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

[Woodster]

I wouldn't give Sri Lanka more than a session. Why give them a chance to win through just their batting? Would be playing right into their hands.

Bit negative for me that mate, not giving ourselves the best chance to win the game. We're not always going to bowl them out in 24 overs. The pitch is taking a bit of turn, we need to give Swanny and co the time to bowl them out. I understand we're 1-0 up and don't need necessarily to win this game, but if we've got a chance to do so, the best sides generally give themselves the chance to do it.

 

[Woodster]

What would you set them and how many overs, would you leave, to let hem have a crack at it?
Personally, I think it will depend on how well the first hour goes, if KP's got himself in or another attacking batsmen, I reckon, they will go for it and get as many as they can but leave enough overs to enable the England bowlers to have a crack at them.
The last thing SL will want, is to face 50 overs and to lose 3 quick wickets, it will make them very edgy and nervous.
I doubt if they will, or need to but if they set them 330 with 50 overs left, it sure would be interesting, to see if the SL's, wanted to chase it down.

It does depend if we get off to a flyer this morning. I don't we be too expansive in the first hour, KP will look to get himself in and set. I would think if we set them around 300 and leave them about 60 overs, it's enough of a carrot for them to go after it, yet it's a total we should back our bowlers to comfortably defend.

 

[keeper]

Some showers heading East (it's raining here in the West Mids). Hope they burn out before they get to London but could lose an hour later.

 

[Woodster]

No left-arm spin for KP to negotiate early in the day, Sangakkara going with Welegedara and Lakmal first up this morning.

 

[Woodster]

Lovely back foot shot from Cook through the offside for four. I know he's not the most attractive player to watch, but you cannot help but admire the way he accumulates his runs in his strong areas. His driving through the offside and down the ground is also much improved these days.

KP looking much more positive this morning, still not timing the ball as sweetly as he's capable of, and is still clearly battling one or two technical issues, but that big stride is evident as he seeks to get that dominating look about him back.

 

[Woodster]

Two crunching drives from KP this over, one through extra cover, the next one was fuller and straighter and punched back past the bowler and too straight for mid-off to cut off. Good signs.

 

[four_or_six]

Come on KP...

 

[Spark]

14 no balls...

 

[Woodster]

14 no balls...

Six now in the first half an hour, that is very poor stuff from the SL bowlers. Showed some footage of them training before the start of play, it's hardly surprising they overstep in the game as they paid absolutely no attention to the line in the warm-up. Schoolboy stuff.

Herath on now to give KP another examination.

 

[Furball]

14 no balls...

England bowled 9 in the entire Ashes series...

 

[Spark]

England bowled 9 in the entire Ashes series...

Didn't bowl one at Cardiff IIRC. Bowled 3 first dig here, a sure sign of their poor discipline

ED: An important point people have overlooked here. Dilshan may not bat in his usual position, and may not be batting at 100% even if he does.

 

[Spikey]

Six now in the first half an hour, that is very poor stuff from the SL bowlers. Showed some footage of them training before the start of play, it's hardly surprising they overstep in the game as they paid absolutely no attention to the line in the warm-up. Schoolboy stuff.

Must be an Australian thing.............

 

[Woodster]

Didn't bowl one at Cardiff IIRC. Bowled 3 first dig here, a sure sign of their poor discipline

ED: An important point people have overlooked here. Dilshan may not bat in his usual position, and may not be batting at 100% even if he does.

Yes Dilshan has a hairline fracture on his thumb and will only bat if necessary, presumably that means if there's a chance to win/draw the Test he may go out as a number 11 bat. He certainly won't be opening the innings according to all reports.

 

[Woodster]

Must be an Australian thing.............

 

[hazsa19]

Getting very frustrated with commentators saying England should give SL a chance.

Why? We can bat positively, bat SL out of the game and still have 50 overs at them. That's exactly what Warne's Australia would have done. Only difference is they had Warne. But there is no way in hell we should give them a chance of victory.

 

[Spark]

50 for KP. Not looked at his best yet, which is ominous.

 

[Woodster]

Off the first 10 overs this morning we've scored 52, so the intent is excellent, pretty risk free cricket aswell to be fair, just punished anything loose.

 

[Woodster]

Getting very frustrated with commentators saying England should give SL a chance.

Why? We can bat positively, bat SL out of the game and still have 50 overs at them. That's exactly what Warne's Australia would have done. Only difference is they had Warne. But there is no way in hell we should give them a chance of victory.

It depends what you or they mean by a chance ? Leaving them 320 off 60 overs is a chance, but it's unlikely they'll chase that down on day five. It also depends how quickly we score this morning, so far five an over is excellent stuff.

I think if we look to leave a minimum of 60 overs to give ourselves a better chance of winning the game, we need to do what is best for us to win the game, not draw it, but win it.

 

[hazsa19]

It depends what you or they mean by a chance ? Leaving them 320 off 60 overs is a chance, but it's unlikely they'll chase that down on day five. It also depends how quickly we score this morning, so far five an over is excellent stuff.

I think if we look to leave a minimum of 60 overs to give ourselves a better chance of winning the game, we need to do what is best for us to win the game, not draw it, but win it.

I honestly think we've got more chance of winning if their batsmen have no target, like in Cardiff. They don't do defensive batting well.

 

[Spark]

That's an excellent move by the match referee if correct.

EDIT: Do people seriously think SL would have any hope whatsoever of reaching a target of 300-odd at 5+ rpo with 5 specialist batsmen including Piranha and Prasanna, Roof, Herath, 3 #11s and Dilshan who will only bat in an emergency?