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

[TopCat]

Calm and careful accumulation from Cook, another excellent ton which continues his excellent form from the winter down under.

 

[Howe_zat]

Cook is awesomesauce. 5 centuries off the England record and he's 26.

Ton for the new ODI skipper. Had an air of inevitability about it for some time.

Cook's overall average now higher than Pietersen's, ftr. CBA to work out how many he'll need for it to remain higher should be be dismissed.

He now averages 48.4. So I'll put in a bid for 49 more.

 

[Borges]

Well played, Cook!

Looks like three centuries now in the first two days of test match cricket. Not a bad start for this season.

 

[Neil Pickup]

They do that when playing for draws as well.

It looks like you're suggesting that it would have been a good idea for Cook and Trott to spend the morning chasing wide balls before they were set, rather than getting used to the pitch and conditions and making centuries.

If, as a bowling attack, you're not going to attack under grey skies with a 400 run lead and a shortened match, it does make me wonder.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ouch, that's rank from Lakmal; Short, wide, four.

Trott moves to 99. Dare I call his progress imperious? I think I dare.

 

[TopCat]

Trott smacks another wide one from Lakmal to the fence. 103 not out.

Well played the imperious Mr Trott!

 

[Jacknife]

A lovely cover drive brings up another ton for Trott.

 

[BoyBrumby]

& Trott creams one out of the screws and through the covers to bring up a ton of his own. Pearler. Well played that man.

Why wasn't he picked sooner?

 

[Howe_zat]

Trotteh.

(Y)

 

[NasserFan207]

It looks like you're suggesting that it would have been a good idea for Cook and Trott to spend the morning chasing wide balls before they were set, rather than getting used to the pitch and conditions and making centuries.

If, as a bowling attack, you're not going to attack under grey skies with a 400 run lead and a shortened match, it does make me wonder.

Too much limited overs, foreign conditions and no real matchwinners etc etc. They've elected to try and pick up pressure wickets, which is a dull if pretty safe tactic from their POV. I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to draw every test.

Of course, its almost impossible to use pressure against this pair in a test match, slowscoring doesn't bother them whatsoever.

 

[Prince EWS]

& Trott creams one out of the screws and through the covers to bring up a ton of his own. Pearler. Well played that man.

Why wasn't he picked sooner?

Wasn't that good until he got picked, tbh. He was always a consistent one day cricketer but in the four-day stuff he had persistent lbw problems until the season he was picked in. I believe he was actually dropped for a match or two in the 2007 season.

2003 - 685 @ 40.29
2004 - 1126 runs @ 53.61
2005 - 864 runs @ 32.00
2006 - 1073 runs @ 41.26
2007 - 396 runs @ 19.80
2008 - 1240 runs @ 62.00
2009 - 1207 runs @ 80.46 and then made his Test debut in this season

Seems to me as if he improved his game and was picked at exactly the right time.

 

[Jacknife]

& Trott creams one out of the screws and through the covers to bring up a ton of his own. Pearler. Well played that man.

Why wasn't he picked sooner?

I agree, he has a good first class average of 45, so maybe he could of got his chance earlier, but there are a fair few players with similar stats but then again, who knew he was going to be as good, as he has been so far.
By the looks of his stats, he looks to have generally, got a lot better as he's matured and learned his game.

 

[Howe_zat]

Last 10 overs have brought 64 runs. Making it look very easy now.

 

[Jacknife]

Excellent day by England, Jimmy will be a bit gutted, he didn't get a few .
Just 113 behind, with the players that are to come, who score at a decent lick, England will be looking at scoring 600, then having a crack at SL on the last day.

 

[Furball]

Both teams playing for a draw here?

At this rate will need a massive collapse to get a result in this match.

They do that when playing for draws as well.

You guys are aware this is Test cricket, not the joke IPL you're watching?

 

[Jacknife]

Would people say, this attack is better than the Bangladesh attack that was here last year?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Hate to find the cloud in the sliver lining, but SL's attack does look very, very ordinary.

If he's fit Fernando has to play, surely? Flakey as he can be, he's a cut above anything on display in today's seam dept.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hate to find the cloud in the sliver lining, but SL's attack does look very, very ordinary.

If he's fit Fernando has to play, surely? Flakey as he can be, he's a cut above anything on display in today's seam dept.

Yeah, it's a sad state of affairs when Fernando would be a massive improvement, but he would be. First time I've ever thought he should actually play a game of international cricket tbh.

 

[NasserFan207]

Would people say, this attack is better than the Bangladesh attack that was here last year?

Wouldn't say they are more talented tbh. Fairly disciplined, and thats all you can really say.

This is nothing new though, this pair did this to Australia repeatedly.

 

[Furball]

Would people say, this attack is better than the Bangladesh attack that was here last year?

Neither bowling attack that's due to tour is better than Bangladesh's.