***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[Richard]

He always does. Makes no sense for a wicketkeeper to stand back to Bell in a ODI unless the bowler's so quick you've got no choice.

 

[Richard]

Well that's Bell gone, that's about as plumb as things go, Maharoof strikes again.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Can't believe that Bell would be disappointed with said decision, maybe he thought it struck him quite high up.

 

[GIMH]

 

[Richard]

Whatyo unsure about Martyn?

Poor fielding from Maaalinga there, should have stopped that.

 

[analyst]

Any English supporters up for the decision to send Bopara up to 3 if Bell fails in the next game ? also dropping Shah and bringing Mascherenas back into this team for some much needed strength in the middle overs. Its like England have forgotten how to bowl in the 30-40 overs after playing 20-20 cricket.

 

[Prince EWS]

Any English supporters up for the decision to send Bopara up to 3 if Bell fails in the next game ?

Given Bell's recent series against India, that'd be madness.

 

[Richard]

Tis Sidebottom who should be dropped for Mascarenhas TBH - cannot fathom how he's worked ahead of him, Mascarenhas taking 10-23-3 in his last game and all, and Sidebottom having never bowled well in a ODI.

Curiously - I wonder if anyone noticed - Sidebottom has taken 2 for 56 in his last 2 games, and both times his wickets have come in the 13th and 50th overs.

 

[analyst]

Mascherenas seems to be the Andrew Hall of England, he is in brilliant form but they never play him.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Geez...

 

[Prince EWS]

The laws of consistency say that SP should be in here whining about how Mustard got yet another start and then got out before pushing on. Something tells me he won't though.

 

[Scaly piscine]

There goes my interest in one of the most dire cricket games in history.

 

[Richard]

Of course, can't have Sri Lanka playing good cricket and dominating England, can we? Never mind when they make a Durham player look like a fool. Thus, when such happens, the game's automatically d**e.

 

[analyst]

I havent seen either the first game or the second,were Bell's dismisalls, similar or just bad luck ?

 

[Richard]

Pietersen gone.

Nah, no similarity at all in Bell's dismissals.

 

[alternative]

Shocking stuff from England here.

 

[Scaly piscine]

The laws of consistency say that SP should be in here whining about how Mustard got yet another start and then got out before pushing on. Something tells me he won't though.

This is his second innings on what are very much a SL specialty pitch - the sort of pitch that will do away with cricket.

 

[Pup Clarke]

More like good stuff from SL, all four bowlers have bowled outstandingly especially to Pietersen.

 

[The_Bunny]

Haha Mustard doing a brilliant job of taking over Priors role
Still think they should have Prior back down the order, and if Mustard keeps failing he will allmost certainly get back in the team once his injury is better.

 

[Richard]

SL are letting them off the hook here, they've pushed the field back for no good reason and suddenly there are loads of singles everywhere.

Why?

They've done superbly for ages by blocking singles so effectively, and now they allow them for everything that doesn't go straight to infielders.

Just beggars belief, and you see it so often.

One of the reasons people get the stupid idea that both sides are happy with 4-an-over or whatever. A good captain should never be happy with anything more than 3-an-over in a situation like this.