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

[Woodster]

Give up on the idea of a first innings lead already you're 25 runs ahead and they've already got 460. This is now a rearguard job as far as England are concerned.

Just goes to show you just never know with cricket, regardless of how certain you may be on a particular outcome.

 

[hazsa19]

Well there's more possibility of a result in this game than there was at Cardiff.

 

[Spark]

A function of how rank the tail is tbh. Fernando would be a #11 in many sides.

 

[Jacknife]

Pretty sure 350 is not the kind of figure they'd have in mind, depends how many overs they leave. It might just be 40 overs to have a go at them, in which case 350 would be far too many to keep SL interested and going for it. The best sides sometimes risk a defeat in order to win the game, now I don't think that's necessarily the Flower/Strauss mindset, especially with us being 1-0 up, but a tempting declaration is a possibility surely.

Set them 250 with 40 overs left, just over 6 per over, don't know if England would want to give them that much of a chance though.

 

[Uppercut]

Just goes to show you just never know with cricket, regardless of how certain you may be on a particular outcome.

Haha I couldn't really account for the last four wickets going down for 13 runs immediately after I said that .

Sri Lankan tail was worse than I'd realised.

 

[Athlai]

England to have 200+ runs if they play out all of todays overs.

 

[Woodster]

Pretty sure 350 is not the kind of figure they'd have in mind, depends how many overs they leave. It might just be 40 overs to have a go at them, in which case 350 would be far too many to keep SL interested and going for it. The best sides sometimes risk a defeat in order to win the game, now I don't think that's necessarily the Flower/Strauss mindset, especially with us being 1-0 up, but a tempting declaration is a possibility surely.

Just to add to that, there are still 150 overs left in this game. England conceivably bat 90 overs and leave SL wanting around 300-320 off 60 overs without batting overly aggressively.

We will have to bat well though, the pitch is turning, there's some seam movement and a hint of swing around, so application in our second innings is vital.

 

[Spark]

Set them 250 with 40 overs left, just over 6 per over, don't know if England would want to give them that much of a chance though.

That's way too much as it is, as there's next to zero chance they'll score at 6rpo without losing a few wickets and you can bet on your life that if they're, say, 3/80, they will shut up shop for good.

 

[Uppercut]

Set them 250 with 40 overs left, just over 6 per over, don't know if England would want to give them that much of a chance though.

Wouldn't risk it. Dilshan factor.

 

[Uppercut]

Just to add to that, there are still 150 overs left in this game. England conceivably bat 90 overs and leave SL wanting around 300-320 off 60 overs without batting overly aggressively.

We will have to bat well though, the pitch is turning, there's some seam movement and a hint of swing around, so application in our second innings is vital.

I think you're blurring what you want to see as a spectator with what's best for the team.

This Sri Lankan attack is dire and they're 1-0 down. Why would you give them a chance to win a match just by batting?

 

[Woodster]

Set them 250 with 40 overs left, just over 6 per over, don't know if England would want to give them that much of a chance though.

That'd mean we'll bat around 100 overs at only 2.5 rpo, which would mean the intent wouldn't where we'd like it to be. That is providing we get all the overs in of course.

It may be that we set them 250, but we'd probably have to be bowled out for about that score.

 

[Spark]

Wouldn't risk it. Dilshan factor.

Would also be relying on Paranavitana to get out quickly, or face 1 ball every over or something.

 

[vcs]

C'mon Sri Lanka, rattle them with a few early wickets. In a scenario like this, it is fairly irrelevant whether you are 10-20 runs ahead or behind, it is a good time to bowl if you can pick up an early wicket or two.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Set them 250 with 40 overs left, just over 6 per over, don't know if England would want to give them that much of a chance though.

We'll be 250 in front by drinks in the first session tomorrow against this attack if we bat sensibly. 320-340 in 70 overs and see whether they fancy it i reckon.

 

[Uppercut]

Would also be relying on Paranavitana to get out quickly, or face 1 ball every over or something.

I just wouldn't open with him in a situation like that tbh.

 

[Athlai]

That scorecard makes Dilshan's knock look huuuuuge.

 

[Jacknife]

That'd mean we'll bat around 100 overs at only 2.5 rpo, which would mean the intent wouldn't where we'd like it to be. That is providing we get all the overs in of course.

It may be that we set them 250, but we'd probably have to be bowled out for about that score.

Didn't do the maths, behind how many overs were left today and tomorrow.

 

[Uppercut]

Swing first up.

 

[vcs]

The Sri Lankan bowlers really have horrible mullets. Every one of them.

 

[Uppercut]

Gone second ball. Reviewed. Hmmmmm.