***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[JASON]

I see SL's run rate has gone up from 3.00 to 3.09 in the last session

I think the retirement of Jayasuriya and the arrival of Vadort into SL Team has lead to a serious drop in the run rate ......As one frustrated Cricinfo commentator said he is a "Stone waller !! "

 

[Lostman]

damn you have a serious smile obsession

 

[JASON]

SL really need to give themselves at least 5 sessions on this track for Murali to bowl out his quota of 45 overs and dismiss England...So declaration by end of first session with a lead of 150 should be the target...England will definitely fancy playing out a draw if its just three to four sessions they have to negotiate...

 

[Richard]

I see SL's run rate has gone up from 3.00 to 3.09 in the last session

I think the retirement of Jayasuriya and the arrival of Vadort into SL Team has lead to a serious drop in the run rate ......As one frustrated Cricinfo commentator said he is a "Stone waller !! "

Vandort has replaced Atapattu in my mind - technically much lesser and hence nowhere near as nice to watch, but of a similar scoring pace.

People on CricInfo and so many spectators get way, way too uptight about slowish scoring batsmen - deal the **** with it, some batsmen prefer to score slowly than others, scoring at 45-per-100-balls isn't the end of the ****ing World. It's obscene how precious some get about this these days.

 

[Richard]

I really hope Vaughan bowls this innings, as that'd make 4 front-line bowlers plus 4 part-timers who'd bowled this innings.

Why on Earth Bopara is bowling when Collingwood has only bowled 1 over in the innings is completely beyond me. Collingwood >>>>>>>> Bopara as a bowler, Bopara's First-Class average is nearly 50 FFS.

 

[JASON]

Jayawardene in particular has been extremely slow ...and fails to make an attempt to accelerate the scoring ....It makes me think SL are really settling here for a draw quite happily ....I cannot for the life of me work out why they have suddenly slowed down...Unless there is some negative bowling or slow over rate...maybe someone watching can elaborate on this...

 

[JASON]

In fact if anything they have slowed down after tea ..and the run rate has gone under 3 to 2.99 now....bizarre ...considering the position of the Team ATM...

 

[JASON]

From Cricinfo-

Will is so bored he has taken to talking in French. Yup, it's that bad, and that's not taking anything away from Sri Lanka who have done all that has been asked and more.

 

[JASON]

If England break this partnership they may be successful in restricting the lead ...as Mubarak and Prasanna J are cheap wickets for the asking...and then it comes down to Vaas .....So if England take 2 quick wickets...they are in with the chance of getting even by knocking the others without a major disadvantage...lead wise...although it seems unlikely ATM .....

 

[JASON]

I hope and pray Broad gets a wicket in his maiden Test....

 

[JASON]

I found the answer for the slow scoring - From Cricinfo

117.6 Panesar to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, outside leg, he again looks to sweep but misses
117.5 Panesar to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, forward and defended into the off side
This is very negative bowling.
117.4 Panesar to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, again Gileseque wide-outside-leg line, a sweep and a miss
117.3 Panesar to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, even wider and this time he lets the ball hit him rather than even attempting a shot
117.2 Panesar to DPMD Jayawardene, no run, turned from two feet outside leg, takes him on the pads as he plays back
117.1 Panesar to Silva, 1 run, outside leg, a textbook sweep to Pietersen in the deep and backward square leg

 

[JASON]

Perhaps Monty who has already topped 100 runs trying to avoid 200....

0/109 from 29 overs ATM..

 

[JASON]

The Barmy Army are bored and singing, Andrew tells us - and winding up Daryl Harper, too. "They've been singing the 12 days of Christmas, including the verses, 'Two cheating umpires and a win at the SSC'." Ever the sport, Harper is turning around each time the Barmies roar the verse...and shrugging.

 

[JASON]

Harmy breaks through for England 4/377 Silva gone for 49..

 

[JASON]

Enter Mubarak......

 

[Richard]

Feel guilty breaking the 10-strong streak, but yeah, was thinking that when Silva got out: SL look to be in an impossibly strong position here, but it's not beyond question that the last 7 could fall for not that many.

On the other hand, this pitch is so flat even Mubarak has a decent chance of scoring runs on it. Jayawardene certainly can, TBH I'd rate him > Mubarak as batsmen, without the wicketkeeping question.

And yeah, MSP was bowling over-the-wicket lots, one of the causes of the slow scoring, the other being how difficult it could sometimes be to get the seamers away on this surface.

 

[Stapel]

Only 2 wickets today......

I was able to listen to the BBC for most of the 2nd session. When Pietersen and Harmison were out there, it looked like a wicket was to fall within minutes. Commentators even said that Harmy deserved a wicket. They were alos impressed by Pietersen's spin. It beats me: Pietersen being brilliant with the ball, but just missing some luck, whereas Panesar appears to have bowled 150 useless balls.

Was that really how things went today?

 

[Richard]

Panesar and Pietersen both turned the ball, both beat the outside-edge, and both hit the edge and saw it fall short. However, neither of them got enough balls in the right area (Pietersen unsurprisingly so as he's never been that accurate) and so they weren't able to translate promise into wickets.

Obviously, on a pitch with more bounce and pace they both might easily have taken some.

 

[albo97056]

No doubt england were unlucky today. They beat the bat so often, and all those edges dropping short! . I think we need to forget about the chance we might drop a catch and bring the slips up another 2 or 3 yards, we're gonna take more catches than opportunities we would have standing back.

Did anbody get all the verses to the 12 days parody they were singing btw?

 

[Richard]

No doubt england were unlucky today. They beat the bat so often, and all those edges dropping short! . I think we need to forget about the chance we might drop a catch and bring the slips up another 2 or 3 yards, we're gonna take more catches than opportunities we would have standing back.

Doubt it TBH, they'd not stand further back than they need to. If they're standing somewhere, they know it's as close as they're going to have a chance of catching anything at.