**Official** Sri Lanka in England / Scotland - 2011

[marc71178]

So every time it rains during any England match for the next ten years we're going to get highlight pieces on Alistair Cook scoring runs out here.

Will take 10 years to get through it all just once.

 

[Nate]

Doesn't feel right going for England. But I can't go past your bowling attack - simply delightful to watch.

 

[Spark]

Doesn't feel right going for England. But I can't go past your bowling attack - simply delightful to watch.

Can't say I disagree

 

[Spark]

ffs stop ****ing raining.

 

[vcs]

Doesn't feel right going for England. But I can't go past your bowling attack - simply delightful to watch.

Can't say I disagree

Then fight the temptation FFS.

 

[Spark]

It's too much!

 

[Spark]

At last a toss. And SL batting first. Herath in. England as everyone expected.

 

[vcs]

The Cardiff pitch was a road in 2009, right? How's it like for this match?

 

[Jacknife]

Started pissing down again.

 

[Spark]

Dry, apparently. With a bit of moisture in it

At least they got the toss in.

 

[Nate]

Then fight the temptation FFS.

Haha, iwantto iwantto iwantto

 

[Spark]

TMS saying it'll start in 15 minutes.

 

[mono]

why aren't chandimal & nuwan pradeep playing?

 

[Spark]

Pradeep is badly injured, out of the tour. Chandimal... less clear.

 

[shivfan]

why aren't chandimal & nuwan pradeep playing?

On cricinfo....

2.15pm Tillakaratne Dilshan calls heads, heads it is, Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat. Dilshan confirms Dilhara Fernando won't be playing, but Maharoof and Herath will, and Thisara Perera will debut. Two spinners will be played as Mendis is also included. "I changed my mind because it looked a good wicket to bat on, and it might turn," says Dilshan, explaining the decision to play two slow bowlers.

With Prasanna at six, and Maharoof at seven, that seems like a fragile batting lineup....

This isn't the subcontinent. This is England in May, where the seamers will probably get a lot more swing than you will find in Colombo.

 

[Prince EWS]

Chandimal isn't playing because the selectors made a stupid call, bascially.

If you must play five bowlers then Prasanna Jayawardene should definitely not be the wicket keeper. Chandimal or Dilshan should be keeping, or Dilshan should be the fifth bowler.

 

[Spark]

The last time a Test team played two spinners here, they conceded four hundreds in an innings...

Think they've made a massive error here. PJaya at 6!

 

[Nate]

Any indication of when play will begin? About to give up and catch some zzzs.

 

[Spark]

Who's gonna take the new ball with Anderson? Tremlett or Ryan?

@Nnanden: once they get the covers off which was supposed to be now.

 

[vcs]

The last time a Test team played two spinners here, they conceded four hundreds in an innings...

Think they've made a massive error here. PJaya at 6!

Indeed. Very questionable decision. I guess Maharoof, Randiv and Perera can bat a bit but the batting lineup looks very short TSTL.