***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[Lostman]

hard to score when the ball is pitching 2 feet outside the leg stump

 

[JASON]

God Jayawardene should look in the mirror.

That game was a dull draw because of SL and SL alone. 2.5 rpo before declaring?!

They are consistently negative and its a shame that they will prob win the series playing in this manner.

Agree completely....

Its Rich coming from Jayawardene ....

I smell a bit of finger pointing mainly to divert all the attention criticism heading towards him coming from the Sri Lankan Press who had been somewhat scathing in their attacks re-delayed declaration on Day 4....

I think SL press were right .Jayawardene if anything should have declared at Lunch Day 4 ...he left Murali and others a harder task on a flat pitch...its clear he had been under instruction to settle for a draw here...he is playing the silly Mind games to detract pressure....

 

[JASON]

For Galle Srilanka will most certainly need Bandara ...and perhaps Lokuaaratchchi....given how flat Murali has gone lately ...I would pick Loku and Bandara for Galle ...Sri Lanka are otherwise in danger of possibly ending up with a tied series at 1-1 ....England quite capable of evening the series at Galle and no one really knows how this new pitch at Galle is going to play....

I would go with..

Tharanga
Vandort
Sangakkara (revert to keeping for this Test)
Mahela
Chamara Silva
Kapugedera
Lokuaraachchi
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

But I suspect the selectors to go with

Tharanga
Vandort
Sangakkara
Mahela
Chamara Silva
Kapugedera
Prasanna J
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

 

[simmy]

Tbh, if England are going to win... then Jayawardene and Sanga must get out early in the first innings. BOTH of them. Otherwise we got no chance.

Plus would be nice if our batsman decided to get a 100. Unreal how often the get out in the 60-100 region.

 

[JASON]

Look at the grounds in Colombo list! How is it possible to have so many cricket grounds in one city?

Most of those are School Grounds...Most Colombo schools pride themselves (and compete with each other to have better Cricket Venues than the other) on their Cricket Grounds and all of them are Good for First Class Cricket. Infact Colombo has had at least 6 Test Venues....in the past

SSC (Sinhalese Sports Club), CCC (Colombo Cricket Club), P.Sara Stadium, Khettarama , Tyrone Fernando Stadium and I am not sure if NCC (Nodescripts Cricket Club) has hosted a Test once in the past... Also I think Colts Cricket Ground may have hosted a test as well or was it BRC...(Burgher Recreation Club)

 

[chaminda_00]

Have wondered more than once why this guy has never played so much as a single Test when the Upashanthas etc. have stayed around the scene for years.

Very, very, very slow even by Sri Lankan standards. In the past when the selectors have picked out and out medium pacers they usually can hold bat. If he was an all rounder he would have got a game. Played a fair few representatives or tour games for SL Board XI etc and got dominated by overseas batsmen due to his lack of pace.

EDIT: Greg Belwett pace at best, maybe slower.

 

[Richard]

^Thanks Tharmi, explains a fair bit, have spotted him in Board President's XIs and SL A every now and then but never actually watched him. Still wish he'd gotten picked ahead of Upashantha though.

For Galle Srilanka will most certainly need Bandara ...and perhaps Lokuaaratchchi....given how flat Murali has gone lately ...I would pick Loku and Bandara for Galle ...Sri Lanka are otherwise in danger of possibly ending up with a tied series at 1-1 ....England quite capable of evening the series at Galle and no one really knows how this new pitch at Galle is going to play....

I would go with..

Tharanga
Vandort
Sangakkara (revert to keeping for this Test)
Mahela
Chamara Silva
Kapugedera
Lokuaraachchi
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

But I suspect the selectors to go with

Tharanga
Vandort
Sangakkara
Mahela
Chamara Silva
Kapugedera
Prasanna J
Vaas
Bandara
Malinga
Murali

Would be a tad harsh to drop Jayawardene (Prasanna) after scoring 79, albeit he was dropped twice in single-figures. TBH, I reckon SL's best chance would be to pick Kaushal (CBA typing his surname out ) instead of Mubarak. Kapugedera has always been promising but he's still very young and really shouldn't have played as early as he did. They've been going fine with just five batsmen so far, and I've always liked the look of Kaushal's bowling. Never been sold on Bandara either, but maybe the two leggies could do better with one another than without.

 

[Richard]

Dilshan recalled for Third Test.

Thank God for that.

Seems odd that Kaushal isn't in the squad to me though TBH. Would much have preferred him to Welegadera.

 

[chaminda_00]

^Thanks Tharmi, explains a fair bit, have spotted him in Board President's XIs and SL A every now and then but never actually watched him. Still wish he'd gotten picked ahead of Upashantha though.

Back when Upasthantha got picked (for only a handful of game TBF) Ranjith was playing Tier B cricket and was never going to be considered until he moved to Teir A. Also Upasthantha from memory had pretty good domestic season with bat and bowl before getting selected.

 

[chaminda_00]

Dilshan recalled for Third Test.

Thank God for that.

Seems odd that Kaushal isn't in the squad to me though TBH. Would much have preferred him to Welegadera.

Looks like with the selection of Dilshan and extra seamer they will be going with a three man pace attack again. Finally Mr Useless is gone, hopefully for the last time ever he plays a Test for Sri Lanka, one can only dream.

 

[Lostman]

Looks like with the selection of Dilshan and extra seamer they will be going with a three man pace attack again. Finally Mr Useless is gone, hopefully for the last time ever he plays a Test for Sri Lanka, one can only dream.

I am not big fan of Dilshan in tests, but like you said anyone is an upgrade over mubarak. Plus he might be able to take jayasuriyas role and bowl a few overs.

 

[chaminda_00]

I am not big fan of Dilshan in tests, but like you said anyone is an upgrade over mubarak. Plus he might be able to take jayasuriyas role and bowl a few overs.

Hate you so much for mentioning that name. I think that name should be banned from CW, as a protest against political selections.

 

[Migara]

Galle pitch is an unknown entity after the tsunami. The salt in the soil will seep up when you water the soil and then water starts to evaporate. It may behave in an odd way opposed to the low slow turner which it was. SL needs 2 spinners, they have to drop a seamer to accomadate him. Lasith Malinga needs a rest, he have to be used very carefully not over burdoning him. My XI will be,

Upul Tharanga
Michael Vandort
Kumar Sangakkara
Mahela Jayawardane*
Chamara Silva
TM Dllshan
Prasanna Jayawardane+
Chaminda Vaas
Malinga Bandara
Chanaka Welagedara
Muththiah Muralidaran

Ideally I like Rangana herath any day of the week over Malinga Bandara, but the puppet who heads the jokers seem to think he is not f test quality.

 

[chaminda_00]

Malinga had a rest in the 1st Test against Australia. Doesn't need two rests in the space of 5 Tests. Even though he looks very burnt out.

 

[Migara]

3 test matches within 3 and falf weeks is too much in my opinion. Players need to be rotated. If SL ahve won the 2nd test, they should have rested Murali for the 3rd.

 

[chaminda_00]

3 test matches within 3 and falf weeks is too much in my opinion. Players need to be rotated. If SL ahve won the 2nd test, they should have rested Murali for the 3rd.

Key thing we didn't win the 2nd Test, if we did then it might be an option.

 

[Richard]

3 test matches within 3 and falf weeks is too much in my opinion.

Oh, it's absolutely ridiculous, especially in places as hot as Galle and Colombo. But sadly at the current time it's an extremely common pattern to see.

 

[TheLad]

3 test matches within 3 and falf weeks is too much in my opinion. Players need to be rotated. If SL ahve won the 2nd test, they should have rested Murali for the 3rd.

Were talking about professional cricketers here. They train to be fit and while I appreciate bowlers, particularly fast bowlers can get fatigued from over use these 4 matches Malinga has paid should not be a burden to him unless he is carrying an injury.

 

[JASON]

SL selectors (or Muppets) don't select on current performances or form...Otherwise I cannot figure how Dilshan made it back in the side without doing anything to justify selection apart from having played a few Tests in the past and struggling to average over 30s ...as a batsman...in an era where most average batsmen should be averaging 40 plus to be considered for reckoning in that capacity....

Kapugedera despite his young age needed to have given that opportunity....given at least he has scored a few runs against the tourists...

The SL selectors have no plans ...no idea....on selections or form ...they need to learn a lot from other countries which are way forward in their thinking and selection such as Australia...

Agree with Migara that Rangana Herath is a better wicket taker than Bandara in Tests...but SL selectors probably don't favour him because he is an offie and prefer a leggie...Bandara needs to really show himself as a Test class bowler...it has been hard for him sitting around for a long time being part of the squad but never actually playing a game....As Murali has indicated its time for SL to start grooming a successor and Loku IMO has the goods ...if he can be given the opportunity to refine himself...

WRT Welagedera ...I am not sure if selectors will take a huge risk in playing him especially if only 2 seamers are going to make the final XI... But possibly worth a shot ...
Malinga IIRC is a local from Galle or in the vicinity ..so he should play given this could be his home venue...and he has been desperately unlucky by a fair amount in both Tests..

 

[chaminda_00]

I see you don't follow the domestic competition in Sri Lanka, where Dilshan is the leading run scorer and Kapu hardly scored a run?

EDIT: Stats:

Kapugedera: 8 Inns, 111 runs @ 14
Dilshan: 8 Inns, 467 runs @ 58