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

[vcs]

Quality batting from Paranavitana.

 

[Spark]

Broad's been very Hilf-like today

 

[Jacknife]

As quite a few people have said before the game Jimmy & Broad have looked a bit under cooked, they could have probably both, done with another County game in before the start of this.

 

[Spark]

Fine half-day of Test cricket. SL in front but not by a lot, and given the thinness of their batting that could change in a hurry.

Does anyone else really like how P'vitana smiles about everything? Near miss or looping catch, has the biggest grin on his face. Great to see.

 

[Jacknife]

On that pitch I'd say it was even stevens.

 

[TopCat]

What I can't understand is why the Cardiff groundstaff has produced a pitch more like those you would find in Sri Lanka than the UK. Slow, low and boring, although with some variable bounce that you don't generally find in the sub continent on day one.

Why not produce a pitch to suit our pace bowlers?

 

[Jono]

We now have two Top Cats on CW?

 

[Jacknife]

What I can't understand is why the Cardiff groundstaff has produced a pitch more like those you would find in Sri Lanka than the UK. Slow, low and boring, although with some variable bounce that you don't generally find in the sub continent on day one.

Why not produce a pitch to suit our pace bowlers?

Said the same, I don't know how fast and bouncy they could get Cardiff, but If it was me, I'd go to Trent Bridge or Old Trafford. especially when one is to be played at Lords. Just seems to me your not making the most of home conditions.

 

[mono]

Does anyone else really like how P'vitana smiles about everything? Near miss or looping catch, has the biggest grin on his face. Great to see.

Lasith malinga is also like that. Someone hit's him for six he walks back smiling. Then he fires in a 145Kmph swinging yorker.

Smiling assassin

 

[mono]

There's a little white mark there and snicko confirmed it.

i didn't see the mark, but i thought the noise was pretty conclusive.

 

[Jono]

There was a hot spot mark and obviously snicko provided further evidence.

It was a great decision to overrule it. Fantastic umpiring I thought.

 

[Jacknife]

i didn't see the mark, but i thought the noise was pretty conclusive.

Yes, they showed the white mark a few times on Sky on replay and put a ring round it to highlight it, the correct decision was made and the technology just caught it.

 

[GIMH]

My conclusive assessment of the day:

Anderson's first spell - ***y. Reminded me of that amazing spell in Brisbane where he somehow didn't get any wickets. Deserved a couple, was special bowling.

Tremlett - bowled well but didn't make them play enough. Will take a few tomorrow.

Broad - wtf, did he wake up and it was 2008. TBF he did seem to concede about half of his runs in two overs, nonetheless, not good enough Ryan

Swann - hero.

SL openers - pretty good, Dilshan played some loose shots and his dismissal was poor, IMO

The Sanga dismissal - never expected it to be given but it was the right decision

Jono - it's called Land of Hope and Glory not Pomp and Circumstance. GAGFC

 

[fredfertang]

What I can't understand is why the Cardiff groundstaff has produced a pitch more like those you would find in Sri Lanka than the UK. Slow, low and boring, although with some variable bounce that you don't generally find in the sub continent on day one.

Why not produce a pitch to suit our pace bowlers?

The last time we prepared a wicket to suit our own Jim Laker took 19 wickets and the Aussies still whinge about it 55 years on

 

[Riggins]

Does anyone know where you can watch the highlights? The sky site wont show me them without having sky, catch 22!

 

[Burgey]

Is this Nick Knight commentating?

Such a knob polisher.

This.

He was a better odi player than Gilchrist though.

 

[Burgey]

SL's day. Can't see them losing from here.

Some ponce who was in the crowd claims he got sunburnt. In England.

Bitch, please.

 

[Howe_zat]

10 things I saw today:

1. Incompetent sticking to procedure from officials. Why are we waiting through 40 minutes of sunshine so as we can wait for the toss, then delay it when it showers again.

2. A beautiful opening spell from Jimmy.

3. Good line and a few good bouncers from Tremlett but no lateral movement.

4. Relatively poor bowling from a half-baked Broad who didn't dare pitch it up.

5. Admirably gutsty batting from Piranha, couldn't so much as lay a edge on Jimmy early on but bided his time.

6. Dilshan was playing loose shots but hey, he wouldn't have 4000 runs without his loose shots.

7. Sangakkara quite clearly nicking one to the keeper.

8. A half-day that was just about Sri Lanka's.

9. A Test that won't see a result. The deck is flat - all movement was through the air - and there's more rain forecast.

10. A scouser with very little sense of direction.

G'night

 

[vcs]

Lasith malinga is also like that. Someone hit's him for six he walks back smiling. Then he fires in a 145Kmph swinging yorker.

Smiling assassin

Malinga has got to be one of the genuinely nicest fast bowlers around. His attitude while bowling is as aggressive as it gets though, goes for a wicket every ball.

 

[benchmark00]

We now have two Top Cats on CW?

Three tbf.