The Future is Bright - England Lions Tour of Sri Lanka

[karolkarol]

With the full England team heading to the West Indies in March, Jonathan Trott has selected an inexperienced Lions squad to travel to Sri Lanka for a series of 3 test matches, 2 ODIs and 3 T20's against Sri Lanka A. The tour will kick off on March 1st in Pallekele with a 4 day warm up game against Nepal.

Trott and his assistant Ian Bell have selected an 18 man panel for the Test leg of the tour with a further 10 short form specialists to fly out later.



The 18 man test squad is led by Somerset's Tom Abell, with Joe Clarke of Nottinghamshire his deputy. It comprises some familiar faces to England cricket fans coupled with some maybe less familiar, all undoubtedly hoping to put themselves firmly in the minds of the England selectors, given the transitional nature of that squad currently.

The batting department is anchored by Dom Sibley, keen to rediscover the obdurate form which the county scene has become accustomed to over the last few years. Sibley will be joined by Sussex captain Tom Haines, Warwickshire's Rob Yates, Lancashire's Trott-in-waiting Josh Bohannon, Tom Lammonby of Somerset and the Yorkshire dasher Harry Brook, keen to convert his one day form to the longer game. Abell and Clarke make up the batters.

Alex Davies of Warwickshire and James Bracey of Gloucestershire will vie for the wicketkeeping gloves.

With tracks expected to turn, the spin department sees the inclusion of 4 spinners, Mason Crane of Hampshire, the Surrey spin twins Amar Virdi and Dan Moriarty and off the back of some excellent all round performances in the Bob Willis Trophy for Nottinghamshire, Liam Patterson-White.

Rather surprisingly, Trott has selected only four specialist seamers, with pitches expected to offer little lateral movement, opting for the left arm angle of Gloucestershire's David Payne coupled with the pace of Warwickshire's Olly Stone, Durham's Brydon Carse and the bustling but inexperienced Dillon Pennington of Worcestershire. Abell, it's understood will back up the seam department where necessary.

The squad will depart for Sri Lanka imminently...

 

[karolkarol]

Lions defeat spirited Nepal by 6 wickets

England Lions defeated Nepal by 6 wickets in Pallekele in a low scoring warm up game prior to their first test against Sri Lanka A. Bowling first after losing the toss, Trott's men dismissed Nepal for 180 on a pitch which took spin from the outset. Amar Virdi returned outstanding figures of 5-33, ably supported by Mason Crane who took 3 wickets as Nepal were bundled out in 60 overs. The bucaneering Aasif Sheikh top scored for Nepal with a fluent 80.

England themselves struggled on the dry grassy surface but more so against Nepal's very tidy seam bowling lineup than their lauded legspinner Lamichhane. The Nepalese seamers controlled their lines and lengths excellently and took 6 of the England wickets, with experienced Karan KC returning 5-44. Dominic Sibley was the only England batsman who looked in full control throughout, scoring a nerveless 109 before being the last man out. Josh Bohannon 2nd top scored with a careful 40 prior to becoming one of left arm spinner Basant Regmi's 3 victims.

In the 2nd innings England made early inroads into the Nepalese batting lineup with Stone dismissing Bhurtel and Carse removing danger man Sheikh's stumps with a swinging full ball. Virdi and Crane again set about their work, each chipping in with 3 wickets as the Nepalese innings was held together by a defiant 73 from left hander Kushal Malla.

Set 173 for victory England put on 83 for the 1st wicket before Haines was caught at slip by the impressive Regmi. Sibley battled on untroubled while partners came and went at the other end, eventually finishing on 87 not out, with captain Tom Abell hitting the winning runs.

Trott has a few selection headaches ahead of the first test on 9th March. Olly Stone looked like a man who hadn't played much cricket after his long injury lay off and he and Brydon Carse were worryingly ineffective against some excellent counter attacking batting in the first innings, when the pitch was at its best. It may therefore be that Trott opts for the experience of left armer David Payne for the first test instead or possibly the promising but raw Dillon Pennington. It's widely believed that the England hierarchy see Pennington as a long term prospect and are keen for him to get some game time in the series.

Patterson-White bowled tidily in both innings without really troubling established batsmen with his left arm orthodox and given the batting failures, Trott may look to shore that up with Harry Brook but one suspects that decision may be determined by the pitch in Colombo.

All in all a comfortable win for the tourists but a few things to ponder ahead of meeting Sri Lanka A in a weeks time.

Spoiler: Nepal 1st Inns

Spoiler: Lions 1st Inns

Spoiler: Nepal 2nd Inns

Spoiler: Lions 2nd Inns

 

[karolkarol]

Lions maul Sri Lanka A

In a low scoring first test in Colombo England Lions comprehensively beat Sri Lanka A by 298 runs.

Batting first on a heavily used pitch in Colombo, England battled their way to 267 in their first innings, largely thanks to 89 from vice skipper Joe Clarke and 79 from the in form Dominic Sibley. England started poorly with both Haines and Bohannon falling cheaply, Haines to the impressive Asitha Fernando and Bohannon, the first of Akila Dananjaya's 5 first innings victims. Sibley and Clarke steadied the ship with some obdurate batting on a slow pitch, until Sibley was adjudged LBW playing across the line to a Dananjaya doosra which spun sharply.

Clarke, Bracey and Patterson-White continued where Sibley left off but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, primarily to Dananjaya who bamboozled the England batsmen with his mixture of top spinners and doosras, ending the innings with 5-88.

The tidy Asitha Fernando picked up 3-37 with Rajitha and Sandakan picking up a solitary wicket each.

Spoiler: England 1st Inns Batting

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 1st Inns Bowling

If ever the old adage of not judging a pitch until both teams had batted on it was true, it was for this game, as Carse and Pennington tore through the Sri Lanka A top order to leave them reeling on 25-5 in their 1st innings. Carse struck in just his 2nd over to have Avishka Fernando caught behind from a sharply rising outswinger. The bustling Pennington then struck, disturbing the furniture of Kusal Perera who played on trying an expansive drive to a ball which nipped back considerably off the seam. The swing and seam extracted by the pair was also too much for Bandara, Bhanuka and Kamindu Mendis who all had their stumps rearranged in a short space of time.

Only the experienced Oshada Fernando offered any kind of resistance, facing 88 balls for his 27 before being caught behind by James Bracey from the impressive bowling of Amar Virdi. Dananjaya was the only other batsman to reach double figures with Virdi, Patterson-White and Mason Crane hoovering up the final 5 wickets through a mixture of tidy bowling and errant shot selection by the Sri Lankan lower order, condemning Sri Lanka A to 75 all out.

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 1st Inns Batting

Spoiler: England 1st Inns Bowling

Taking a lead of 192 into the 2nd innings, England batsmen came and went with some regularity. Sussex's Tom Haines anchored the innings with a stubborn 52 from 91 balls and around him a number of players got starts but failed to convert. Sibley scored an uncharacteristically breezy 34 off 45 balls, Patterson-White 31, Carse a belligerent 30 with some lusty straight blows off the spinners before being caught and bowled by Dananjaya as he attempted to launch another rocket over mid off. Bracey and captain Abell struck quickfire 20's before being removed by Rajitha and Kamindu Mendis respectively. England Lions declared on 208-9 at the fall of Mason Crane's wicket, leaving Sri Lanka A an unlikely 402 for victory.

For Sri Lanka, again Dananjaya was the bright spark, dominating with the ball taking 4-62 to claim 9-150 in the match as England struggled to read his mystery spin. Mendis and Fernando picked up a pair of wickets each as England batsmen fell in the pursuit of quick runs on a rapidly degrading pitch.

Spoiler: England 2nd Inns Batting

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 2nd Inns Bowling

Sri Lanka A set out positively in pursuit of their unlikely target, with Carse and Pennington not extracting a fraction of the movement they had found earlier in the match. It was only when the Michael Yardy-esque left arm darts of Liam Patterson-White were introduced that Fernando and Perera looked in any kind of danger with Patterson-White eventually removing both openers in quick sucession, Fernando playing on to an arm ball for 22 and Perera being caught brilliantly by Abell at short leg, holding onto a full blooded flick, for 26.

That really spelled the beginning of the end for Sri Lanka A, as England introduced the ying of Amar Virdi's beautiful flight and off spin to the yang of Patterson-White's left arm darts, with the Sri Lankan's wilting in the familiar 38 degree Colombo heat. Virdi removed Bhanuka, bowling him around his legs after he had looked to turn the ball against the spin through the vacant square leg, for the 3rd time in the over. Virdi also deceived the normally unflappable Oshada Fernando, removing him for a duck as he attempted to drive a delivery which dipped and spun, taken easily by Carse at mid wicket.

Mason Crane, bowling round the wicket into the rough was unplayable for the Sri Lankan lower order, elliciting more oohs and aahs than a 1980's power ballad from the England close fielders. England's spinners cleaned up the tail and bowled a hapless Sri Lanka A out for 102 in 42.2 overs, winning the match by an enormous margin of 298 runs.

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 2nd Inns Batting

Spoiler: England 2nd Inns Bowling

For the 2nd match of the tour, Dominic Sibley was named man of the match, his low hands and large stride seemingly of great benefit in these sub continental conditions.

After and unexpectedly emphatic win England stay in Colombo for the 2nd test, albeit moving to the iconic Premadasa stadium. There is slight doubt over the participation of captain Tom Abell who suffered a back spasm whilst fielding in Sri Lanka A 2nd innings. Reports from the camp suggest he will be monitored but should he not recover in time, it's expected he'll be replaced by Yorkshire dasher Harry Brook who is looking to take his burgeoning white ball reputation into the red ball game. Joe Clarke would step up to captain with Tom Haines as deputy.

 

[Rumple43]

Great stuff, big fan!

Liking the look of that Lions' line up, though I refuse to be drawn on how many of them are on my radar for the England reboot I'm doing

 

[Ken Tremendous]

Enjoyed that mate and will be following this.

 

[Ed Smith]

Lions maul Sri Lanka A

In a low scoring first test in Colombo England Lions comprehensively beat Sri Lanka A by 298 runs.

Batting first on a heavily used pitch in Colombo, England battled their way to 267 in their first innings, largely thanks to 89 from vice skipper Joe Clarke and 79 from the in form Dominic Sibley. England started poorly with both Haines and Bohannon falling cheaply, Haines to the impressive Asitha Fernando and Bohannon, the first of Akila Dananjaya's 5 first innings victims. Sibley and Clarke steadied the ship with some obdurate batting on a slow pitch, until Sibley was adjudged LBW playing across the line to a Dananjaya doosra which spun sharply.

Clarke, Bracey and Patterson-White continued where Sibley left off but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, primarily to Dananjaya who bamboozled the England batsmen with his mixture of top spinners and doosras, ending the innings with 5-88.

The tidy Asitha Fernando picked up 3-37 with Rajitha and Sandakan picking up a solitary wicket each.

Spoiler: England 1st Inns Batting

View attachment 265346

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 1st Inns Bowling

View attachment 265348

If ever the old adage of not judging a pitch until both teams had batted on it was true, it was for this game, as Carse and Pennington tore through the Sri Lanka A top order to leave them reeling on 25-5 in their 1st innings. Carse struck in just his 2nd over to have Avishka Fernando caught behind from a sharply rising outswinger. The bustling Pennington then struck, disturbing the furniture of Kusal Perera who played on trying an expansive drive to a ball which nipped back considerably off the seam. The swing and seam extracted by the pair was also too much for Bandara, Bhanuka and Kamindu Mendis who all had their stumps rearranged in a short space of time.

Only the experienced Oshada Fernando offered any kind of resistance, facing 88 balls for his 27 before being caught behind by James Bracey from the impressive bowling of Amar Virdi. Dananjaya was the only other batsman to reach double figures with Virdi, Patterson-White and Mason Crane hoovering up the final 5 wickets through a mixture of tidy bowling and errant shot selection by the Sri Lankan lower order, condemning Sri Lanka A to 75 all out.

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 1st Inns Batting

View attachment 265349

Spoiler: England 1st Inns Bowling

View attachment 265350

Taking a lead of 192 into the 2nd innings, England batsmen came and batsmen went with some regularity. Sussex's Tom Haines anchored the innings with a stubborn 52 from 91 balls and around him a number of players got starts but failed to convert. Sibley scored an uncharacteristically breezy 34 off 45 balls, Patterson-White 31, Carse a belligerent 30 with some lusty straight blows off the spinners before being caught and bowled by Dananjaya as he attempted to launch another rocket over mid off. Bracey and captain Abell struck quickfire 20's before being removed by Rajitha and Kamindu Mendis respectively. England Lions declared on 208-9 at the fall of Mason Crane's wicket, leaving Sri Lanka A an unlikely 402 for victory.

For Sri Lanka, again Dananjaya was the bright spark, dominating with the ball taking 4-62 to claim 9-150 in the match as England struggled to read his mystery spin. Mendis and Fernando picked up a pair of wickets each as England batsmen fell in the pursuit of quick runs on a rapidly degrading pitch.

Spoiler: England 2nd Inns Batting

View attachment 265351

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 2nd Inns Bowling

View attachment 265352

Sri Lanka A set out positively in pursuit of their unlikely target, with Carse and Pennington not extracting a fraction of the movement they had found earlier in the match. It was only when the Michael Yardy-esque left arm darts of Liam Patterson-White were introduced that Fernando and Perera looked in any kind of danger with Patterson-White eventually removing both openers in quick sucession, Fernando playing on to an arm ball for 22 and Perera being caught brilliantly by Abell at short leg, holding onto a full blooded flick, for 26.

That really spelled the beginning of the end for Sri Lanka A, as England introduced the ying of Amar Virdi's beautiful flight and off spin to the yang of Patterson-White's left arm darts, the Sri Lankan's wilted in the searing 38 degree Colombo heat. Virdi removed Bhanuka, bowling him around his legs after he had looked to turn the ball against the spin, through vacant square leg, for the 3rd time in the over. Virdi also deceived the normally unflappable Oshada Fernando, removing him for a duck as he attempted to drive a delivery which dipped and spun, taken easily by Carse at mid wicket.

Mason Crane, bowling round the wicket into the rough was unplayable for the Sri Lankan lower order, elliciting more oohs and aahs from the England close fielders than a 1980's power ballad. England's spinners cleaned up the tail and bowled a hapless Sri Lanka A out for 102 in 42.2 overs, winning the match by an enormous margin of 298 runs.

Spoiler: Sri Lanka 2nd Inns Batting

View attachment 265354

Spoiler: England 2nd Inns Bowling

View attachment 265356

For the 2nd match of the tour Dominic Sibley was named man of the match, his low hands and large stride seemingly of great benefit in these sub continental conditions.

After and unexpectedly emphatic win England stay in Colombo for the 2nd test, albeit moving to the iconic Premadasa stadium. There is slight doubt over the participation of captain Tom Abell who suffered a back spasm whilst fielding in Sri Lanka A 2nd innings. Reports from the camp suggest he will be monitored but should he not recover in time, it's expected he'll be replaced by Yorkshire dasher Harry Brook who is looking to take his burgeoning white ball reputation into the red ball game. Joe Clarke would step up to captain with Tom Haines as deputy.

@Ed Smith @wasteyouryouth Chaps, could one of you do me a favour please and move 2 of my posts from the Cricket 22 Stories thread into this one? They are from 25/02 and 01/03. Cheers muchly.

Done