***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[Richard]

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

Wonder what the opinion would be of this one which is basically a mirror-image so far.

 

[Perm]

Would like to see a big Jayawardene knock here ITBT.

Damn.

 

[pasag]

Oh dear. 3-20.

England beating Australia and SL away in ODIs (and India at home) is rather impressive. If they didn't have the loss to WI and the poor WC showing in the middle of that, it would have been a great year for England in ODIs. As it is, not too shabby.

 

[Richard]

LOL, true that.

I'm fairly sure this is going to be another false dawn, because there's been little consistency in those producing the results - it's almost been someone different every game. Shah, Bopara and Broad are three who are very much still to convince me, for example.

Plus, of course, the CBS was a complete freak. There's unlikely to be anyone mounting a comeback as unthinkable as that in the next 30 years.

 

[The_Bunny]

Sidebottom has got some swing TBH.

Anderson's 2 wickets have both come with wholly average deliveries though.

But the accuracy which he bowled with most of the time cause the batsmen to really have to do somthing, and when you are under pressure you do dumb things

 

[Richard]

There's doing dumb things and there's getting out to rubbish deliveries.

Instead of getting out to them, you'd expect the rubbish deliveries to be struck and release the pressure.

 

[The_Bunny]

There's doing dumb things and there's getting out to rubbish deliveries.

Instead of getting out to them, you'd expect the rubbish deliveries to be struck and release the pressure.

If you arent under pressure then you are more likely to punish those balls ... silly, but thats the way our minds work

 

[Richard]

We don't know they were under pressure, TBH. Jayasuriya and Jayawardene are pretty cool customers.

Either way, it's really no excuse. A bad ball is a bad ball.

 

[Prince EWS]

We don't know they were under pressure, TBH. Jayasuriya and Jayawardene are pretty cool customers.

Either way, it's really no excuse. A bad ball is a bad ball.

Jayasuriya is anything but a cool customer.

 

[Richard]

Why you think that?

 

[The_Bunny]

We don't know they were under pressure, TBH. Jayasuriya and Jayawardene are pretty cool customers.

Either way, it's really no excuse. A bad ball is a bad ball.

At 20 for 2 after 10 overs you are under pressure.
Its about not letting that pressure get to you, but it happens even to the best

 

[Prince EWS]

Why you think that?

Because he's nervy, ritualistic and superstitious. He's certainly "cool" in the sense that I couldn't imagine him getting hot headed over anything, but I don't think he's "cool" in the sense that he'd be one to feel pressure less than most. He takes me as someone who would really feel under the pump if things weren't going his way.

 

[Richard]

At 20 for 2 after 10 overs you are under pressure.
Its about not letting that pressure get to you, but it happens even to the best

There's no rule that says when you're under pressure. If the individual feels pressure, he feels it, if he doesn't he doesn't. Some might feel under pressure after 70 for 0 from 9 overs.

Pressure gets to anyone - it's a question of when you feel it and when you keep your cool.

 

[Richard]

Because he's nervy, ritualistic and superstitious. He's certainly "cool" in the sense that I couldn't imagine him getting hot headed over anything, but I don't think he's "cool" in the sense that he'd be one to feel pressure less than most. He takes me as someone who would really feel under the pump if things weren't going his way.

Alec Stewart was even more so, but he certainly wasn't one to feel under the pump when things weren't going right.

Jayasuriya has always struck me as having a fine temperament TBH, and it surprises me that you'd think he didn't because of his awkwardness.

 

[SJS]

Can any one explain whats suddenly happened to Sri Lanka ??

 

[chaminda_00]

List A records:

Dilruwan Perera: 944 runs @ 17
Chamara Kapugedera: 685 runs @ 20
Malinda Warnapura: 1370 runs @ 26

Really i can't see how any of these guys are good enough to replace Tharanga who still averages 30 plus in ODIs. Its just seem people are calling for players to be called up for the sake of it.

 

[wpdavid]

LOL, true that.

I'm fairly sure this is going to be another false dawn, because there's been little consistency in those producing the results - it's almost been someone different every game. Shah, Bopara and Broad are three who are very much still to convince me, for example.

Plus, of course, the CBS was a complete freak. There's unlikely to be anyone mounting a comeback as unthinkable as that in the next 30 years.

It's certainly true that the side that won the CBS was massively different to the current line-up. IIRC only three of this series' side - Bell, KP & Collingwood - featured in the winning run that saw us home in Aus. On that basis, you can't really say that the CBS win is part of the same trend as the more recent results.

However, what the current side is gaining is a certain amount of confidence, which hasn't been true for an England oneday side for years. Plus, there are some very good performances going on, especially from the bowlers. It looks like a side that, given some luck with injuries, could mature into a decent unit. The only major weakness now is at the top of the order, and, if an opener or two could emerge, then there's no reason not to be optimistic.

 

[Prince EWS]

Alec Stewart was even more so, but he certainly wasn't one to feel under the pump when things weren't going right.

Jayasuriya has always struck me as having a fine temperament TBH, and it surprises me that you'd think he didn't because of his awkwardness.

Someone so ritualistic is always going to feel it a bit more when the situation goes out of his comfort zone IMO. He likes everything to be "just so" as they say and I don't think good spells of bowling from both ends fit into desired niche. He's always taken me as someone you could near enough certainly get early if you bowled well, but who nearly always punished you with vigor if you bowled poorly (or simply weren't very good).

 

[Richard]

However, what the current side is gaining is a certain amount of confidence, which hasn't been true for an England oneday side for years. Plus, there are some very good performances going on, especially from the bowlers. It looks like a side that, given some luck with injuries, could mature into a decent unit. The only major weakness now is at the top of the order, and, if an opener or two could emerge, then tyhere's no reason not to be optimistic.

TBH, the bowling is still much to convince me. Sidebottom's been hugely impressive, especially in this game (I think we all knew he could do a decent job given Dambulla-like conditions) and Swann obviously offers quite some hope. With any luck Flintoff and Mascarenhas will be back sometime too.

I still think people are inclined to think more of Anderson and Broad than they deserve, really, though. Neither have yet truly convinced me - Anderson even in now over 4 years of trying. I've seen too many Bresnans, Tremletts, Plunketts, Joneses, Wharfs, Mahmoods, Kabir Alis, Harmisons, Tudors, Kirtleys and Hoggards to get that excited over anyone who doesn't do something really, really, really special.

 

[Richard]

Someone so ritualistic is always going to feel it a bit more when the situation goes out of his comfort zone IMO. He likes everything to be "just so" as they say and I don't think good spells of bowling from both ends fit into desired niche. He's always taken me as someone you could near enough certainly get early if you bowled well, but who nearly always punished you with vigor if you bowled poorly (or simply weren't very good).

Oh, me too, but I've always considered this to be more due to the fact that his technique is lacking than any mental frailty. I said something very similar - Jayasuriya is better than anyone, and I mean anyone, at destroying rubbish bowling, but compared to someone like Nick Knight he's far lesser against better attacks.

However, I have definitely seen him play out the first 5 overs or so (sometimes even longer) then explode, quite a bit TBH. Patience is not always a problem for him.