It seems to be a very strong, balanced England A line-up taking the field in this match. Read's already taken three catches behind the wicket, as he continues to emphasize his case for future selection.
What's Clarke's ability as a bowler like? I know he's a decent bat, with some consistency, but that's about all I'm aware of...

 

[puddleduck]

Whoa! 5 down already, the Lankans are obviously struggling to adjust. So I'm guessing you don't know what the exact conditions are like, considering it's not televised...
It seems to be a very strong, balanced England A line-up taking the field in this match. Read's already taken three catches behind the wicket, as he continues to emphasize his case for future selection.
What's Clarke's ability as a bowler like? I know he's a decent bat, with some consistency, but that's about all I'm aware of...

The wicket will be standard English wickets, it is a bit of a myth that they seam about all over the place they are just normally pacey and bouncy with a bit of carry. Its the overhead conditions that normally lend to the ball doing a fair amount in the air.

Full credit to Sureshot looks like he may have called the Lewis selection spot on.

Whilst finally Clarke.. his bowling ability resembles something of a pie-chucker when he's not having a good day. Can be reasonably destructive on his day and perhaps deserves a shot at Odi cricket for England because he can bat as well. Overall though a bit of a fatty and like Ian Blackwell has never quite fulfilled his undoubted talent.

On the positive side when you play test cricket in May in England you don't need 4 brilliant seam bowlers. It's quite a good time to bring other players in and build their confidence up! Let's hope for a nice green-top at Lords.
I bet the groundstaff do what they usually do and produce a strip that allows Murali to get feet of turn and doesn't swing or seam at all...

Greentop at Lords is about the last thing to expect. Unlike a lot of countries England nearly always try to produce good test wickets. Good for batting, with good carry, and taking turn later on in the match. Lords however lends itself to bowlers who put the ball in the right areas and always will due to the slope. The like of McGrath and Harmison are well suited to it, and I would hope Mahmood can excel there. I would expect to see Vaas do well, whilst Murali bowling with the slope in his favour is not something I am looking too foward to seeing.

 

[James219]

The wicket will be standard English wickets, it is a bit of a myth that they seam about all over the place they are just normally pacey and bouncy with a bit of carry. Its the overhead conditions that normally lend to the ball doing a fair amount in the air.

Yeah, true, the wickets produced for the recent Ashes series of 2005 weren't especially conducive to seam bowling; they offered a bit of everything at times, yet still decent for batting. The general idea over here is that the English bowlers were only effective in their own environment, and that they won't be able to replicate that performance, or even move it off the square back in Australia. That's a pretty stupid assessment, really...

 

[puddleduck]

As long as their is a bit of pace, bounce and carry in the Aussie pitches (and there is) then the English bowlers will be very much at home. The understrength Aussie lager might however put them at a disadvantage

 

[wolf]

Sri Lanka 1st Innings
179 all out (58.5 overs)
England A 1st Innings
70 for 2 (18.1 overs)

 

[Yorkshire_No1]

Well done to the A side, Plunkett seemed to have a decent day but Lewis tore them apart. Surely a few more performances like that will put him in the test side

 

[Sureshot]

Greentop at Lords is about the last thing to expect.

Not going to happen, like you said.

The fact this has been the driest winter in the south for decades is the reason.

Most of the test pitches this year should all bare no green to them.

 

[Punk_Sk8r]

oh this is England A but the real things starts on 11th right and its on channel 5 right?