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

[TopCat]

From what I've seen of Mendis he puts so few revolutions onto the ball that he would struggle to turn it much on a pitch which Swann would be turning it square.

 

[GIMH]

Sydney Test highlights on Sky

Aw no coming up shortly IIRC

 

[Migara]

From what I've seen of Mendis he puts so few revolutions onto the ball that he would struggle to turn it much on a pitch which Swann would be turning it square.

Well, Mendis, Spin? Can't be put on the same sentence without a negative directive. Give that pitch to Senanayake, he'll spin it a yard with bounce on it. Possibly the worst selection for the test followed by exclusion of Welagedara.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Just seen the Hughes "catch" at short leg with Cook on 99 for the first time - having been at the top of the Trumper stand and relying on ABC Grandstand to explain what the hell was going on at the time. I knew it hadn't carried, obviously, but wasn't expecting it to be that blatant...

In other news, I've spent two hours this morning standing in a car park watching it rain, not rain and rain again before we finally decided to bin the match. Bank Holidays are wonderful.

 

[grecian]

Even play in Ireland, maybe the next test venue should be Dublin.

 

[Howe_zat]

Even play in Ireland, maybe the next test venue should be Dublin.

If only for Ireland vs England.

 

[Jono]

Sydney Test highlights on Sky

Aw no coming up shortly IIRC

So good

 

[Athlai]

I miss my avatar.

 

[James]

Sydney Test highlights on Sky

Aw no coming up shortly IIRC

Shame about this weather what with the tickets you won

Did you go in the end?

 

[GIMH]

Yeah certainly did. Enjoyed it too...when there was play

Managed to get sunburned, largely thanks to Friday.

 

[Spark]

****, why don't they just make this a trial D/N Test?

 

[Woodster]

Play due to get underway in less than an hour providing the rain stays away! How likley that is I'm not sure.

There will be 55 overs left in the day, I'm hoping for an England declaration and to try and make inroads into the SL line-up. Strange things happen in cricket, a few early wickets may get the nerves going for SL. Yes it's highly improbable that anything other than play being called off early with neither side anywhere close to forcing a victory, but let's give it a go.

 

[Nate]

I think the answer is more Twenty20 cricket.

 

[keeper]

Would be tempted with a 7-8 over slog. Declaring straightaway makes it too easy for SL to gain a lead and the psychological advantage. Unlikely either way, even if it doesn't rain again (and it probably will).

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Would be tempted with a 7-8 over slog. Declaring straightaway makes it too easy for SL to gain a lead and the psychological advantage. Unlikely either way, even if it doesn't rain again (and it probably will).

I'd go with that, Bell gets his ton too and we get 150ish in front. A couple of early wickets and it may just may be squeaky bum time in the SL dressing room. Be better than watching Bell get 150 odd anyway.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Would be tempted with a 7-8 over slog. Declaring straightaway makes it too easy for SL to gain a lead and the psychological advantage. Unlikely either way, even if it doesn't rain again (and it probably will).

Yeah, would be the ideal scenario for England. 8 overs at 8RPO (optimistic, but hey) gives a lead of 150-ish and, with the 2 overs for change of innings, 45 overs to embarrass SL.

 

[Woodster]

Would be tempted with a 7-8 over slog. Declaring straightaway makes it too easy for SL to gain a lead and the psychological advantage. Unlikely either way, even if it doesn't rain again (and it probably will).

Not sure declaring straight away would give them any more of a psychological edge than if we lost quick wickets by trying to slog for a few overs. It just means we'll lose another 10minutes of play for the turnaround if we delay the declaration. Would back the bowlers to get the ball swinging and cause one or two problems for SL. SL getting a lead would not give them any advantage if they lost a few wickets in the process.

 

[Spark]

I'm not sure how scoring more than 90 runs on a pitch which has seen scores of 400 plays 500dec is any kind of psychological advantage tbh.

 

[Neil Pickup]

It's packed to the rafters, isn't it?

Marginally busier when I attempted to watch Glamorgan v Unicorns last summer (it rained, a lot, and we ended up playing count-the-spectators [76] before getting the train back and having socks thrown at us).

 

[keeper]

Here we go lads.

Let's hope for at least some semblance of excitement, even a hint of an upset.

Jerusalem sounds pretty silly echoing round an empty ground.